Customer Decision Support Systems: Resources for Student Decision

Customer Decision Support Systems: Resources for Student Decision Making Cara Okleshen Peters, Winthrop University

David A. Bradbard, Winthrop University

Mary C. Martin, Fort Hays State University

Abstract

This paper highlights the potential of customer decision support systems (CDSS) to assist

students in education-related decision making. Faculty can use these resources to more

effectively advise students on various elements of college life, while students can employ them

to more actively participate in their own learning and improve their academic experience. This

conceptual paper summarizes consumer decision support systems (CDSS) concepts and presents

exemplar websites students could utilize to support their education-related decision making.

Finally, the authors discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks such resources engender from a

student perspective and conclude with directions for future research.

The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 2, Number 2, July 2005

Introduction

Increasingly, universities are approaching education utilizing a service quality perspective.

Accordingly, faculty have become service providers delivering a product (information) to their

customers (students) via the classroom (Hoffman and Kelley, 1991; Stafford, 1994). A

significant body of literature is forming around the student-customer precept, with user

satisfaction increasingly being correlated with assumptions of higher quality (Swanson and

Davis, 2000). One recently published study examines such a paradigm from a professorial

perspective (Swanson and Frankel, 2002). Swanson and Frankel's study is noteworthy because

they argue students are not passive customers but rather active participants in the service

encounter, a finding consistent with other research suggesting students are active producers of

their own learning and employers view students as potential packages of benefits (Armstrong,

1995; Goulla, 1999).

As noted by Long, Tricker, Rangecroft, and Gilroy (1999), when universities embody the service

quality perspective, they place greater emphasis on meeting customer needs and expectations,

implementing change by enhancing course quality. This makes the role of the professor

particularly important; he/she is responsible for delivering the product and carries the burden of

ensuring transactional success. It should be noted, however, that this definition of the "service

encounter" is limited; in fact, most literature to date restricts the exchange to the physical

classroom. Arguably, learning takes place beyond that particular environment. For example,

many faculty advise students with regard to careers, financial aid, graduate school preparation,

and even personal issues.

Although the suitability of the service quality perspective as it pertains to education remains

highly debatable (cf. Swagler, 1978), the model has become increasingly accepted among

students, faculty, and administrators (Newson, 2004). While acknowledging the limitations of

the model, this paper assumes a service quality perspective and applies it to service experiences

outside the classroom environment. The purpose of this discussion is to highlight the potentially

valuable role customer decision support systems may perform in assisting students with

education-related decision making.

The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 2, Number 2, July 2005 2

Assuming professors want to be more effective service providers, it serves faculty to be aware of

customer decision support systems so they can better advise students on a variety of education

related topics. From a student's perspective, such resources are tools to assist them in becoming

more active participants in their own learning. The objectives of this paper are to:

1. Summarize consumer decision support systems concepts and present exemplar

websites that currently exist to support student decision making;

2. Identify the potential benefits and drawbacks of these systems, as they pertain to

students;

3. Highlight the implications of customer decision support systems in an education

context; and

4. Suggest directions for future research.

Conceptual Background

The World Wide Web is dramatically reshaping the way businesses operate and consumers

behave in almost all industries (Hayes, 2003); the educational sector is no exception. Most

research in this domain examines the effectiveness of electronic course delivery (Berger and

Topol, 2001) and its impact on student learning (Peterson, Albaum, Mumuera, and Cunningham,

2002), as well as electronic resources to support coursework (Bell, Deans, Ibbotson, and

Sinkovics, 2001) and student projects (Castleberry, 2001). This work falls under the category of

inquiry associated with Internet resources faculty use in their classes, but the focus extends the

literature because it addresses those World Wide Web resources particularly suited for aiding

students in contexts beyond the classroom. In turn, students can use these resources to facilitate

education-related decision making. To that end, the authors have utilized decision support

systems theory as a foundation for this discussion.

Decision support systems (DSS) are integral to the field of Management Information Systems

(MIS). A DSS is defined as a system that "assists management decision making by combining

sophisticated analytical models and tools, and user-friendly software into a single powerful

system that can support semi-structured or unstructured decision making" (Laudon and Laudon,


2004, p. 349). A customer decision support system is a specialized DSS designed to aid

individual consumers in the decision making process. Arguably, there are some instances in

which students are not allowed freedom of choice in their education as with course assignments.

