Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate two areas of interest: first, to determine business student customer satisfiers that could be contributors to students’ current and predicted retention in a higher educational institution (HEI) and second, to use these satisfiers to inform HEI marketing planning. Design/methodology/approach – The survey used 10 per cent of the sampling frame from the faculty total business students population. Descriptive statistics and correlation were employed to describe and measure the relationship between the teaching and non-teaching antecedents of student satisfaction and their five constructs (academic experience, teaching quality, campus life, facilities and placement support) and current and intended retention. Standard multiple regressions were run to measure the β and significant values of the composite variables as stated. Findings – Quantitative results revealed that students were most satisfied with academic experience and it was also the most dominant predictor of students’ retention. Other elements such as quality teaching, facilities and internship, though important for student satisfaction, were not predictors of retention. Research limitations/implications – Findings based on one Malaysian institution could not be used as a representation of other institutions either locally or internationally. Practical implications – Suggestions are made as to how HEIs can defend and safeguard their existing and future position by giving maximum attention to both “hard” and “soft” student satisfiers which would add customer value and strengthen their competitive position. Originality/value – Based on teaching and non-teaching antecedents and constructs, enable HEIs to predict retention and so inform marketing planning in a highly competitive higher education environment.

Purpose – This qualitative, exploratory study uses constructs from the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and construct variables from literature, as a basis to ascertain similarities and differences in the behaviour by business undergraduates (UGs) and postgraduates (PGs) of mobile apps and the purpose of this paper is to suggest implications for consumer behaviour theory and marketing practice for the two groups of students. Design/methodology/approach – Literature informed us of the paucity of research on the relationship between behavioural theory and mobile apps usage in the Asia region. An exploratory and interpretivist approach, with thematic analysis, was employed to aid in data processing. Findings – The investigative outcomes highlighted more similarities than dissimilarities in terms of perceived attitude (e.g. mood, ethical guilt, familiarity, addiction) and more differences in perceived subjective norms (e.g. family, friends, classmates and teammates) and perceived users’ behavioural control (e.g. promotional inducements, self-confidence) towards the usage of mobile apps exhibited by two different sets of data. Research limitations/implications – Homogeneity of participants, small sample size and generalisability of results were the main concern, hence, it warrants further research. In addition a cross-cultural comparison would be beneficial which might generate more meaningful results. Practical implications – The research, albeit exploratory, serves as a guide for marketers and apps content providers to focus on usability of features and functions of apps as well as credibility, social context, timing, location, excitement of advertisements and promotional messages especially when marketing to the 18-30-age group. The research also shows that practitioners should be nuanced in their appeals to UGs and PGs. Originality/value – Despite the provision of numerous mobile apps, this study, using the constructs of the TPB as a basis, offers a new insight into the reasons for, and usage of, specific and top popular apps (e.g. FB, Whatsapps and WeChat) Malaysian students used which reflects a varied behavioural dimension as opposed to planned behaviour.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate similarities and differences between the UK and Malaysian undergraduates in terms of perceived social and emotional competencies (SEC), their effect on academic performance and to make recommendations on curriculum development or teaching and learning interventions to make students more SEC equipped for the “real” world. Design/methodology/approach – This study employed a positivist approach via a survey instrument to measure the perceived SEC. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including standard multiple regression analyses, were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – The analysis highlighted specifically, individual competencies (e.g. conscientiousness) rather than competency domains. Striking differences were observed between the two data sets, e.g. the regression analysis revealed that among the UK students, “Self-Awareness” domain and “Service Orientation” competency contributed uniquely to academic performance. However, no significant results were found for the Malaysian students. Research limitations/implications – Using GPA scores for performance measurement is complex which might have the potential to affect the accuracy of the comparative results. Practical implications – The findings serve as a practical guide for education providers and employers which they could use to train young and inexperienced undergraduates and provides suggestions for education providers to “build in” specific intra- and interpersonal SEC in their assessment criteria and curriculum activities and modules. Originality/value – The transnational comparison helps to add a new dimension to support the paucity of the SEC effect on academic performance and suggests which specific individual competencies and which competency cluster to emphasise in two different institutions and countries.

This paper aims to investigate, through aesthetic appeal, layout and functionality, interactivity and financial security, the impact of generation X perceptions of the e-servicescape in mobile shopping on perceived value and customer satisfaction following the sequence of the S–O–R framework. A survey involved 231 generation X respondents who shopped using mobile apps at least one mobile purchase in the past six months. The collected data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Partial Least Square (PLS). The results revealed that aesthetic appeal, layout and functionality and interactivity could influence the perceived value and would lead to the mobile shopping intention, whilst customer satisfaction could impact the perceive value and mobile shopping intention through the mediating process. This research provides insight into the new effects of each dimension of e-servicescape on perceived value, customer satisfaction and the mobile purchase intention, thus improving the existing knowledge in the field of servicescape and mobile shopping customer behaviour.