GO-TO-MARKET STRATEGY FOR MERSYS EUROPE TO ENTER THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

In the rapidly advancing digital era, education and training have transcended the confines of the conventional classroom. The emergence of EdTech platforms, which leverage electronic technologies to deliver educational content beyond traditional classroom boundaries, has revolutionized global learning and skill development. German-based company Mersys offers educational institutions its own solution to ease the process of education with the Campus learning

management system (LMS). Mersys focuses on offering worldwide access to top- tier education, with a particular emphasis on emerging markets. Being already

present in Kazakhstan, particularly in schools of Astana, Mersys wants to increase its share in other regions of the country too. The main question that arises though is why Mersys is not selling well. If Kazakhstan is an attractive space to operate in, what go-to-market strategy should the company choose for expansion? The aim of this study is to help Mersys identify Campus’ competitive advantage, define its customer segment, and determine the pricing strategy to grow across the Kazakhstan educational market. Furthermore, it is necessary to determine whether Mersys should enter the market on its own or through a distributor, whose responsibility is to be in charge of sales and provide servers. Key findings of primary and secondary data showed that Kazakhstan can be considered as a moderately attractive market with high barriers of competition and strong power of

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customers, yet relatively moderate obstacles to enter. Also, it is a common practice in schools and other educational centers to use several other EdTech platforms. Analyses of competitors revealed that among local widely used LMS and student information system companies, the admissions module is underserved. Pricing analysis revealed the recommended minimum price and benefits of entering the market with a partner, while also helping to determine the pricing strategy for both short-term and long-term phases.