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Conceptualising consumers’ word-of-mouth behaviour intention: evidence from a university education services in Malaysia

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to propose a theoretical model to examine consumer word-of-mouth (WOM) behavioural intention in Malaysian education services. The results from a survey of 247 respondents indicate that servicescape, service recovery, service quality and satisfaction significantly affect consumers’ intention to engage in WOM behaviour. The results support majority of the hypothesized relationships, suggesting that servicescape and service recovery function as antecedents, directly affecting consumer perceptions of education service quality. The analytical results also demonstrate that perceived service quality positively affects satisfaction, which subsequently induces consumers’ behavioural intentions. Consistent with previous empirical studies, our findings suggest that satisfaction is a super-ordinate construct with a positive relation to behavioural intention, and significantly mediates the effect of service quality on the intention to engage in WOM behaviour. The insignificant direct effect from service quality to WOM further suggests the role of satisfaction as a complete mediator in the university education service setting. Implications for future research are discussed and limitations noted.

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Acknowledgments

Comments by Hanudin Amin, University Malaysia Sabah, to an earlier draft were helpful in revising this paper. The authors alone are responsible for all limitations and errors that may relate to the study and the paper. The useful and considered suggestions of two anonymous reviewers are acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Administration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC

    Hsin Hsin Chang

  2. Institute of International Management, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC

    Don Jyh-Fu Jeng & Mohamad Rizal Abdul Hamid

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  1. Hsin Hsin Chang
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  2. Don Jyh-Fu Jeng
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  3. Mohamad Rizal Abdul Hamid
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Correspondence to Mohamad Rizal Abdul Hamid.

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Chang, H.H., Jeng, D.JF. & Hamid, M.R.A. Conceptualising consumers’ word-of-mouth behaviour intention: evidence from a university education services in Malaysia. Serv Bus 7, 17–35 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-012-0142-1

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