The Education Reform Act 1988 brought about a number of radical changes in the structure and funding of UK higher education institutions particularly within the “new university” and college sector. As a result, they now operate within a much greater competitive context and need therefore to incorporate a greater market orientation into their strategic planning process in order to acquire a competitive advantage over their rivals. Reports on exploratory research undertaken to assess the degree to which these higher education institutions are aware of the complexity of the student′s role and whether this complexity is considered in the development of an institutions mission statement. Assesses the degree to which institutions display an awareness of the various types of customer that need to be taken into consideration when formulating their strategic plans.

The development of a customer portfolio is a logical process for the development of a business. Conceptual work, using a range of independent variables, has been undertaken in the past decade but few (if any) results of its application have been documented. Shows how a fabric supplier has developed a system for customer portfolio construction based on current profitability and the nature of the current relationships between itself and garment manufacturers. Details the costs, together with more qualitative variables, used in the system. Provides suggestions for future resource allocation.

Articulates the concept of market segmentation and examines, critically, how the main segmentation procedures lead to the conclusions that the main concern ought to be the classification of people in terms of usage of product and attitudes. Examines a new tool available to management (ACORN) a classification of residential neighbourhoods. States that in the UK 1983 General Election it emerged that nearly 40 per cent of the electorate did not vote for the party of their social class. Discusses segmentations in the electoral marketplace, which is preceded by a literature review. Concludes that the application of modern marketing techniques is ongoing in the electoral marketplace with regard to the UK. Finds that ACORN group findings of field research, undertaken to test claims, establishes that political attitudes changed regarding them during election campaigns.

Looks at the application of marketing philosophy to non‐profit‐making organizations, looks briefly at the work of Kotler and Levy. Examines similarities between non‐profit‐making and profit‐making organizations, and investigates the role of local government in the marketing of non‐profit‐organizations. Concludes that the growth pressure being put on local government to justify the existence of their non‐profit‐making organizations means that the role of marketing in this area must become an important factor.

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