Transformation of the business model of language schools

Abstract

This monograph's objective is to innovate language schools' business model. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to examine the current theoretical knowledge in the area of the business model of language schools, to analyse the market environment, the current business model of language schools and the requirements of language school clients. The analysis of the market environment was based on methodical sheets that allowed us to perform a competitive analysis, characterise the market and identify important external factors that influence the market environment of language schools. We analysed the business model of language schools in two ways. Exploratory research was focused on analysing the offer of language schools, thanks to which we could get a better idea of what language schools offer and to what extent. The first questionnaire survey (Q1) was focused on analysing the current business model of language schools to identify the ideas and possibilities of language schools. It was addressed to language schools and helped us identify the limits of the current business model. The second questionnaire survey (Q2) was focused on analyzing the requirements, needs and expectations of language school clients. Thanks to this and that questionnaire survey, we could perform customer profiling. Based on the data from the questionnaire survey, we then compared the views of service producers (language schools) and service consumers (language school clients). We found that in most of the investigated areas of the business model, there is a mismatch between the offer of language schools and the requirements of language school clients. This fact is reflected in the innovative business model of language schools, which redefines the role of language schools and changes their position on the informal education market. The innovation of the business model of language schools is similar to the open business model. Its essence is the creation of a knowledge platform that connects language school clients with lecturers/trainers/mentors and facilitates their mutual interaction. At the same time, in the innovative business model, the offer of language schools is re-evaluated, from simple foreign language teaching to foreign language teaching with the possibility of personal development in learning and leading.