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Abstract(s)
As transformações sentidas no funcionamento do Ensino Superior ao longo da última década
são notórias: diminuição do número de estudantes, diversidade cultural, abandono
académico, novo enquadramento legal e formas de financiamento. A aplicação do Marketing
às Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) é polémica e o debate é intenso na literatura. Esta é
vasta sobre as questões relacionadas com a satisfação no Ensino Superior. No entanto, não se
encontrou, até ao momento, qualquer referência na literatura sobre a relação entre a
satisfação com a formação académica dos alumni, a sua satisfação profissional e o seu
comportamento de lealdade, questões investigadas neste estudo. Este conhecimento parece
fundamental para as IES numa perspetiva de oferta de formação ao longo da vida e para a
progressão dos estudos dos diplomados.
A construção e validação estatística do modelo conceptual de análise para a compreensão das
relações entre a satisfação com a formação académica inicial recebida nas IES e a
demonstração do comportamento de lealdade dos diplomados, à instituição que os formou,
respondeu à questão principal de investigação: “Qual a relação entre a satisfação com a
formação académica dos alumni do 1º ciclo dos cursos de Marketing e o comportamento de
lealdade relativamente à Instituição de Ensino Superior?” A compreensão de como a imagem
da instituição e a satisfação profissional atuam no binómio satisfação-lealdade, constructos
que foram a base para a construção do modelo proposto e a identificação dos preditores das
relações estudadas, constituem-se como contributos relevantes deste estudo.
A revisão da literatura para a construção do quadro teórico desenvolveu-se em duas
vertentes: a primeira centrou-se no Ensino Superior em Portugal para contextualizar a
investigação e a segunda para aprofundar e fundamentar o quadro conceptual.
Foi administrado um inquérito por questionário online, como instrumento de recolha de
dados, a 1.102 diplomados de cinco instituições, diferenciadas quanto à localização
geográfica, abrangendo os Ensinos Universitário e o Politécnico e os sistemas público e
privado. Os dados recolhidos nas 224 respostas validadas foram tratados estatisticamente
através dos programas SPSS 22.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) e SmartPLS 3.0
(Partial Least Squares).
Da análise dos resultados concluiu-se que o modelo concebido é ajustado à realidade
estudada, o que permite afirmar que a satisfação com a formação académica está fortemente
relacionada com a formação académica ministrada, com a imagem da instituição e com o
comportamento de lealdade o qual é mais expressivo pela recomendação do que pelo retorno
à IES. A adequação das expetativas com o curso, a preparação para o mercado de trabalho e o ajustamento entre os conteúdos teóricos e a prática profissional constituíram-se como os
preditores mais relevantes de satisfação com a formação académica. A recomendação da IES
e do curso constituíram os preditores da lealdade pela recomendação enquanto a disposição
para prosseguir estudos na instituição da formação inicial e a disposição para frequentar
outro curso na mesma IES afirmaram-se os preditores mais relevantes da lealdade pelo
retorno. Verificou-se, também, que a satisfação com a formação académica e a formação
académica são influenciadas pela satisfação profissional.
Concluiu-se que a satisfação com a formação académica é um dos principais elementos
estruturantes para atingir o comportamento de lealdade. A imagem constitui-se como o outro
elemento estruturante de lealdade. Entende-se como pertinente valorizar os alumni como um
público central nas Instituições de Ensino Superior. É prioritário adotar estratégias de
Marketing adequadas e inovadoras no Ensino Superior para captar, reter e fidelizar os alumni
e, simultaneamente, promover uma imagem atrativa, para a ligação com os mercados e para
o relacionamento com todos os seus públicos, de modo a atingir a sustentabilidade e a
competitividade das IES. Estas devem investigar, refletir e atuar sobre algo primordial: a
satisfação com a formação ministrada.
