This study aims to identify the determinants that may provide the public and private HEIs with a competitive advantage in recruiting, retaining and engaging the students. Specifically, this study examines the effect of student satisfaction, dimensions of relationship investment and alternative attractiveness on student commitment, and consequently on the student engagement across public and private HEIs. To test the proposed framework, this research adopted the positivist, quantitative and deductive approach. Data were gathered using questionnaires from a sample of 300 public and private HEIs students and were analyzed using multi-group analysis in Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show that in order to increase the student engagement, both the public and private HEIs should increase the student commitment and accomplish similar strategies that are to focus on student satisfaction and student direct investment. In spite of that, it is important for the private HEIs to focus on the institution social investment. This study provides understanding of how students can be retained and consequently guides the public and private HEIs in building stronger relationships with the students to achieve sustained competitiveness and survival in the industry.
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In-Text Citation: (Osman, Zainol, Yahaya, & Hudin, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Osman, J., Zainol, Z., Yahaya, R., & Hudin, N. S. (2019). The Determinants of Student Commitment and Student-Institution Engagement in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(7), 933–949.
Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s)
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