--

11 (2) 2021

Employing Mean-End-Chains theory to explore students’ values from school’s image characteristics - A case study of a business school in Ho Chi Minh City


Author - Affiliation:
Le Hoai Kieu Giang - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - VNUHCM , Vietnam
Dau Xuan Truong - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - VNUHCM , Vietnam
Le Thi Quynh - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - VNUHCM , Vietnam
Le Thi Thanh Xuan - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - VNUHCM , Vietnam
Corresponding author: Le Thi Thanh Xuan - lttxuan@hcmut.edu.vn
Submitted: 15-04-2021
Accepted: 18-05-2021
Published: 14-08-2021

Abstract
The literature shows that there are studies on students’ choices when enrolling in an institution. The findings from these studies help High Educational Institutions (HEIs) to improve their enrollment. However, not much literature explains how students (as consumers) explain the values they can get from HEIs’ image attributes. The present study employs Mean-End Chain (MEC) theory to explore students’ values by identifying attributes of HEIs images attributes from their perceptions with the following objectives: (1) to explore attributes of the selected school’s image from students’ perspectives, (2) to explore the connections between these attributes and values of individual students through consequences from these attributes. The soft-laddering interview is the method to collect data, and participants are first-year students who have just enrolled in the selected school in the last national enrollment in 2020. The research findings show that there are 12 attributes, which drive to eight values through 23 consequences (13 functional consequences and 10 psychosocial consequences), making students enroll in the selected school. The result from HVM states that there are five significant A-C-V linkages to explain which attributes have the most influence on students’ choice, and how these attributes affect their perceived values. Finally, the study also proposes suggestions for institutions to promote their enrollment practices and increase the quality of their enrolments.

Keywords
high educational institution; Mean-End Chain theory; school (brand) image; soft-laddering interview; student choice

Full Text:
PDF

Cite this paper as:

Le, H. K. G., Dau, X. T., Le, T. Q., & Le, T. T. X. (2021). Employing Mean-End-Chains theory to explore students’ values from school’s image characteristics - A case study of a business school in Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science – Economics and Business Administration, 11(2), 156-171. doi:10.46223/HCMCOUJS.econ.en.11.2.1807.2021


References

Alwi, S. F. S., & Kitchen, P. J. (2014). Projecting corporate brand image and behavioral response in business schools: Cognitive or affective brand attributes? Journal of Business Research, 67 (11), 2324-2336. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.06.020


Arpan, L. M., Raney, A. A., & Zivnuska, S. (2003). A cognitive approach to understanding university image. Corporate Communications, 8 (2), 97-113. doi:10.1108/1356328031047535


Boga, T. C., & Weiermair, K. (2011). Branding new services in health tourism. Tourism Review, 66 (1/2), 90-106. doi:10.1108/16605371111127260


Bringula, R. P., & Basa, R. S. (2011). Institutional image indicators of three universities: Basis for attracting prospective entrants. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 10 (1), 53-72. doi:10.1007/s10671-010-9091-4


Chahal, H., & Kumari, N. (2012). Consumer perceived value: The development of a multiple item scale in hospitals in the Indian context. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, 6 (2), 167-190. doi:10.1108/17506121211243086


Duarte, P. O., Alves, H. B., & Raposo, M. B. (2010). Understanding university image: A structural equation model approach. International Review on Public and Non - Profit Marketing, 7 (1), 21-36. doi:10.1007/s12208-009-0042-9


Grunert, K. G., & Grunert, S. C. (1995). Measuring subjective meaning structures by the laddering method: Theoretical considerations and methodological problems. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 12 (3), 209-225. doi:10.1016/0167-8116(95)00022-T


Grunert, S. C., Beckmann, S. C., & Sorensen, E. (2000). Means-end chains and laddering: An inventory of problems and an agenda for research. In T. J. Renolds & J. C. Olson (Eds.), Understanding consumer decision making: The Means-End Approach to marketing and advertising strategy (pp. 63-90). Mahwah, NJ: Psychology Press.


Gutman, J. (1982). A Means-End Chain model based on consumer categorization processes. Journal of Marketing, 46 (2), 60-72. doi:10.2307/3203341


Ivy, J. (2001). Higher education institution image: A correspondence analysis approach. International Journal of Educational Management, 15 (6), 276-282. doi:10.1108/09513540110401484


Jeng, M. Y., & Yeh, T. M. (2016). The effect of consumer values on the brand position of green restaurants by Means-End Chain and laddering interviews. Service Business, 10 (1), 223-238. doi:10.1007/s11628-015-0266-1


Kuisma, T., Laukkanen, T., & Hiltunen, M. (2007). Mapping the reasons for resistance to Internet banking: A means-end approach. International Journal of Information Management, 27 (2), 75-85.


Leppard, P., Russell, C. G., & Cox, D. N. (2004). Improving Means-End-Chain studies by using a ranking method to construct hierarchical value maps. Food Quality and Preference, 15 (5), 489-497. doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2003.09.001


Manov, N., Mujkić, A., & Husić-Mehmedović, M. (2020). Izazov sveučilišnih upisa: Uloga korporativnog imidža u visokom obrazovanju [Universities’ enrollment challenge: The role of corporate image in higher education]. Ekonomski Vjesnik, 33 (1), 205-216.


Pampaloni, A. M. (2010). The influence of organizational image on college selection: What students seek in institutions of higher education. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 20 (1), 19-48. doi:10.1080/08841241003788037


Reynolds, T. J., & Gutman, J. (1988). Laddering theory, method, analysis, and interpretation. Journal of Advertising Research, 28 (1), 11-31.


Reynolds, T. J., & Gutman, J. (2000). Advertising in image management. In T. J. Reynolds & J. C. Olson (Eds.), Understanding consumer decision making: The Means-end approach to marketing and advertising strategy. Mahwah, NJ: Psychology Press.


Reynolds, T. J., & Olson, J. C. (2000). Understanding consumer decision making: The Means-end approach to marketing and advertising strategy. Mahwah, NJ: Psychology Press.


Reynolds, T. J., Dethloff, C., & Westberg, S. J. (2000). Advancements in laddering. In T. J. Reynolds & J. C. Olson (Eds.), Understanding consumer decision making: The Means-end approach to marketing and advertising strategy. Mahwah, NJ: Psychology Press.


Reynolds, T. J., Whitlack, D. B., & Wirthlin, R. B. (2000). Effectively translating in-depth consumer understanding into communication strategy and advertising practice. In T. J. Reynolds & J. C. Olson (Eds.), Understanding consumer decision making: The Means-end approach to marketing and advertising strategy. Mahwah, NJ: Psychology Press.


ter Hofstede, F., Audenaert, A., Steenkamp, J. B. E. M., & Wedel, M. (1998). An investigation into the association pattern technique as a quantitative approach to measuring means-end chains. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 15 (1), 37-50. doi:10.1016/S0167-8116(97)00029-3


Walker, B. A., & Olson, J. C. (1991). Means-end chains: Connecting products with self. Journal of Business Research, 22 (2), 111-118. doi:10.1016/0148-2963(91)90045-Y



DOI: https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.econ.en.11.2.1807.2021
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.