Abstract
Background: In the research field of Taiwanese university education and from the viewpoint of university institutions, brand knowledge plays a crucial role in their development. Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to explore how the reputation and images of universities affect their competitiveness development from the perspective of brand knowledge. Method: The study collects information from 600 questionnaire surveys issued to students and graduates of universities in Taiwan, receiving 468 valid questionnaires. Results: The results analysed by structural equation modelling show that: (1) brand awareness has a significant positive influence on brand identity; (2) brand image has a significant positive influence on brand identity; (3) brand identity has a significant positive influence on satisfied experience sharing; (4) brand identity has a significant positive influence on recommendation to others; and (5) brand awareness and brand image both exert an influence on satisfied experience sharing and recommendation to others through the mediating effect of brand identity. Conclusion: The brand identity model developed in the study for evaluating the effects of higher education institutions helps to explain and predict the influence of brand knowledge on the word-of-mouth communication behaviour of university students. These results should help effectively shape the individual association of schools and provide a reference for the marketing strategy development of higher education institutions.
Highlights
The establishment and management of brands are the operation focus in large enterprises, but are deemed as sources of their competitive advantages (Aaker, 1991)
The cut-off factor loading for discarded items is 0.60, while items with cross-loadings above 0.4 are discarded
The results of this study reveal that brand image and satisfaction with a university enhance students’ brand identity with their school, further resulting in positive WOM communication behaviour
Summary
The establishment and management of brands are the operation focus in large enterprises, but are deemed as sources of their competitive advantages (Aaker, 1991). Academic institutions differ from businesses in that they are nonprofit organisations. Their management differs from that of businesses, which emphasises ensuring favourable corporate reputation. Universities regard brands as symbols, which are key communication tools between a business and its customers; brands strongly influence their customers’ purchase decisions. Businesses use their reputations to convey their values to customers, whereas universities use their brand reputation to shape the student perceptions of the school (Chen & Tsai, 2016). Universities have increasingly used cross-marketing techniques, including brand management, to design effective strategies for competition (Rauschnabel, Kreyb, Babin, & Ivens, 2016). In the research field of Taiwanese university education and from the viewpoint of university institutions, brand knowledge plays a crucial role in their development
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
