The antecedents and consequences of corporate reputation in higher education: A parental perspective
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Date
2022
Authors
Bakkes, Elizabeth
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa are increasingly realising the differentiating role that corporate reputation plays in a very competitive higher education marketplace. However, from the literature reviewed, there are uncertainties towards the dimensions of a HEI’s corporate reputation that impacts specifically the perspective and behavioral responses of parents of Grade 12 learners. Parents play a critical role in the selection of a HEI for post-school studies for their Grade 12 child. The field study set out to identify the antecedents and consequences of corporate reputation in higher education from a parental perspective. Service experience, information from others, and information from the media were identified as antecedents of corporate reputation of a HEI. Trust, identification, commitment, word-of-mouth intention, and supportive intention were identified as consequences of a HEI’s corporate reputation. A conceptual model of the parental perspective of a HEI’s corporate reputation was developed based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response Theory.
The field study followed an ontological assumption, a positivism approach, and a cross-sectional time horizon. The theory development followed a deductive theory approach. A quantitative research method was followed using a simple random sampling technique to collect data from 163 Grade 12 learners’ parents of high schools in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Six high schools agreed to distribute the self-completion questionnaires to the parents of their respective Grade 12 learners. The self-completion questionnaire consisted of three sections. The first two sections contained screening and background questions, while the third section posed statements to test each of the eleven hypotheses according to a seven-point Likert scale. Data analysis was done to test the hypotheses using the statistical software package SmartPLS version 4.0. Findings indicated that the influence of information from others, information from media on corporate reputation were positive and statistically significant. The influence of corporate reputation on trust and identification was positive and statistically significant. Furthermore, the influence of trust and identification on commitment was also positive and statistically significant as well as the influence of commitment of word-of-mouth intention and supportive intentions. The field study’s findings provided a basis for HEI management teams to understand the perspective of parents on corporate reputation of HEIs and the impact of their perceptions on the selection of a suitable HEI for post-school studies for their children. Recommendations were given to HEI management teams to practically improve the perspectives of the HEI’s corporate reputation.
Description
Dissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2022
Keywords
Higher education institution (HEI), corporate reputation, parental perspective, parental involvement, information from others, information from media, commitment, trust, identification, word of mouth intention, supportive intention