Characteristics Influencing International Students' Information Search Behaviour and Satisfaction for Private Higher Education Institution

Considerably less attention has been given to the understanding of information search behaviour of international students in their quest for selecting a higher education institution. Information search is of significance in making a choice as it is an effective means of reducing uncertainty and perceived risks. In addition to recognizing information search, identifying factors influencing information satisfaction is also vital. This is logical as after gathering relevant information, clients must initially be satisfied with the information gathered as this satisfaction creation could be a major consequence of purchase behaviour. This paper examines information search and information satisfaction of international students focusing on student, service and information characteristics as independent variables influencing information search and information satisfaction. A questionnaire was developed and two pilot-tests were administered to refine the items in the scales utilizing SPSS version 17. For the final study, to ensure a more rigorous analysis, structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 18 was used to empirically test the effects of the respective predictors on latent variables. Results indicated that all six hypotheses were supported at P <= 0.05. However, more importantly the findings of this study highlighted that information characteristics (institution attributes and information accessibility) were the most important predictors. This significant finding implied that the challenges facing marketers are not only to focus on the vital attributes of institution, but also strategies on how such information should be readily accessible so that students are able to respond and react. This might translate to a greater fulfilment and satisfaction in students' information search prior to making a choice. Findings may assist institutions and the Government to understand the multiple influences affecting students. By allocating resources to these key factors, their communication strategies and promotional efforts can be enhanced to increase students' motivation to search and eventually leading to their decision to select these institutions as their destination for higher education.