Yet, this discussion focuses on those cases in which students can choose among different

options, such as selecting among several elective courses. In an academic environment

supporting the student-as-customer model, customer decision support systems (CDSS) could

prove useful for improving the service encounter and subsequent decision making.

Power (2004) provides a useful framework for classifying DSS based on the dominant

component of the system (i.e., data-driven, model-driven, knowledge-driven, document-driven,

or communications-driven). Furthermore, he identifies the target users, primary purpose, and

enabling technology for each type of system. According to Power's framework, three types of

DSS could be utilized by customers via the World Wide Web, making them potential CDSS.

Data-driven systems provide users with a searchable database; knowledge-driven systems assist

consumers in accessing expertise; and model-driven systems give access to mathematically

based models that suggest appropriate need-solutions.

Grenci and Todd (2002) argue that CDSS is integral to any successful sales and marketing

strategy. Given this, CDSS should perform like an expert system that identifies user needs,

guides the user to an appropriate solution, and explains/justifies it so that he/she can understand

the recommendation. Grenci and Todd (2002) classify three key CDSS according to the user

interface.

• In the expert-driven interface, the customer has little expertise and is unsure of the

intended product's use. The CDSS therefore assists the customer in identifying needs,

options, and solutions. (Ideally, the system would also explain its recommendation.) Such

interfaces are rare but a 401K retirement planning site, such as www.tiaa-cref.org, is an

example.

• In the decision-assisted interface, the customer knows his/her needs and the CDSS

determines applicable choices or configures possible solutions. An example of this is the

site, www.travelocity.com, where a user can specify preferences for travel and destination


details including date, location, airline, and expense. Travelocity searches the Sabre

reservations system and presents a prioritized solution list based on how options fit within

the customer's stated parameters.

• The user-driven interface assumes the customer is knowledgeable, can identify personal

needs, as well as recognize options and configure the product or service without marketer

assistance. In this case, the system assists the customer in making a final decision; firms

selling computers online, such as www.dell.com, typically use this format.

Grenci and Todd's (2002) work suggests that a CDSS is especially applicable to those instances

when a customer recognizes a need but cannot determine specific product or service features that

fulfill their needs--as in the case of a student who recognizes that he/she needs advising on a

marketing career but knows little about the field.

O'Keefe and McEachern (1998), first to coin the term "customer decision support systems,"

define one as "a system that connects a company to its existing or potential customers, providing

support for some part of the customer decision making process" (p. 72). In the marketing

literature, such systems have been referred to as "computer-assisted decision aids" (Olson and

Widing, 2002), "shopbots" (Smith and Brynjolfsson, 2001), "shopping-comparison websites"

(Liedtke, 2003), and even "super sales associates" (Alba et al., 1997). O'Keefe and McEachern's

classifications are the most appropriate for this paper because they classify CDSS according to

the stage supported in the consumer decision making process (See Table 1).

The consumer decision making process, well documented within marketing scholarship, is seen

as encompassing five stages: problem or need recognition; information search; alternative

evaluation; choice or purchase; and post-purchase evaluation. Research has shown the model's

applicability across a variety of domains, including life insurance (e.g., Art, 2003), banking

(Waite and Harrison, 2002), and health care (Domaszewicz, 2002). Thus, it is likely that

students, defined as customers, follow a similar process with regard to education-related decision

making.


Table 1: Taxonomy of Customer Decision Support Systems from O'Keefe and McEachern

(1998)

Decision Process Description Typical Support Mechanisms

Need Recognition Customers recognize need 1. Agents 2. Event notification

Information Search Customers search for a product/service that satisfies need

1. Virtual catalogs 2. Internal search at web site 3. Structured questions and answers 4. Links to external sources

Evaluation Customers use decision heuristics to evaluate and compare goods and services

1. FAQs and summaries 2. Samples and trials 3. Provision of evaluative models 4. Information on existing customers

Purchase Customers place an order, pay, and arrange for collection, delivery, or installation

1. Product or service ordering 2. Payment methods 3. Arrangement of delivery

Post-Purchase Evaluation Customers evaluate purchases with a view to future decision making, customer support and maintenance may be important

1. Customer support via email and/or newsgroup (vendor initiated) 2. FAQs 3. Trouble-shooting tips 4. Email communication and response (customer initiated)

