StudyAbroad.com Reveals Best Practices, New Findings in Study Abroad Recruitment White Paper

Research highlights relationship of study abroad programs to student satisfaction, market competitiveness

Hoboken, New Jersey, May 24, 2012 - StudyAbroad.com, the Internet’s leading source of information on educational opportunities for students seeking study abroad programs outside the U.S., today announced the availability of a new white paper titled, “Recruiting Study Abroad Students: Current Approaches and Best Practices.” The white paper addresses best practices from StudyAbroad.com and other organizations serving students with study abroad programs as well as gaps in existing marketing strategies.

The white paper is comprised of data from surveys StudyAbroad.com and its parent company, EducationDynamics, conducted with a select group of more than 50 institutions and study abroad program providers, as well as best practices StudyAbroad.com has learned from its own experience. The white paper highlights the numerous opportunities for institutions to understand the demand in their market, how to correctly identify study abroad prospects and steps to take to boost current and future study abroad recruitment strategies.

“As interest in study abroad increases among U.S. students, there will be a need for even more polished and strategic approaches to recruitment for academic and cultural experiences overseas. A lack of understanding of who students are, how to find them and how they prefer to be communicated can negatively impact a study abroad program’s ability to grow and be successful,” said Chuck DelCamp, Product Manager at StudyAbroad.com. “This white paper is intended for individuals leading the study abroad marketing efforts at colleges, universities and non-institution based program providers to be able to take the steps needed to run successful programs. The findings included will provide useful insights and practical tactics that will benefit existing and new study abroad programs.”

Based on survey participants’ responses, StudyAbroad.com has uncovered five steps to recruiting study abroad students. This information includes:

* Knowing the market demand for study abroad programs

* Understanding and aligning marketing approaches to student preferences

* Choosing, assessing and adjusting marketing efforts for maximum effectiveness

* Qualifying study abroad student prospects

* Deciding whether (and if so, how) to outsource specific recruitment activities

While the desire to study abroad continues to increase among students, the reality is that many organizations still have much to learn when it comes to making potential participants aware of their program offerings. Competition in the market will continue to climb as well, as more than 70% of survey respondents said they plan to develop brand new study abroad programs in the next year. As the StudyAbroad.com white paper outlines, this means that the criticalness of marketing to the right individuals will only become more important to the process of recruiting study abroad participants.

Organizations interested in ordering a copy of “Recruiting Study Abroad Students: Current Approaches and Best Practices” should contact Chuck DelCamp at 484.766.2955 or cdelcamp@educationdynamics.com.

About StudyAbroad.com

StudyAbroad.com is a web resource of EducationDynamics and the Internet’s leading source of information on educational opportunities for students to study in other countries. It is a comprehensive directory of study abroad and intensive language programs organized by subject and destination. Currently information on more than 12,000 study abroad programs is available and more than two million students visit StudyAbroad.com annually. StudyAbroad.com also offers Destination Portal Pages, a handbook serving as a guide to traveling abroad; Blog Abroad, a blog that chronicles the experiences of students as they study abroad; and financial aid information. To learn more, visit www.StudyAbroad.com.

About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics is higher education’s leading marketing information and technology services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, EducationConnection.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, TestDriveCollege.com, TestDriveGradSchool.com and its special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition, as well as other innovative solutions including LeadWatchLive, its Web-based inquiry management system. Through Aslanian Market Research, the company brings decades of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence and best practice insights to clients. For more information, visit educationdynamics.com.

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Best Practices Are Stupid Author Stephen Shapiro Examines Goldilocks Principle

Innovative ideas can all too easily be classified as either too abstract or too specific. But innovator extraordinaire Stephen Shapiro shows how to begin the quest for "just right" in his latest book, "Best Practices Are Stupid".

Boston, MA, October 27, 2011 (Straight Line PR) -- When it comes to describing innovation challenges, we can learn a thing or two from Goldilocks. Creative problem solving is at its best when challenges aren't too big (broad or abstract) or too small (overly specific). Instead, problems need to be framed in a way that maximizes the likelihood of finding a solution - in other words, "just right", says innovation mastermind Stephen Shapiro.

