The outcomes of students’ citizenship behaviors in higher education: a transformative service research (TSR) perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT Universities face a lot of challenges, such as increased competition and budget cuts. To overcome these challenges, universities need to consider the role of students as key stakeholders in the value co-creation process. Guided by the Transformative Service Research (TSR), this study explores the individual and institutional outcomes of students’ citizenship behaviors in a higher education context. Drawing on a sample of 343 students and using structural equation modeling, the results show that students’ citizenship behaviors have positive outcomes for both students and universities: they positively affect students’ psychological well-being and university brand image. Furthermore, the study indicates that university service quality mediates the relationship between students’ citizenship behaviors and students’ psychological well-being as well as the relationship between students’ citizenship behaviors and university brand image. The findings of this study have implications for the decision-makers who wish to build a strong brand image and offer superior service quality.