Several published studies have recently examined the effects of CDSS on consumer decision

making; three are particularly noteworthy. Haubl and Trifts (2000) addressed the utility of such

aids in the context of online shopping. They found that recommendation agents and comparison

matrices substantially influenced consumer decision making, concluding that consumers make

better decisions via CDSS while expending less effort. Pereira (1999) found that CDSS impact

choice processes, leading to increased satisfaction with the decision process and heightened

confidence in judgments. Mathieson, Bhargava, and Tanniru (1999) argue that for consumers,

CDSS offer improved decision making and reduces the costs of future decision making by

applying the lessons learned to other situations. These authors also posit that service providers

benefit because CDSS provide insights into consumer choice processes, increase customer

loyalty, and reduce marketing costs. Taken together, these results validate the relevance of


CDSS to students for use in supporting education-related decisions while expending little effort.

In addition, if faculty recommend such systems to students, it is likely they will generate greater

student satisfaction and confidence with the advising experience (i.e., service encounter) and the

decisions that ensue.

Education-Related Customer Decision Support Systems

A list of exemplar CDSS resources faculty may use to advise students, concerning all aspects of

academic-related life, was generated from an hour-long brainstorming session conducted with

two undergraduate Internet Marketing classes (n = 79) at a major, Southeastern public university.

It is important to note that this moderately sized student sample generated a substantial number

of websites. In addition, the authors consulted with two graduate students in the field of

education to expand the list. It should be noted that this list is not an exhaustive collection, but

one that highlights a representative sample of particular relevance to undergraduate students,

especially those majoring in business. It is impractical to generate an exhaustive list of CDSS as

many websites, especially those unique to an individual university (such as a particular English

department's suggestions on how to follow the APA writing style), are often not indexed on

search engines. Web site obsolescence is another issue. Clearly, there are numerous CDSS that

are not discussed in this paper yet our table presents some illustrative examples.

The websites generated in the brainstorming sessions were reviewed for 1) content, 2) support

for a consumer decision making stage, and 3) the target market strategy adopted by the firm.

Table 2 presents common target market strategies used by firms in the marketplace (Lamb, Hair,

and McDaniel, 2005). This classification captures the different types of customers that each

website is designed to serve. In a concentrated strategy, a website would be designed to focus on

one type of student (i.e., graduate student). When using a multi-segmenting strategy, a firm

would market one or more products to multiple types of students (i.e., high school,

undergraduate and graduate students) via the web. In undifferentiated targeting, the website

appeals to a mass audience of consumers, capturing students and non-students. After being

analyzed for content, decision making stage, and target market strategy, the websites were

grouped according to function. As highlighted in Table 3 (pages 19-21), six service categories

were noted, relating to: courses, graduate school, financial aid, careers, professions, and college


life. These categories capture the various areas of education-related challenges students may

face. For example, "course related" support sites help with choosing in which class to enroll,

while "career" aids facilitate career choices.

Table 2: Target Market Strategies from Lamb, Hair, and McDaniel (2005)

Concentrated Targeting

A firm selects a market niche (one segment of a market) for targeting its marketing efforts. Because the firm is appealing to a single segment, it maintains a highly specialized marketing mix. This category was used to represent firms marketing their products at one specific market segment, such as one type of student.

Multi-Segment Targeting

A firm chooses to serve two or more well-defined market segments and develops a distinct marketing mix for each. Multi-segment targeting may involve greater product design, production, promotion, inventory, marketing research, and management costs. This category was used to represent firms marketing one or more products targeted toward multiple market segments, such as different types of students (i.e., high school, undergraduate, and graduate students).

Undifferentiated Targeting

A firm adopts a mass market philosophy, viewing the market as one big group with no individual segments. The firm uses one marketing mix for the entire market. A firm that adopts an undifferentiated targeting strategy assumes that individual customers have similar needs that can be met with a common marketing mix. This category was used to represent firms that marketed their product to any person as a consumer. Thus, the firm focuses on a variety of segments as in the case of all types of students and non-students.

Course-Related Resources. In the category of course-related CDSS, website services ranged

from those used to communicate information about the quality of professor performance (i.e.,

www.ratemyprofessors.com) to those providing writing assistance (i.e., www.termpapers.com),

study aids (i.e., www.tutor.com and www.cliffnotes.com), and basic business information (i.e.,

www.quickmba.com). Although not uncovered in the brainstorming sessions, there are a host of

publisher-sponsored websites accompanying textbooks. Many of these sites have useful study

aids, such as interactive quizzes.


