Adopting xRM in Higher Education: E-Services Outside the Classroom

Adam Malešević, Dušan Barać, Dragan Soleša, Ema Aleksić and Marijana Despotović-Zrakić
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Adam Malešević: Faculty of Stomatology in Pančevo, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 26000 Pančevo, Serbia
Dušan Barać: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Dragan Soleša: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Ema Aleksić: Faculty of Stomatology in Pančevo, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 26000 Pančevo, Serbia
Marijana Despotović-Zrakić: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-20

Abstract: This paper explores the role of extended relationship management (xRM) in the higher education ecosystem. With the ultimate goal of the institution’s future sustainable development, the university has developed and implemented a customized model of integrated e-services to foster a relationship with its leading stakeholder group—students. Furthermore, our study introduces a comprehensive model of xRM e-services. The main objective of this paper was to assess students’ behavioral intentions, acceptance, and long-term usage of the xRM e-services. A theoretical model was developed based on the UTAUT2 framework. The evaluation of the acceptance and usage of the xRM e-services was assessed by using a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) methodology. The results indicate that factors such as habit and effort expectancy have a significant relationship with students’ behavioral intentions, while there is a strong positive influence of their intentions on actual use of the xRM e-services. The emergence of habit as the strongest predictor of behavioral intention indicates that the digitization of traditional touch-points has become an important part of students’ everyday lives at university.

Keywords: xRM; stakeholder management; sustainable development; university e-services; UTAUT2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7522-:d:589209

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