Abstract
D.Phil. (Marketing Management)
Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of prospective students’
university decision-making processes when selecting a university, much is still
unknown about the interrelationships between the choice factors they consider when
choosing a university, the perceived value they expect to derive from their choice, and
their intention to enrol at their chosen university. This study attempted to address this
gap by developing a theoretical model to test the possible interrelationships of three
main constructs namely, choice factors, perceived value and intention to enrol.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) such as universities, realise the need to embrace
marketing related ideas and practices to attract the ‘right’ students in an increasingly
competitive Higher Education (HE) landscape. The ‘right’ students are those
prospective students with potential to succeed, and the top performing students.
Competition is evident as universities need to compete with a number and variety of
universities and HEIs and prospective students have choice. Prospective students are
also more mobile, and better informed to make judgements about a range of potential
universities at home and abroad.
It is therefore important for universities to understand what students desire and expect
from them, and to engage in consumer behaviour research to grasp prospective
students’ decision-making processes and the choice factors that are most influential in
selecting a university. Choice is further a function of prospective students’ perceived
value they believe they will derive from their chosen university and understanding the
concept of value is important as it drives consumer decision-making. Perceived value
is furthermore an accurate indicator of the student’s intent to enrol.
In order to test the theoretical model that can possibly guide universities in
determining choice factors, perceived value and the intention of prospective students
to enrol, an empirical investigation was conducted. A cross-sectional descriptive
research design was followed where the researcher made use of the survey research
technique. A drop-off self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed.
For the purpose of this study, a non-probability sampling technique was employed
where the researcher used the judgement of an experienced individual to select the sample units. A letter of approval was obtained from the Department of Education to
approach these schools and fieldworkers were used to deliver questionnaires. Only
those grade 12 scholars who were considering studying at a university/university of
technology were targeted. Of the 1 733 questionnaires received, 1 476 could be
included for analysis and interpretation purposes.
Multivariate statistical techniques were used to analyse the data; including an
exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to reduce the data, a second-order exploratory factor
analysis (2nd order EFA) to verify the data, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to
refine the data, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine and measure
the interrelationships between the main constructs of the study. A number of
inferential statistical techniques were further employed to test hypotheses formulated
for the study.
The results indicate that six of the initial seven choice factors as confirmed through
CFA, influence prospective students’ university choice. The seventh choice factor
namely accessibility-price was removed during SEM because of multicollinearity. The
six remaining choice factors include reputation, cultural acceptance, accessibilitylocation,
physical evidence, prestige/prominence and future employability influencing
prospective students’ university choice.
The results furthermore reveal that there are interrelationships between the choice
factors prospective university students consider when choosing a university, the
perceived value they expect to derive from their chosen university, and their intention
to enrol at their chosen university.
The study indicate that universities should implement marketing related strategies with
equal effort into understanding the choice factors influencing prospective students’
university choice, and the perceived value prospective students expect their chosen
university offers, as interrelationships exist.