SEGMENTATION OF ACADEMIC COMMUNITY FOR THE PURPOSES OF MOBILITY PLAN DEVELOPMENT - CASE STUDY OF GDANSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The objective of the paper is to analyse the structure of academic community for its transport behaviour and attitudes using the example of the Gdansk University of Technology (the GUT) in Poland. Once understood, the group can be divided into homogenous sub-groups and studied for their potential and ways to influence their behaviour, attitudes and transport patterns. The results may be used to develop dedicated actions designed to change the mentality and transport behaviour or to maintain sustainable transport patterns. The purpose of the research was to help draw up a GUT mobility plan using market segmentation, a method commonly used in management and marketing. The segmentation was based on transport behaviour surveys among the University’s employees. A total of 5 segments were distinguished: absolute car dependent (24%), conscious car drivers (27%), promising car drivers (7%), car free commuters (16%) and sustainable car owners (26%). In-depth analyses helped to aggregate the segments into 3 groups to be targeted with different measures aimed at changing mentality (24%), transport behaviour (34%) or maintaining sustainable transport habits (41%). Changing the proportion of particular segments and/or target groups can be one of the goals for the mobility plan. Based on the results of GUT research some dependences between affiliation to the segment and other describing variables were observed. However, further research is necessary into the other cases. If positively verified, the research can be a basis for the development of a universal method for dividing the academic community into segments based on the available data or simple criteria. This would reduce the time to prepare the mobility plan and ensure that the measures are targeted properly and developed with less effort.