A Review of the Literatures

This chapter will provide a review of the literatures based on the issue of the diversity of needs for students to study abroad. Firstly, it will present a discussion on Relationship Marketing and to understand the meaning of RM in higher education. Secondly, it will introduce about Thailand’s education system and Thai student’s choice of studying abroad. Thirdly, it will explain the influence of Relationship Marketing on service quality, cost issue, marketing communication and environment in higher education. Fourthly, it will measure the important of effective Relationship Marketing on customer’s choice and customer satisfaction. Lastly, it will present the conceptual framework for the decision to study abroad model. In the crowded and competitive environment, marketers must look beyond the traditional 4Ps of marketing strategies, to achieve higher competitive advantage. Therefore, relationship marketing has become an alternative means for the organization of building strong, ongoing associations with the customers. As a part of marketing strategy, relationship marketing seeks to acquire and retain customers by providing good quality customer services, and therefore has become one of the keys to success in achieving strong competitive advantage in the present times. The marketing implications cover access to wider markets, generation of repeat purchase, creation of entry barriers, and the view that it benefits all parties (Andaleeb and Syed Saad, 1996). Besides that, according to Berry (1995), Relationship Marketing is attracting, maintaining and enhancing customer relationships. Servicing and selling to existing customers is viewed to be just as important to long-term marketing success as acquiring new customer. Since then, the relationship marketing has received wide spread attention and awareness of the importance of the company's business strategies. Therefore, a company needs to adopt pull and push the marketing strategies to attract new customer