The transformations experienced by Higher Education over the last decade are evident, namely: the decrease in the number of students, a broad cultural diversity of students, school drop out, a new legal framework and types of funding. The use of Marketing in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is controversial and it has generated intense debate in the literature. Although there are numerous studies on satisfaction in Higher Education, so far no reference has been found concerning the relationship between alumni satisfaction with their academic training, their professional satisfaction and their loyalty behavior. These questions are researched in this study. This approach seems to be fundamental for HEIs and for alumni’ lifelong training, namely the continuation of studies. The construction and statistical validation of a conceptual model of analysis for the understanding of the relationships between the alumni’ academic satisfaction and the initial training received in HEIs and the evidence of the graduates’ loyalty behavior to the institution which trained them, answered the research main question: "What is the relation between the satisfaction with the academic training of the alumni of the 1st cycle of Marketing courses and their loyalty towards the Institution of Higher Education?" To understand how the image of the Institution and the professional satisfaction act upon the satisfaction-loyalty binomial, the constructs that formed the basis for the design of the proposed conceptual model, and to identify the relationships predictors, are relevant contributions of this study. In order to develop a theoretical framework, a two-folded literature review was carried out: the first one focusing on Portuguese Higher Education, aiming at framing our research, and a second one to examine the subject under study. An online questionnaire was the data collection instrument administered to 1.102 graduates of five HEIs, located in different geographical regions and covering both the University and Polytechnic instituitions, in public and private systems. The data collected from the 224 valid questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and SmartPLS 3.0 (Partial Least Squares). The analysis of the results revealed that the proposed model is adjusted to reality, which allows to state that the satisfaction with the academic training is strongly related to the academic training provided, to the image of the Institution and to the loyalty behavior, which is strongly reflected in the intention of recommendation and less expressively felt in the return to the HEI. The most important predictors of satisfaction with the academic training were the adequacy of the expectations to the course, the preparation for the job market and the adjustment between theoretical contents and professional practice. The predictors of loyalty by the intention of recommendation were the endorsement of the HEI and the course, while the willingness to continue studies in the Institution of initial formation and the willingness to attend another course in the same HEI were the most relevant predictors of the loyalty by the return. It was found that both the satisfaction with the academic training and the perception about the academic training itself are influenced by professional satisfaction. It was concluded that satisfaction with academic training is one of the main structuring elements to achieve loyalty behavior. The image is the other structuring element of loyalty. Based on the findings it is understood as pertinent to value the alumni as a central public in the HEI. The adoption of appropriate and innovative Marketing strategies in Higher Education is a priority to recruit and retain the alumni and simultaneously to create an appealing image, to connect with the market organizations, and to engage with all their publics, so as to achieve the desired sustainability and competitiveness. Therefore, HEIs should investigate, reflect and act upon something that is vital: the satisfaction with the academic training provided.
The transformations experienced by Higher Education over the last decade are evident, namely: the decrease in the number of students, a broad cultural diversity of students, school drop out, a new legal framework and types of funding. The use of Marketing in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is controversial and it has generated intense debate in the literature. Although there are numerous studies on satisfaction in Higher Education, so far no reference has been found concerning the relationship between alumni satisfaction with their academic training, their professional satisfaction and their loyalty behavior. These questions are researched in this study. This approach seems to be fundamental for HEIs and for alumni’ lifelong training, namely the continuation of studies. The construction and statistical validation of a conceptual model of analysis for the understanding of the relationships between the alumni’ academic satisfaction and the initial training received in HEIs and the evidence of the graduates’ loyalty behavior to the institution which trained them, answered the research main question: "What is the relation between the satisfaction with the academic training of the alumni of the 1st cycle of Marketing courses and their loyalty towards the Institution of Higher Education?" To understand how the image of the Institution and the professional satisfaction act upon the satisfaction-loyalty binomial, the constructs that formed the basis for the design of the proposed conceptual model, and to identify the relationships predictors, are relevant contributions of this study. In order to develop a theoretical framework, a two-folded literature review was carried out: the first one focusing on Portuguese Higher Education, aiming at framing our research, and a second one to examine the subject under study. An online questionnaire was the data collection instrument administered to 1.102 graduates of five HEIs, located in different geographical regions and covering both the University and Polytechnic instituitions, in public and private systems. The data collected from the 224 valid questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and SmartPLS 3.0 (Partial Least Squares). The analysis of the results revealed that the proposed model is adjusted to reality, which allows to state that the satisfaction with the academic training is strongly related to the academic training provided, to the image of the Institution and to the loyalty behavior, which is strongly reflected in the intention of recommendation and less expressively felt in the return to the HEI. The most important predictors of satisfaction with the academic training were the adequacy of the expectations to the course, the preparation for the job market and the adjustment between theoretical contents and professional practice. The predictors of loyalty by the intention of recommendation were the endorsement of the HEI and the course, while the willingness to continue studies in the Institution of initial formation and the willingness to attend another course in the same HEI were the most relevant predictors of the loyalty by the return. It was found that both the satisfaction with the academic training and the perception about the academic training itself are influenced by professional satisfaction. It was concluded that satisfaction with academic training is one of the main structuring elements to achieve loyalty behavior. The image is the other structuring element of loyalty. Based on the findings it is understood as pertinent to value the alumni as a central public in the HEI. The adoption of appropriate and innovative Marketing strategies in Higher Education is a priority to recruit and retain the alumni and simultaneously to create an appealing image, to connect with the market organizations, and to engage with all their publics, so as to achieve the desired sustainability and competitiveness. Therefore, HEIs should investigate, reflect and act upon something that is vital: the satisfaction with the academic training provided.
Description
Keywords
Ensino Superior - Marketing Estratégico Marketing - Satisfação com a formaçao académica Marketing - Comportamento de lealdade Marketing - Sustentabilidade - Instituições do Ensino Superior