A student’s satisfaction model for an executive education blended learning approach, considering aspects for marketing applications

Abstract

Purpose This study investigates the main factors that lead to students’ satisfaction toward executive education blended learning.Design/methodology/approach Merging five theories (consumer satisfaction theory, self-determination theory, investment model, happy-productive student theory and service quality model), the author used quantitative research to develop a model, explaining executive education satisfaction taught in a blended learning approach. Administrated questionnaires were physically distributed in various business universities that offer education to mid-career executives in Egypt. Two hundred and seventy questionnaires were examined through structural equation modeling path coefficient analysis.Findings Results show that satisfaction with executive education in traditional classroom boundaries are due to three internal factors (personal/psychological): self-regulated learning, perceived future financial rewards and perceived ease of course; and two external factors: quality of instructor and course design. When courses are given online, satisfaction is developed due to two internal factors (personal/psychological): self-regulated learning and perceived future financial reward; and one external factor, course design.Practical implications Marketization signifies students as consumers of universities; student’s satisfaction is increasingly important for educational entities to attract and retain students. Thus, this study develops a coherent student’s satisfaction model to better manage and market executive education, leading to students’ contentment in theory and practice.Originality/value Student’s satisfaction has multiple facets that are stochastic as education evolves and develops. The contribution stems from the incorporation of various theories to explain student’s satisfaction of executive education taught in a blended approach: traditional classroom boundaries and digital platforms that offer access to online education. The research extracts significant set of reasons, showing executive education satisfaction is not entirely similar to other education programs; and satisfaction toward blended learning in executive education is not entirely similar to education offered solely online or physically.