"I think this is a nice way of putting it," says Shapiro, author of Best Practices Are Stupid ( http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid ). "We'll never forget this innovation principle because, well, who doesn't remember Goldilocks?"

Instead of asking for new ways to increase revenue (abstract), ask employees whether there are specific markets that the company hasn't penetrated ("just right").

Or, to cite another example: Instead of simply expressing a desire to improve the educational system in England, research the root of the problem. And from there, Shapiro ( http://SteveShapiro.com ) says, ask the question: "How do we increase parental involvement?" This is also "just right."

And "just right," at its core, is:

* More focused

* More practical

* More valuable

The Goldilocks Principle is truly a search for "just right" every time. And that's a goal worth chasing.

Entering a home belonging to three bears in the woods is not very sound thinking. But Goldilocks slept soundly. There's a lot of meaning there.

"If we adopt this same rigor when defining challenges, we too just might sleep a bit better at night, knowing a workable solution is just around the corner," says Shapiro (sign up for his monthly Free Innovation Tips at http://www.steveshapiro.com/keynotes/ ). "So remember: Goldilocks is a great way to innovate."

The latest book by Stephen Shapiro, Best Practices Are Stupid discusses the Goldilocks Principle and other paradigm-breaking ideas, and can be found on Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid

About Stephen Shapiro:

Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaboration, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countries. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small, he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Education, Nestle, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 person internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of organizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools, allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their most threatening challenges.

Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://SteveShapiro.com

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The Enemy of Innovation? Expertise, Says "Best Practices Are Stupid" Author Stephen Shapiro

People tend to think an expert is the be-all and end-all - the A-to-Z on an important subject. But that's not true when it comes to innovation, says writer and innovation leader Stephen Shapiro, author of "Best Practices Are Stupid". Expertise can actually keep business leaders from that one great idea that will push them to the top.

Boston, MA, October 16, 2011 (Straight Line PR) -- The idea of expertise brings to mind a tub filled with everything one needs to know about a subject. The expert on dish washing soap seemingly knows everything there is to know about dish washing soap. But what Stephen Shapiro shows in his latest book, Best Practices Are Stupid, is that expertise is the enemy of innovation. Why? Because expertise assumes it knows everything there is to know about a subject, when in fact it's one good "idea-merge" away from true brilliance.

"The more you know about a particular topic, the more difficult it is for you to think about it in a different way," says Shapiro. "If you want breakthroughs, you need to bring together people from a wide range of disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences."

This isn't just a theory. In his new book, Best Practices Are Stupid ( http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid ), Shapiro points to research by Lee Fleming, a Harvard Business School professor who discovered that multidisciplinary work is "frequently superior to the best innovations achieved by conventional approaches". Interestingly, Fleming's research showed that:

* Similar background teams equaled great successes, yet few breakthroughs.

* Cross-disciplinary teams equaled higher failure rate, yet radical innovations with potential to create incredible value.

The question Shapiro poses is whether there's a way to get the benefits associated with diversity without any of the undesirable effects. He answers, "Yes" - and says the key is "open innovation".

"Open innovation is all about engaging people outside of your organization to help solve challenges," says Shapiro (sign up for his monthly Free Innovation Tips at http://www.steveshapiro.com/contact/ ). "It's like when Netflix went outside itself to find a way to improve video recommendation by 10 percent. Or when a solution was found to help in the cleanup of the [oil spilled by the] Exxon Valdez tanker. We must choose open innovation over expertise. It's simply the way to go."

Stephen Shapiro's most recent book, Best Practices Are Stupid discusses the phenomenon of Open Innovation and other paradigm-breaking ideas, and can be found on Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid

About Stephen Shapiro:
Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaboration, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countries. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small, he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Education, Nestle, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 person internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of organizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools, allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their most threatening challenges.

Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://SteveShapiro.com

Press Contact: Stephen Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 2001 Marina Drive Suite 807, Quincy, MA 02171, 617-379-1177

steve@24-7innovation.com
http://SteveShapiro.com
http://linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates

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Contact:
Stephen Shapiro
24/7 Innovation
2001 Marina Drive Suite 807
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617-379-1177
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Stephen Shapiro Says Stop Thinking Outside the Box - Find a Better Box

Many think "outside-the-box" is the bedrock of innovation. But innovation expert Stephen Shapiro, author of Best Practices Are Stupid, shows that outside-the-box isn't king. Instead it's a misconception that, if corrected, could lead to big organizational advancements.

Boston, MA, October 17, 2011 (Straight Line PR) -- While reading through the Table of Contents for Stephen Shapiro's latest book, Best Practices Are Stupid, readers inevitably reach this heading and do a double-take: "Don't Think Outside the Box; Find a Better Box". Really, who's ever heard the box analogy challenged? Turns out that Shapiro has.

In fact, he teaches just that.

"Finding a better box is the way to go," says Shapiro, innovation leader and author of Best Practices Are Stupid ( http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid )

Shapiro defines a "better box" by way of quoting the writer who penned the phrase, "creativity within constraints". Well-defined challenges are an excellent way to guide innovative efforts, because they allow employees, customers and the community to focus their energies on finding solutions that are relevant, says Shapiro ( http://SteveShapiro.com ).

Challenge-driven approaches allow companies to assign certain things before actually investing the valuable time of employees, such as:

* Owners
* Resources
* Funding
* Evaluators
* And evaluation criteria

In his latest book, Best Practices Are Stupid, Shapiro really emphasizes this point by citing the example of two fishermen. The first casts a huge net over a huge body of water. He catches some fish, but also a shoe, gunk, and fish he never wanted to catch. But the second fisherman prepares the right rod, reel, line, leader and bait and knows exactly which fish he's after, so he goes to the exact spot he things they are.

"This is the challenge-driven approach," says Shapiro (sign up for his monthly Free Innovation Tips at http://www.steveshapiro.com/contact/ ). "And if done correctly, establishing boundaries does not have to put constraints on innovative efforts. Jump on board with that."

About Stephen Shapiro:
Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaboration, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countries. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small, he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Education, Nestle, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 person internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of organizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools, allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their most threatening challenges.

Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://SteveShapiro.com

Press Contact: Stephen Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 2001 Marina Drive Suite 807, Quincy, MA 02171, 617-379-1177

steve@24-7innovation.com
http://SteveShapiro.com
http://linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates

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Contact:
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24/7 Innovation
2001 Marina Drive Suite 807
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Stephen Shapiro Shows How to Avoid One-Hit Wonder Syndrome: Best Practices Are Stupid

One-hit wonders might be memorable. But really - they're not respected or considered mega successful. That's why it's so vital to continuously innovate in big ways. Innovation expert Stephen Shapiro details this syndrome in his new book, "Best Practices Are Stupid".

Boston, MA, October 15, 2011 (Straight Line PR) -- We've all heard about Lipps Inc, The Sugar Hill Gang, and Haddaway - for precisely one song each. That's right, they were bands. And they sang Funky Town, Rapper's Delight, and What is Love (respectively). These bands and songs all have one thing in common: they were one-hit wonders.

"This one-hit syndrome must be avoided in the world of innovation," says innovation leader Stephen Shapiro, author of Best Practices Are Stupid ( http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid ). "We must be very mindful of the five components required for successful avoidance of one-hit wonders."

Those five components - detailed in his book - are:

* Strategy

* Measures

* Process

* People

* Technology

"The 'one hit wonder' syndrome is not dissimilar to what happens with many businesses," Shapiro says (sign up for his monthly Free Innovation Tips at http://www.steveshapiro.com/contact/ ). "One good idea pops up that reaps stellar returns... and then the organization falls from grace."

How can business leaders dodge this syndrome? By making sure that innovation energies are predictable and sustainable, treating them like any other capability in the company.