With the exception of websites that are used to rate professors, most course-related resources in

Table 3 (pages 19-21) simplify information searches or purchasing behavior. For example,

www.cliffnotes.com sells abbreviated literature compilations available in most bookstores, thus

providing an online distribution channel. Tutoring sites (www.tutor.com) provide a ubiquitous

means of purchasing tutoring services. Figure 1 (page 22) presents the home page of

www.tutor.com. Term paper writing websites (www.termpapers.com) cater to students wanting

to improve their college-level writing skills.

With respect to studying, tutoring, and writing resources, such online services provide

accessibility and convenience. However, their drawbacks include high cost, slow inquiry

response time, and the difficulties posed by mediated learning formats, as well as ethical issues.

In some cases, it may be less expensive and more effective to visit on-campus tutoring or writing

centers. Even so, sites like www.tutor.com offer tutors with specialized knowledge, such as

upper-level mathematics, that are not available from an on-campus tutor because of the difficulty

in finding someone with expertise.

Teaching evaluation pages, such as www.ratemyprofessors.com, are distinct because they deal

with multiple stages of decision making. Figure 2 (page 23) presents a copy of a page from

www.ratemyprofessors.com showing the database. Ratemyprofessors.com, a compilation of

more than two million entries, allows students to critique their instructors--a form of post-

purchase evaluation--based upon three criteria: helpfulness, clarity, and easiness (in addition to

providing space for open ended comments). Also, new students can search for information about

professors they are considering before registering, thereby reducing uncertainty. Put simply, this

website automates and centralizes the communication network that students access to gain

information about professor performance.

From a student's perspective, the primary advantage of sources like www.ratemyprofessors.com

is that they provide easily accessible information about instructors that some students would not

be able to access via traditional social networks or word-of-mouth. Furthermore, an individual

can often read multiple opinions, ideally representing a diversity of viewpoints. However,

drawbacks include the fact that students respond differently to a particular instructor's style


rendering some insights less valuable (and potentially inaccurate). Additionally, students cannot

assess the quality of the source since posting is done under anonymity.

Graduate school preparation. The websites in this category include national college and

university databases as well as entrance essay assistance and graduate school test preparation

services. The former relate to the information search stage of the consumer decision process,

whereas the latter support the purchase stage. Databases, such as www.universities.com, provide

comprehensive institutional lists of distance learning, online education, and on-campus options.

Figure 3 (page 24) presents the Master's degree page from www.universities.com. However, this

format entails limitations because to truly maximize an information search's utility, a student will

most likely have to visit the website of a given college to read specifics about the programs of

interest.

With respect to entrance essay aid and test preparation websites, these can be extremely

advantageous. Students can purchase discipline-specific editing help, from

www.essayedge.com, to improve graduate school applications. Test preparation services, such

as Kaplan's www.kaptest.com, provide exam study tips, exercises, and test locations and

schedules, among other features. In addition, a student can buy test preparation books and

register for classroom-based prep courses. The primary disadvantage to these services is cost.

Some service providers charge in excess of $900; many services on these websites are only

available to students who have paid the registration fee. For example, Figure 4 (page 25)

presents the home page of Kaplan, where a student has to register and pay before gaining full

access to the site.

Financial aid resources. Most websites providing financial aid resources are purely

informational, describing different forms of aid and detailing the necessary steps for obtaining

such assistance. Many are proprietary but the Federal Government sponsors a comprehensive

source: www.studentaid.ed.gov (See Figure 5, page 26). The advantage to students is that

financial aid CDSS provide quick information access, but searching for a particular piece of

information or an answer to a specific question can be tedious and time consuming. Often the

application process is best completed in person using the guidance of a financial aid office on a


college campus. In addition, this office communicates deadlines and provides appropriate

financial aid application forms, information oftentimes lost among the multiple pages of a

content-rich website, if available at all.

Career resources. The World Wide Web contains numerous career related CDSS students can

access for job searches. In general, these allow students to search job posting databases across a

variety of fields as well as post their resumes. In addition, many, such as www.monster.com or

www.hotjobs.com, provide tips for resume writing, interviewing, salary negotiation, etc.; hence,

they support the information search stage of consumer decision making. Figure 6 (page 27)

presents a copy of the home page of www.monster.com. Students could perceive several

advantages to using these career-related CDSS: they provide fast, easy access to multiple job

postings. Students searching these databases may become motivated as they learn about

numerous possibilities for which they may be qualified. The disadvantages lie in the fact the

ratio of jobs obtained to those applied for is low; inexperienced job hunters may limit their

efforts to only submitting resumes online only to find their efforts do not generate enough (or

any) interviews.

