The influence of course experience, satisfaction, and loyalty on students’ word-of-mouth and re-enrolment intentions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Universities, particularly cash-strapped, expect their students to re-enrol for postgraduate studies after the successful completion of their undergraduate studies. For two decades, Zimbabwean universities have been operating in resource-constrained settings. The current research examines the effect of course experience, satisfaction, and loyalty on word-of-mouth and re-enrolment intentions of students in the higher education context. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire from a conveniently selected sample of 299 final year bachelor students at five reputable Zimbabwean universities. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was employed for data analysis. The results were all supported by the hypothesised interrelationships of latent variables. In predicting the sending of word-of-mouth communication and re-enrolment intentions for postgraduate studies, course experiences, satisfaction and loyalty were considered significant. The results of this study are crucial in the development of strategies designed to attract and retain students for postgraduate studies. The pathway to student re-enrolment intentions through satisfaction, course experiences, loyalty and word-of-mouth communication, stands out as this study’s contribution.