Differentiation Strategies of Private Universities: The Japanese Case

In this paper, we analyze differentiation strategies among Japanese private universities in the higher education service market. We suggest that some Japanese private universities focus primarily on educational activity while others focus on advertisement activity. We also suggest that the institutions evaluating the quality of university education do not work well and propose that the public sector improves the functioning of the institutions providing information on Japanese private universities. Further, the sector should also educate Japanese consumers so that they could fully understand and evaluate the services that universities provide.