Professional resources. The category of CDSS that focuses on professional online resources

contains industry-specific publications and websites supporting professional organizations. (The

student brainstorming session generated a limited number of examples for this category, and it

should be noted there are more resources than those given.) Online industry-specific publication

websites include sources such as Advertising Age's www.adage.com, along with Internet

versions of more general business publications like The Wall Street Journal's

www.wsjinteractive.com. Many sites are online extensions of professional organizations, such

as the American Marketing Association's www.marketingpower.com (Figure 7, page 28). These

primarily informational resources can provide students with insights into the field of marketing,

assist with their course-related learning, support their job searches, and build their connections to

"real-world" marketing practitioners. However, the primary disadvantage common to many of

these websites is that their contents are only accessible to customers who have paid a fee to

access the material. It could be costly to subscribe to a number of professional organizations and

publications in order to gain full access to their website contents.


College life resources. This category captures CDSS supporting information searches and

purchases related to student life; its contents range from websites focused on new and used

textbook sales, college life products, and apartment searches. Websites such as

www.amazon.com (as well as specialty sites like www.campusbooks.com) are important for

students interested in buying and selling used books. A variety of sites, such as

www.ecampus.com, have customized product offerings to target the specific needs of college

students (e.g., college apparel, videogames, and school supplies). Figure 8 (page 29) presents the

home page of www.ecampus.com. In addition, there are general websites that support student

apartment searches, including www.apartmentfinder.com.

Discussion and Implications

This paper illustrates the value of customer decision support systems (CDSS) in assisting

students with education-related decision making. Professors (and personnel at all institutional

levels) can use these resources to advise students within all areas of college life, while students

can refer to them individually when facing specific challenges. Ideally, more actively integrating

CDSS websites into academics would improve student satisfaction with education-related service

encounters. Furthermore, students who utilize such resources should make better education-

related decisions while expending less effort. Future research should examine whether

incorporating CDSS into education-related service encounters does in fact significantly improve

customer satisfaction and the ensuing decisions. For example, experimental research using web

tracking tools could answer questions as to whether a CDSS reduces time spent searching, assists

in narrowing down and prioritizing criteria used to evaluate alternatives, and produces an optimal

choice relative to the most important criteria in the decision process for college textbooks.

An examination of the websites reported in Table 3 suggests that most education-related

customer decision support systems currently assist the "information search" and "purchase"

stages of consumer decision making; hence, they are especially useful for aiding students in

gathering information and purchasing products or services. It also appears that the majority of


these systems are data-driven as opposed to model-driven (Power, 2004); and most have a user-

driven interface that assumes customers are knowledgeable about their needs, aware of the

product and service options, and can configure offerings with little assistance (Grenci and Todd,

2002). Collectively, these conclusions imply there is significant growth potential for the creation

and development of CDSS that meet a wider set of student needs; current systems are not yet

supporting all stages of the decision making process. Existing systems lack model-driven

formats that suggest solutions appropriate for student needs. Furthermore, present systems do

not include expert-driven and decision-assisted interfaces to assist in identifying needs,

configuring options, and discerning optimal solutions.

In the context of student decision making, the stages of problem/need recognition, evaluation,

and post-purchase evaluation processes are under-represented by the CDSS sample presented in

this paper. The implications of such a situation could be significant, as illustrated by the case of

www.ratemyprofessors.com, a popular website among students at numerous universities across

the United States. Ratemyprofessors.com claims its customers add more than twenty-seven

hundred ratings per day. As of August 28, 2004, the website had over two million ratings of

more than four hundred thousand professors who taught at over four thousand universities.

Arguably the phenomenal growth of this user base is due to its ability to fulfill the information

search and post-purchase stages of students' education-related decision making. However, this

site might be even more effective if it provided a comprehensive format where a user could

compare the average ratings across the different professors that may teach a course at his/her

university. This is an example of how the site could be expanded to support the evaluation stage

of student decision making.

