A Tale of Two Private Catholic Philadelphia Universities: How Organizational Change Influences Market Position Differentiation

Abstract

This study explores the intersection of organizational change and market position in higher education. Specifically, this study is a longitudinal comparative case study of Saint Joseph’s University and Villanova University – two private Catholic institutions in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At one time, Saint Joseph’s and Villanova shared a number of similar characteristics in student demand, faculty characteristics, student outcomes, and financial resources. However, by 2018-2019, the similarities in the characteristics of the institutions had changed. This study works to understand the factors that effected organizational change at each institution and their impact on market position differentiation. The research methodology involved a mixed methods – quantitative and qualitative – approach. The quantitative analysis revealed how the market positions at Saint Joseph’s and Villanova changed, over time. The qualitative analysis involved an assessment of external and internal environmental factors that effected organizational change at each institution. The intersection of the qualitative analysis on organizational change helped inform the quantitative analysis on differentiated market position. The qualitative analysis helped explain the organizational change phenomenon that impacted market position differentiation at Saint Joseph’s and Villanova.