Economic aspects of marketing management of a university brand in the context of digitalization

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the intensification of competition in the educational services market, the growing importance of intangible assets, and the transformation of mechanisms for interaction between universities and stakeholders in the context of digitalization. The purpose of the article is to study the economic aspects of marketing management of a university brand in a digital environment and to substantiate the role of digital tools in shaping the brand value of higher education institutions. The article uses general scientific and special methods of cognition, in particular analysis and synthesis, systemic and institutional approaches, content analysis, and comparative analysis. The empirical base is formed on the basis of open digital data from official web resources of Ukrainian universities and analytical platforms. This made it possible to analytically group universities according to their level of digital presence and assess the nature of their digital interaction with stakeholders. Results. The economic content of university brand management as a system of management decisions aimed at creating and maintaining intangible value in the digital environment has been clarified. It has been established that the digital presence of universities is characterized by significant differentiation, reflecting varying degrees of integration of digital channels into the brand management system. The predominance of universities with an average level of digital presence indicates that there is significant potential for improving brand management efficiency by systematizing digital communications, strengthening analytical support, and developing digital services. It is justified that digital tools contribute to reducing certain transaction costs, increasing brand visibility, and building stakeholder trust. Conclusions. Marketing management of a university brand in a digital environment is formed as an independent area of management activity, which has a direct impact on the competitiveness and sustainability of higher education institutions. Further research should focus on quantitatively assessing the impact of digital brand management on the economic performance of universities and developing integrated models of brand management in the digital environment.