Other examples illustrate the potential impact of expanding the offerings of education-related

CDSS to better address unfulfilled needs. If www.universities.com, in addition to providing a

database list of colleges and universities by state (i.e., information search), would also allow

users to compare the course offerings at these schools, the ratings of the various academic

programs, and the average cost of tuition, among other key decision factors (i.e., evaluation

stage), it would be a more valuable tool and most likely a more popular website. Furthermore, if

a student could compare graduation rates, job placement statistics, and even alumni testimonials


from the programs in which he/she is interested, these features would provide support for post-

purchase evaluation. This raises the question as to whether students derive more value from

those CDSS that support a greater number (as opposed to fewer) of stages of the consumer

decision making process.

This paper discusses some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of education-related CDSS

from a student perspective, highlighting the fact that these systems are imperfect tools with

serious shortcomings. It may be useful for future researchers to identify how many students

actually use these types of systems and the ways in which the information is used. Furthermore,

it would be useful to identify the negative externalities (i.e., unexpected costs or conditions) that

may result from widespread usage of these systems. For example, as of September 21, 2004, a

Google keyword search for "term paper help" registered more than 8.3 million hits and many of

the listed websites offer pre-written (or tailored) for-fee work. If professors advise students to

use the Internet as a tool for legitimate writing and editing help, and if such pursuits call up

numerous portals fostering plagiarism, students may be tempted to cheat. Thus, professors may

face an ethical dilemma in informing students about CDSS (sources such as www.cliffnotes.com

or www.ratemyprofessors.com), though detection software such as Turnitin (www.turnitin.com)

may act as a deterrent to plagiarism.

The discussion presented in this conceptual paper highlights several important research questions

to be answered by a series of empirical studies on the topic. The most pressing question is

whether students who use CDSS actually make better decisions? Additionally, do students

derive more value from those CDSS that support a greater number of stages of the consumer

decision making process? If so, how could current education-related CDSS be expanded to

address a wider set of student needs and stages in consumer decision making? Other important

questions include how many students actually use these types of systems and in what ways are

the information is used? Furthermore, what specific conditions result from student usage of

CDSS? Additionally, in what ways would expanded student use of CDSS alter institutional

behaviors and/or service offerings?


In conclusion, the proliferation and increasing popularity of CDSS services among students

generates a need for institutional awareness of their existence. Education-related CDSS will

most likely continue developing and becoming more powerful tools to support student decision

making. Faculty face the challenge of accepting these tools or rejecting them on the grounds of

the negative externalities that they may produce. As indicated by the appeal of

www.ratemyprofessors.com, it appears that for better or worse students are embracing such

technologies to assist in their decision making. As CDSS become increasingly adopted, future

research should examine whether they in fact significantly impact and improve decision making.

What can be predicted with certainty is that, like most other industries, customer decision

support systems of the World Wide Web are placing a permanent mark on education.


References

Alba, J., Lynch, J., Weitz, B., Janiszewski, C., Lutz, R., Sawyer, A., & Wood, S. (1997).

Interactive Home Shopping: Consumer, Retailer, and Manufacturer Incentives to

Participate in Electronic Marketplaces. Journal of Marketing, 61(3), 38-53.

Armstrong, J. S. (1995). The Devil's Advocate Responds to an MBA Student's Claim that

Research Harms Learning. Journal of Marketing, 59(July), 101-106.

Art, M. M. (2003). Consumers Online: The Role of the Internet in the Purchase Process.

LIMRA’s MarketFacts Quarterly, 22(4), 84-89.

Bell, J., Deans, K., Ibbotson, P., & Sinkovics, R. (2001). Towards the "Internetalization" of

International Marketing Education. Marketing Education Review, 11(Fall), 69-79.

Berger, K. A., & Topol, M. T. (2001). Technology to Enhance Learning: Use of a Web Site

Platform in Traditional Classes and Distance Learning. Marketing Education Review,

11(Fall), 15-26.

Castleberry, S. B. (2001). Using Secondary Data in Marketing Research: A Project that Melds

Web and Off-Web Sources. Journal of Marketing Education, 23(December), 195-203.

Domaszewicz, A. (2002). Online Tools Drive Health Care Decisions. HR Magazine, 47(8), 97-

102.

Goulla, M. (1999). Assessing the Teaching Quality to Student Satisfaction Relationship:

Applied Customer Satisfaction Research in the Classroom. Journal of Marketing Theory

and Practice, 7(Summer), 87-97.