In his new book, Best Practices Are Stupid, Shapiro ( http://SteveShapiro.com ) offers as an example how finance departments operate (CPAs, CFOs, etc.) and suggests using this structure for innovation. This is vital to avoiding the 'one hit wonder' syndrome.

Innovation must be brought out of the recesses of research and development departments, and placed directly in the limelight of organizations along with other highly esteemed areas.

"It's time to bring it to the forefront of business - putting it on the same level as finance, sales and marketing," Shapiro explains. "To restrain innovation limits its effectiveness to near nothingness. Treat innovation like you would other departments, and chances are it's going to treat your organization better than you could have ever imagined."

About Stephen Shapiro:

Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaboration, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countries. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small, he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Education, Nestle, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 person internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of organizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools, allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their most threatening challenges.

Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://SteveShapiro.com

Press Contact: Stephen Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 2001 Marina Drive Suite 807, Quincy, MA 02171, 617-379-1177

steve@24-7innovation.com

http://SteveShapiro.com

http://linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates

Please contact http://www.PressReleaseNation.com for corrections or updates.

Contact:

Stephen Shapiro

24/7 Innovation

2001 Marina Drive Suite 807

Quincy, MA 02171

617-379-1177

dlock@richcontent.tv

http://SteveShapiro.com

Stephen Shapiro Reveals "Survival of the Adaptable" - Best Practices are Stupid

Best practices are not always about survival of the fittest. A tried and true idea does not necessarily mean it's the best. Innovation leader Stephen Shapiro understands this truth with striking clarity and gives us his insider knowledge in his new book, "Best Practices Are Stupid".

Boston, MA, October 11, 2011 (Straight Line PR) -- Seldom will someone turn a stamped-and-approved principle on its head and escape mockery. Stephen Shapiro has done just that in his latest book, "Best Practices Are Stupid".

In the section of the book titled "Not Survival of the Fittest - Survival of the Adaptable", Shapiro highlights the story of two hikers in the mountains of Canada. They run into a bear, and one of the hikers swiftly trades his boots for sprinting shoes. His companion says, "What are you doing? You can't outrun a grizzly!"

And the hiker lacing up his running shoes responds: "I know, but I only need to outrun you, my friend!"

It's survival of the fittest. Staying one step ahead so as not to be eaten alive.

"But innovation isn't about one-time change, like running from the grizzly," says Shapiro, innovation leader and author of "Best Practices Are Stupid" ( http://amzn.to/BestPracticesAreStupid ). "It's about continuous change. In other words, adaptability."

As his story of the hikers progresses, we find that the first hiker bolts, while the second hiker simply grins. He knows that bears have poor eyesight and will only chase prey that runs. The first hiker gets eaten.

The take-away from the story: In order NOT to be eaten, Shapiro breaks down the three levels of innovation:

* Innovation as an Event

* Innovation as a Capability

* Innovation as a System

Shapiro ( http://SteveShapiro.com ) goes on to say that many organizations want to get innovative and move fast-but usually end up running in the wrong direction, like toward a bear. He says it's much better to take deliberate action by understanding the marketplace and harnessing the organization's energies with a focus on what's most important.

"It's not the smartest organization that will survive, or the company with the most money," says Shapiro (sign up for his monthly Free Innovation Tips at http://www.steveshapiro.com/consulting/ ). "It's the organization that adapts and evolves to address ever-changing market conditions."

About Stephen Shapiro:

Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaboration, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countries. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small, he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Education, Nestle, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 person internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of organizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools, allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their most threatening challenges.

Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://SteveShapiro.com

Press Contact: Stephen Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 2001 Marina Drive Suite 807, Quincy, MA 02171, 617-379-1177

steve@24-7innovation.com

http://SteveShapiro.com

http://linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates

Please contact http://www.PressReleaseNation.com for corrections or updates.

Contact:

Stephen Shapiro

24/7 Innovation

2001 Marina Drive

Suite 807

Quincy, MA 02171

617-379-1177

steve@24-7innovation.com

http://SteveShapiro.com