Developing a Model of Higher Education Service Delivery Experience Among International Students

Abstract

Recently, the higher education sector has faced enormous competition as a result of the internationalisation of higher education globally. Despite developing active recruitment strategies, the higher education sector is still struggling with the critical issue of dissatisfaction with the service delivery experience among international students. As a result, there is a need to develop a model to comprehend international students' experiences with service delivery in higher education. In this paper, the theoretical foundation is explored to explain a systematic view of the customer (international students) experience phenomenon by specifying the relevance variables. The underlying theories include the means-end chain (MEC) theory, value-percept disparity theory, and theory of planned behaviour. These theories explain the customer experience in service delivery through a cognitive-emotional-behavioural path that links the causal interrelationships among variables. The variables include service personal values, service value, service quality, emotional satisfaction, and behaviour intentions. The empirical studies have supported the existence of interrelationships among these variables. The theoretical and practical (managerial) implications of the model developed are discussed, as are the directions for future research.