Grenci, T. T., & Todd, P. A. (2002). Solutions Driven Marketing. Communications of the ACM,

45(3), 65-71.

Haubl, G., & Trifts, V. (2000). Consumer Decision Making in Online Shopping Environments:

The Effects of Interactive Decision Aids. Marketing Science, 19(Winter), 4-21.

Hayes, M. (2003). High Impact. Information Week, 926, February 10, 41-50.

Hoffman, K. D., & Kelley, S. W. (1991). The Education Service Encounter: The Socialization of

Students. Journal of Marketing Education, 13(Summer), 67-77.

Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2004). Management Information Systems, 8th ed. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.


Lamb, C.W., Hair, J.F., & McDaniel, C. (2005). Essentials of Marketing, 4th Ed. United States:

South-Western.

Liedtke, M. (2003). Sites Check Prices. Salina Journal, November 27, E1-E2.

Long, P., Tricker, T., Rangecroft, M., & Gilroy, P. (1999). Measuring the Satisfaction Gap:

Education in the Market-place. Total Quality Management, 10(4,5), 772-778.

Mathieson, K., Bhargava, M., & Tanniru, M., (1999). Web-Based Consumer Decision Tools:

Motivations and Constraints. Oakland University, Working Paper 004.

Newson, J. A. (2004). Disrupting the 'Student as Consumer' Model: The New Emancipatory

Project. International Relations, 18(2), 227-239.

O'Keefe, R. M., & McEachern, T. (1998). Web-Based Customer Decision Support Systems.

Communications of the ACM, 41(3), 71-78.

Olson, E. L., & Widing II, R. E. (2002). Are Interactive Decision Aids Better Than Passive

Decision Aids? A Comparison with Implications for Information Providers on the Internet.

Journal of Interactive Marketing, 16(2), 22-33.

Pereira, R. E. (1999). Factors Influencing Consumer Perceptions of Web-Based Decision

Support Systems. Logistics Information Management, 12(1/2), 157-181.

Peterson, R. A., Albaum, G., Munuera, J. L., & Cunningham, W. H. (2002). Reflections on the

Use of Instructional Technologies in Marketing Education. Marketing Education Review,

12(Fall), 7-17.

Power, D. J. (2004). Specifying an Expanded Framework for Classifying and Describing

Decision Support Systems. Communications of the Association for Information Systems,

13, 158-166.

Smith, M. D., & Brynjolfsson, E. (2001). Consumer Decision-Making at an Internet Shopbot:

Brand Still Matters. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 49(4), 541-558.

Stafford, T. F. (1994). Consumption Values and the Choice of Marketing Electives: Treating

Students Like Customers. Journal of Marketing Education, 16(Summer), 26-33.

Swagler, R. M. (1978). Students as Consumers of Postsecondary Education: A Framework for

Analysis. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 12(1), 126-134.

Swanson, S. R., & Davis, J. C. (2000). A View from the Aisle: Classroom Successes, Failures,

and Recovery Strategies. Marketing Education Review, 10(Summer), 17-25.



Swanson, S. R., & Frankel, R. (2002). A View from the Podium: Classroom Success, Failures,

and Recovery Strategies. Marketing Education Review, 12(Summer), 25-35.

Waite, K., & Harrison, T. (2002). Consumer Expectations of Online Information Provided by

Bank Websites. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 6(4), 309-322.

Table 3: Education-Related Customer Decision Support Systems

Service

Category Website General Site Content Decision Making Stage Target Market

Course-Related Resources www.ratemyprofessors.com Rate professors, search ratings

Information search, Post purchase evaluation Multi-segment

www.professorperformance.com Rate professors, search ratings Information search, Post purchase evaluation Multi-segment

www.tutor.com Purchase one-on-one tutoring services

Information search, Purchase Multi-segment

www.termpapers.com Access material to improve paper writing Information search Multi-segment www.sparknotes.com Purchase study guides Purchase Multi-segment www.cliffnotes.com Purchase cliff notes and other study aids Purchase Multi-segment www.netmba.com Review business topics Information search Concentrated Graduate School Preparation www.collegenet.com Search graduate programs Information search Multi-segment

www.universities.com Search distance-learning graduate programs Information search Multi-segment

