International students’ university decision quality: The effect of online environment quality, information-task fit, perceived usefulness and social influence

Abstract

In the world of online marketing, higher education (HE) sectors still question the appropriateness of their online marketing strategies for disseminating suitable information to influence academic matriculation decisions. Different information sources have the potential to positively enhance students’ decision quality through different levels of utilization. This research investigated the influence of online environment quality on international students’ decision quality, and whether information quality (IQ) of the online environment predicts information-task fit (ITF), perceived usefulness and decision quality. The data used for this study was gathered from first- and second-year international students ( N = 308) at different universities across six countries. A structural equation modelling approach revealed the significant influence of online environment quality on the decision quality of international students’ university choice through the mediating perceptions of two levels of utilization, ITF and perceived usefulness. Furthermore, the moderating roles of website type and source type showed the significantly different influences of IQ on students’ decision quality. Implications for HE researchers and marketers in improving the online environment quality and marketing are provided.