Marketing Mix Instruments as Factors of Improvement of Students’ Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions in Republic of Serbia and Spain

Sandra Brkanlić, Sánchez-García Javier, Edgar Breso Esteve, Ivana Brkić, Maja Ćirić, Jovana Tatarski, Jovana Gardašević and Marko Petrović
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Sandra Brkanlić: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Edgar Breso Esteve: Faculty of Health Sciences, University Jaume I, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Ivana Brkić: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Maja Ćirić: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Jovana Tatarski: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Faculty of Technical Science, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Jovana Gardašević: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Marko Petrović: Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences, University Jaume I, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: This paper explores the impact of marketing mix instruments on the students’ satisfaction in faculties in the Republic of Serbia and Spain, with the aim of determining how significant the effects of each marketing mix tool and their combinations are in relation to satisfaction of students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The detailed literature review is provided in the theoretical part, which contributes to a better understanding of terms like marketing in higher education, marketing mix instruments in higher education and students’ satisfaction. Data were collected from 896 respondents, who are all students at the faculties in Serbia and Spain, and were obtained using the questionnaire purposefully composed for this research. The methods used to highlight any gaps in this marketing mix practice and the relative customer–student satisfaction in HEIs are statistical analyses (descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and t -independent samples tests), leading to the general conclusions regarding the following: by improving marketing mix instruments (service, distribution, human factor, physical evidence, service process) we can, and by improving (price, promotion) we cannot, improve students’ satisfaction in higher education institutions. The general conclusions clearly highlight what needs to be improved in practice in higher education institutions to improve students’ satisfaction, especially students’ loyalty, students’ choices, students’ satisfaction with the quality of the marketing mix instruments at the faculty, students’ satisfaction with expectation which they had upon enrolment and student satisfaction with the public image of the faculty, which is the main goal of these institutions.

Keywords: marketing in higher education; marketing mix instruments in higher education; higher education institutions; students’ satisfaction; Republic of Serbia; Spain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7802-:d:416918

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