www.essayedge.com Purchase essay editing services Purchase Multi-segment www.kaptest.com Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase Multi-segment www.powerscore.com Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase Multi-segment www.testmasters.com Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase Multi-segment www.800score.com Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase Concentrated www.gradschools.com Search graduate programs Information search Multi-segment

www.petersons.com Search graduate programs, Purchase test preparation

Information search, Purchase Multi-segment

www.mba.com Search graduate programs, Purchase admissions test

Information search, Purchase Concentrated

www.gre.org Purchase admissions test

Purchase ConcentratedFinancial Aid Resources www.fafsa.org Gather financial aid information Information search Multi-segment

www.studentaid.ed.gov Gather U.S. government official financial aid information Information search Multi-segment


www.iefa.org Gather financial aid information for international students Information search Concentrated

www.fastweb.com Search for colleges and scholarships Information search Multi-segment www.college-scholarships.com Search for scholarships Information search Multi-segment www.theoldschool.org Gather financial aid information Information search Multi-segment www.scholarships.com Search for scholarships Information search Multi-segment www.finaid.org Gather financial aid information Information search Multi-segment www.estudentloan.com Search for loan sources Information search Multi-segment www.freschinfo.com Search for scholarships Information search Multi-segment www.collegeanswer.com Search for scholarships Information search Multi-segment www.srnexpress.com Search for scholarships Information search Multi-segment

www.back2college.com Gather financial aid information for non-traditional students Information search Multi-segment

Career Resources

www.brainbench.com Undergo computer certification Purchase Undifferentiated

www.hotjobs.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated

www.internships.wetfeet.com Search internship listings and post a resume Information search Concentrated

www.wetfeet.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated www.monster.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated

www.campuscareercenter.com Search by employer and advice on job hunting Information search Multi-segment

www.jobweb.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated www.careerbuilder.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated www.collegegrad.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Multi-segment www.ajb.dni.us Search U.S. government official job bank Information search Undifferentiated www.nationjob.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated www.kforce.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated www.flipdog.com Search job listings and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated

www.computerjobs.com Search job listings in technology and post a resume Information search Undifferentiated

www.cooljobs.com Search job related websites Information search Undifferentiated


www.usajobs.opm.gov Search U.S. federal government official job bank Information search Undifferentiated

www.overseasjobs.com Search for jobs worldwide Information search Undifferentiated

www.apha.org/career Search for jobs and post a resume in public health Information search Undifferentiated

www.bls.gov Search U.S. labor statistics Information search UndifferentiatedProfessional Resources www.wsjinteractive.com

Purchase access to Wall Street Journal articles Purchase Undifferentiated

www.adage.com Purchase access to Advertising Age Articles Purchase Undifferentiated

www.the-dma.org Access the Direct Marketing Association Information search, Purchase Undifferentiated

www.marketingpower.com Access the American Marketing Association

Information search, Purchase Undifferentiated

www.top-consultant.com Assess business consulting resources Information search Undifferentiated www.nytimes.com Access to the New York Times Information search UndifferentiatedCollege Life Resources

www.moneyforbooks.com Sell used textbooks Purchase Multi-segment

www.academicsuperstore.com

Purchase computer hard/software for college Purchase Multi-segment

www.ecampus.com Purchase college supplies Purchase Multi-segment

www.thefacebook.com Directory connecting students through social networks Information search Multi-segment

www.youngmoney.com Search information on money management Information search Multi-segment www.campushook.com Search information on college dating Information search Multi-segment www.half.com Buy or sell books Purchase Undifferentiated www.amazon.com Buy or sell books Purchase Undifferentiated www.barnesandnoble.com Buy or sell books Purchase Undifferentiated www.moneyforbooks.com Sell used textbooks Purchase Multi-segment www.apartmentfinder.com Search for information on apartments Information search Undifferentiated www.apartmentguide.com Search for information on apartments Information search Undifferentiated


Figure 1: The Home Page of Tutor.com


Figure 2: A Page from Ratemyprofessors.com Showing Professors in the Database


Figure 3: The Master's Degree Page from Universities.com


Figure 4: The Home Page of Kaptest.com


Figure 5: The Home Page of the U.S. Federal Government's Financial Aid Program


Figure 6: The Home Page of Monster.com


Figure 7: The Home Page of the American Marketing Association


Figure 8: The Home Page of e-Campus.com


Documents

Customer Decision Support Systems: Resources for Student Decision