Higher Education Institutions: Satisfaction and Loyalty among International Students

Abstract

This study empirically investigates the relationship between satisfaction with educational service augmenters and consumer loyalty within the context of the international student market. An enhanced state of consumer satisfaction, also labeled as delight, is captured by focusing on service augmenters that fall outside the domain of the core educational service. The results indicate that while satisfaction with the augmenters does determine consumer loyalty, the augmenters that enhance the delivery of the core seem to have the strongest impact on consumer loyalty. Apart from research implications, the findings have interesting managerial implications, especially for administrators in educational institutions and policy makers associated with U.S. higher education.

KEYWORDS:

• higher education
• international student
• service augmenters
• satisfaction
• loyalty