Stakeholders’ expectations and experiences regarding school events. Results of research

Abstract

Purpose: bringing closer the essence of the expectations of students, parents and teachers towards school events and the resulting experiences; presenting the results of own research by representatives of the key stakeholders of the selected primary school, assessing its situation in terms of the issues under consideration and identifying improvements; formulation of recommendations for marketers interested in school events tailored to the expectations of participants and aimed at creating their appropriate experiences, as well as achieving goals and generating multi-faceted benefits. Methodology: computer-assisted survey with combinations of the elements of the Servqual method, Schmitt’s strategic experiential modules (sense – stimulating the senses, feel – eliciting emotions, think – intellectual engagement, act – motivation and inspiration, and relate – strengthening relationships), the NPS (Net Promoter Score) metric, and participant observation in events organized by the research object. Results: research has confirmed that through events, schools may and should manage the relationships and experiences of the interested stakeholders and generate many social and practical benefits. Research with the use of the author’s original methodology shows that what stakeholders care about most is for events to elicit emotions (the feel module), motivate and inspire the participants (the act module), and strengthen relationships (the relate module). Study limitations: planned studies at other schools with different groups of stakeholders. Practical implications: better implementation of the contemporary school’s tasks oriented at stakeholders and their engagement, cooperation development, creating unique experiences while streamlining the school’s marketing and management activities, including building its recognisable brand. Attractive ways of providing information, education, inspiration, and activation through events. Streamlining school event marketing activities. Social implications: building the school community, a number of benefits related to partnerships and integration with local entities, improvement of employee qualifications, activities for the development of the local community in terms of culture, heritage, patriotism, physical activity, environmental protection, and enterprise. Value: the first study of this type at this type of place and the possibility to actually optimise event marketing activities with notable benefits for teachers, students, parents, and other related stakeholders, and improving the experiences, relationships, and satisfaction level of all those involved. Keywords: expectations and experiences, school stakeholders, creating experiences, school events, school marketing. Type of article: research paper.