Organisational Reputation and Innovation in the Higher Education Industry: A Correlation Study based on the RepTrakTM Model in the Context of Corporate Communication

Abstract

Although there is ample literature in organisational innovation, not enough attention is accorded to the correlation between innovation and corporate reputation in the context of corporate communication in the higher education industry. This study was prompted by the urge to close this research gap. Three hundred and thirty-one (331) international, or foreign students from the Infrastructure University of Kuala Lumpur (IUKL), Malaysia were recruited as respondents through a simple random sampling technique who completed a 21-item questionnaire with a very high reliability (α = 0.92). Only one correlation hypothesis was tested which was formulated on the innovation dimension of the RepTrack TM model and it was accepted. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, and a moderate correlation (Person's p = 0.00, r = 0.51) was found between innovation and reputation. In addition, reputation is expressed as high esteem, love, respect, and trust. The study concludes that a university is more likely to be held in high regard when it has strong drive towards innovation, both managerial and technological. The article recommends that for IUKL's reputation to keep soring locally and internationally, it should double its commitment to adopt both managerial and technical innovative strategies. Future research should explore the differential influence of managerial and technical innovation in IUKL and other institutions of higher learning.

What Has Leadership Style Got to do with a University’s Corporate Reputation? Some Empirical Evidence from Malaysian Higher Education Industry

“…The relationship between leadership and organisational reputation has been the subject of extensive research (Avolio et al, 2004;Bass, & Riggio, 2006;Gusau et al, 2022Gusau et al, , 2023. Understanding how leadership qualities and behaviours affects organisational reputation is crucial for organisations seeking to enhance their image and build stakeholder trust.…”

“…The association between ethical leadership and organisational reputation has been consistently supported in research as shown in previously. By promoting ethical leadership, organisations can enhance their reputation, build stakeholder trust, and foster sustainable success (Gusau et al, 2022(Gusau et al, , 2023.…”

“…It reflects the general impression and evaluation of the organisation's performance, products, services, and behaviours. For IUKL, the overall reputation dimension is relevant as it captures stakeholders' overall assessment of the institution's academic quality, research contributions, industry relevance, and community engagement (Gusau et al, 2022(Gusau et al, , 2023.…”