Factors influencing student satisfaction in universities in the Gulf region: Does gender of students matter?

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Journal of Marketing for Higher Education

Publication Date

12-9-2013

Abstract

While various research studies have focused on antecedents and consequences of student satisfaction, few studies have done so in the Gulf region. The objective of the present study was therefore to design and empirically examine a model of student satisfaction in a private university in the Gulf region that operates in a high-technology-enabled environment. Based on a literature review and conducted focus groups, draft measures for the study constructs were developed. Data were collected from 217 students and an exploratory factor analysis identified 6 factors that potentially influenced satisfaction. After scale development, multiple regression analysis was used to test the research questions. It was found that the two genders displayed a difference in the factors influencing their satisfaction. For female students, only reputation (beta =.499, p <.01) was significant, while for male students, both reputation (beta =.763, p <.01) and perceived faculty academic competence (beta =.301, p <.01) were significant. Various theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis.

ISSN

0884-1241

Publisher

Informa UK Limited

Volume

23

Issue

2

First Page

135

Last Page

154

Disciplines

Computer Sciences | Education | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

gender, Gulf region, higher education, service quality, student satisfaction, technology-enabled environment

Scopus ID

84890807774

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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