The Influence of E-Word of Mouth Marketing on Students’ Selection of Management Degrees

Abstract

This study aims to examine the influence of electronic word-of-mouth marketing on students’ selection of management degrees. A structured questionnaire was employed to gather data. The target population consisted of management undergraduates during the period from 2016 to 2022 in Sri Lanka, as well as potential students interested in pursuing a management degree program. A sample size of 384 respondents was initially selected, and 312 responses were collected from the management undergraduates of the Open University of Sri Lanka and five other private universities in Sri Lanka. After removing outliers, a total of 283 responses were considered for analysis. Due to the unknown size of the total population, a convenience sampling technique was utilized to select the responses from the undergraduates. The regression analysis results revealed significant and positive effects of e-word of mouth (eWOM) quality, eWOM quantity, and eWOM credibility on students' intention to select management degree programs. Notably, it was found that eWOM credibility exerted the strongest influence on students' intentions in this regard. These findings highlight the importance of considering the quality, quantity, and credibility of eWOM when assessing its impact on students' decision-making process of degree selection. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on e-word-of-mouth marketing in the context of higher education. The results provide insights into the extent to which eWOM marketing influences students' decision-making process and their intention to choose management degree programs. Educational institutions and marketers can leverage these insights to design effective marketing strategies and enhance their online reputation to attract and retain prospective students in Sri Lanka.