AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY INTO CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDED ON AN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME AT A SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS SCHOOL WILLEM GERARD SCHAAP SHORT DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER COMMERCII in BUSINESS MANAGEMENT in the FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT at UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG STUDY LEADER: PROF. F. CROUS OCTOBER 2006
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my supervisor, Prof. Freddie Crous, for his guidance, insight, patience and continuing support To my family and friends for their support and encouragement in completing this study To my colleagues at UCT Graduate School of Business for their valuable contributions, especially during the Appreciative Inquiry To the UCT Graduate School of Business for the opportunity to base my study in the Executive Education Department ii
ABSTRACT In the ever increasing competitive market of executive education, providers not only need to deliver new and innovative courses on an ongoing basis, but also need to find a competitive edge to distinguish themselves from the rest. The consumers of executive education courses base their purchase decisions on more that just the academic excellence of the course. In addition to the academic excellence of the courses, the experience of the delegate attending such a course needs to be exceptional. The focus of this study was high calibre customer service which reinforces the excellent academic experience of the delegate. This would include an extraordinary experience before, during and after the programme. In order to capitalise on the strengths of an action research approach, a relatively new action research approach, Appreciative Inquiry was used in this study. The focus was on the development of new methods to improve customer service by building on the positive experiences of the past. In a planned and systematic way this study explored new methods of taking ordinary customer service to a level of extraordinary customer service. The result of this positive action research intervention resulted in a multitude of positive actions and provided UCT GSB with a method to open-up their thinking and actions and to become more innovative and resourceful. iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES i ii iii iv vi vi 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Aim of the Study 1 1.2 The Problem Statement 2 1.3 Significance of the Study 2 2. EXECUTIVE EDUCATION 3 2.1. Development of Executive Education in South Africa 3 2.2. The Competitive Nature of Executive Education 9 2.3. Attaining and Maintaining a Competitive Edge 14 2.4. Customer Service 17 2.5. A Strategic Vision for UCT GSB Executive Education 19 3. RESEARCH DESIGN 31 3.1. Research Strategy and Methodology 31 3.2. Theoretical Foundations of Appreciative Inquiry 33 3.3. The Appreciative Inquiry Process 36 iv
4. APPLICATION AND RESULTS 39 4.1. Context of the Appreciative Inquiry Process 39 4.2. Participants of the Appreciative Inquiry 40 4.3. Application of the Appreciative Inquiry Process 41 4.4. Results of the Appreciative Inquiry Process 41 5. CONCLUSION 49 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY 52 v
LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Customised Programmes at Leading European 5 Business Schools Table 2.2: Comparative Open Programme Enrolments (1998 2006) 8 Table 2.3: South African Business Schools Offerings 2006 11 Table 2.4: Four Major Competitors in SA Executive Education Market 13 Table 2.5: Breakdown of UCT GSB Exec Ed Individual Ratings 21 Open Enrolment for 2005 Table 2.6: Business Schools rated as "good" by 22 The Economist Intelligence Unit for 2005 Table 2.7: Levels of Leadership 23 Table 2.8: Numbers on Leadership Backbone Open 25 Programme Enrolments Table 2.9: Open Programme Offerings: 2005 2006 26 Table 2.10: Customised Offerings: 2005 2006 27 Table 3.1: Summary of the 10 Principles of Appreciative Inquiry 33 Table 4.1: Appreciative Inquiry Questions 42 Table 4.2: Positive Themes Identified 44 Table 4.3: Elements that contribute towards the Ideal System 47 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1: Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle 37 vi