Context/backgroud Traditional business schools face the number of challenges, which occurs as the result of transformation and digitalization of economy and changing customer needs. On the one hand, development of on-line language courses and platforms results in decreasing demand for traditional face-to-face language lectures and existence of on-line alternatives also results in increasing competition which reflects in decrease of price of the traditional language school products. On the other hand, customer, who can now select different on-line product alternatives doesn´t perceive the value of the customized face-to-face teaching. Such circumstances in nature jeopardize the long-term sustainability of traditional language school business model. Objectives Project reflects the current changes in business environment and aims on development of new business model for business school, which is based on transformation of the product to the more value-adding form of language education which connects the language and professional education. Such transformation allows the language school to be not only the provider of the language education, but effectively connect it with professional education focused on business and personal development. Number of profile of participants Project participants consist of one University department, which has long term experience in entrepreneurial education and business model research activities, and four different language schools and a non-govermental organisation. Partners range from 5 different countries - Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Poland and Latvia. Participating language school were carefully selected in order to cover different geographic and legal conditions, sizes and product structure. This variety allows the development of universal business model valid in different circumstances. Description of activities Methodology used Used methodology starts with the deep analysis of current business model, customers and market, and identification of key limitations of the current state. We plan to use the up-to-date methods for new business model development such as canvas and value proposition canvas. As a result of developed business model, we plan to develop several new products and verify the applicability of these products for the fulfilling the customer´s needs. Results We plan to deliver several project outputs. Main output is the new business model for language schools which should be general and applicable by any language school in different conditions. This business model allows the different view on traditional language school business. We will support this business model by several new products for business schools, which reflects the new conditions of innovated business model and the changing business environment in this field. These new products should extend the traditional language education, to more value adding professional, business and personal development training. These new products will be supported by the general guidelines for trainers and students, how to develop and use these new products. Specifically, we are going to - create 6 intellectual outputs (3 analyses: first of the current business models of language schools, second of external environment (including political, economical, social and technical factors) and third of customers), 4 new sector-specific and/or people&business development courses, Guidelines for the Learn&Lead Trainer, Students´Portfolio and the Learn&Lead Webinar Online interactive platform), - organize 1 pilot training course Train the Learn&Lead Trainer (16 trainers), organize 2 pilot training courses for the final customers (60 participants), organize 1 Learn&Lead Conference (80 participants). Impact envisaged We believe, that project could significantly contribute to the transformation of the traditional language school’s business into new type of business model, which reflects the changes in business environment, customer requirements and challenges of the new digital era. Project outputs could contribute to the development and boosting the language school business and bring new value to the customers of language schools. Project will significantly contribute to the strategic activities of Tomas Bata University, Faculty of Management and Economics. Project has direct connection to the new innovated study programme Entrepreneurship and Business Administration, which includes the course “Business models”. Entrepreneurship, sustainability and Business models are also included in key research fields of the faculty. Faculty may so directly connect the practical application of business models with teaching and research activities. University may also benefit from the project, by offering the project intellectual outputs and courses to its business partners and may utilize project outputs for improving the quality of staff as the UTB is considered bilingual university and provides number of study programmes in English.
The main goal of the project was to create a sustainable business model for language schools. This required: (1) to innovate the existing business model of language schools, (2) to create new products that will better reflect the current requirements of language school clients, (3) to create instructions for trainers so that they become leaders of the teaching process, (4) create tutorials for students to learn more easily, (5) create an online platform that connects course providers with their clients. Overall, we wanted to achieve the transformation of language schools so that these schools become mediators of education, that is, mediators between trainers (mentors of language education) and clients of language schools. This project was intended to help understand not only how language schools work today (based on the analysis of the business model), but also how the market of language schools works (based on the analysis of the market, competition and customers). The project was to identify the pillars of business sustainability in this sector and to innovate the business model, and by creating new products it was to reflect current market conditions.
The main motive for the creation of this project was the declining language education market, whether from the point of view of education providers (language schools) or their consumers (clients of language schools). Language schools were struggling with a decrease in clients (drop in demand), falling margins (unattractiveness of the market), high market saturation (a large number of language schools) and an unsustainable business model focused on the classic form and content of education (language without professional context , the teacher as a replicator of teaching, the student as a passive consumer of teaching). Our goal was to bring teaching closer to current requirements for education and at the same time take into account current trends in business based on the idea of networking, sharing and co-creation. This project reflected the needs of LS clients (to change the form and content of teaching so that the student becomes an active participant in the course and at the same time can focus not only on language, but also personal development) as well as the needs of language school and their lecturers (responding to teaching trends, adapting teaching to clients and using conversation and game-learning techniques).