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The relationship between the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and students’ college experiences at a state university

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Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine whether the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is relevant in higher educational institutions. The likelihood to recommend (LTR) of a business degree was examined in relation to the conceptualized antecedent factors of students’ university experience using NPS to identify different groups of students. To measure the conceptualized constructs, data is collected from students enrolled in a state university using an online survey. ANOVA is used to test the differences among NPS groups identified and the path analysis is used to test the relationships between antecedent factors and their LTR. All hypothesized relationships between antecedent variables, satisfaction, and LTR are confirmed. Results indicate a substantial divergence between the NPS of the business program and the NPS of university. In-depth qualitative interviews provided intriguing justifications for the variations in scores. Although the methodology used does not support generalization, we identify key challenges faced by the university students when recommending a business program to their friends and relatives. We make recommendations for how college administrators might use NPS data to their advantage while working to enhance the college experience for students. NPS is a simple, useful metric that offers valuable information about students’ experiences. Regardless of the nature of the higher education environment, higher education institutions can readily adopt and use it on a regular basis in addition to the current student satisfaction measurements employed at various touch points.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Penn State University York Campus, York, PA, USA

    Ali Kara

  2. Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

    Deniz Zeren

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  1. Ali Kara
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  2. Deniz Zeren
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Correspondence to Ali Kara.

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Kara, A., Zeren, D. The relationship between the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and students’ college experiences at a state university. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 20, 721–737 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-022-00352-4

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