Shaping futures: How student experience and perceived quality drive college preferences for postgraduate studies in Bandung, Indonesia
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Author(s)Efi FitrianiLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6122-1160
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Arief HelmiLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3781-4852
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SucherlyLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6802-1295
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Umi KaltumLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9324-6605
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DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/kpm.09(1).2025.09
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Article InfoVolume 9 2025, Issue #1, pp. 124-138
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14 Downloads
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Postgraduate education plays a key role in developing skilled human resources and advancing knowledge. With increasing competition among universities in Indonesian cities such as Bandung, understanding the factors that influence students’ choices of master’s programs is crucial. This study aims to critically examine the role of student experience and perceived quality of higher education in shaping students’ decision-making processes regarding the selection of postgraduate institutions. This study was conducted at 14 private universities in Bandung, Indonesia. The study population consisted of 70,284 students, with 400 respondents selected across 29 study programs that offered master’s degrees. A proportional random sampling method was used. The research hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS. The findings indicate that student experience significantly impacts perceived quality (ß = 0.662, p = 0.000). Perceived quality also has a positive and significant effect on college preferences (ß = 0.366, p = 0.000). In addition, student experience significantly influences college preferences (ß = 0.148, p = 0.006). Furthermore, student experience indirectly affects college preference through perceived quality (ß = 0.242, p = 0.000). These results highlight that perceived quality is a major factor influencing college preferences. This study underscores the importance of student experience and perceived quality in shaping students’ preferences for postgraduate institutions. By enhancing positive student experiences and ensuring high educational quality, universities can strengthen their appeal and support students in making informed decisions about their postgraduate education.
Acknowledgment
To support the seamless operation of this PhD study, the author would like to thank STIE Ekuitas Bandung-Indonesia for providing tuition aid for 3.5 years.
- Keywords
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)M31, I23
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References41
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Tables14
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Figures3
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- Figure 1. Conceptual framework
- Figure 2. First-order structural model
- Figure 3. Second-order structural model
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- Table 1. Respondents’ criteria based on gender
- Table 2. Respondents’ criteria based on age
- Table 3. Respondents’ criteria based on academic term
- Table 4. Respondents’ criteria based on the study program
- Table 5. Respondent’s perception of student experiences
- Table 6. Respondent perceptions of perceived quality
- Table 7. Respondent perceptions of college preference
- Table 8. Convergent validity: first order
- Table 9. Convergent validity: second order
- Table 10. Construct reliability and validity
- Table 11. Fornell-Larcker criterion
- Table 12. Cross loading
- Table 13. Path coefficient and hypothesis testing
- Table 14. Specific indirect effect
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Impact of operational activities on customer satisfaction in cafes and restaurants: A mediating role of infrastructural elements
Saida Zainurossalamia ,
Dwi Martiyanti ,
Gusti Noorlitaria Achmad ,
Dadang Lesmana ,
Rizky Yudaruddin
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.18(4).2022.02
After restrictions on community activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, numerous businesses, including restaurants and cafes, have already resumed normal operations. Competition is also unavoidable. Thus, companies should motivate their managers to develop various operational strategies to increase customer satisfaction. This study aims to analyze the relationship between customer satisfaction and operational management activities, including layout, decoration, location, and cleanliness. In addition, it examines human resource management, food quality, and atmosphere as mediating variables. Data were obtained using an online questionnaire conducted between June and December 2021. A total of 1,068 clients of cafes and restaurants were selected as the participants using purposive random sampling. Data were evaluated using variance-based structural equation modeling. The results showed that operational management activities promote cafes and restaurants (p-value = 0.000). Furthermore, this study indicates the role of infrastructure elements, specifically human resource management, atmosphere, and food quality, as moderating variables on customer satisfaction (p-value = 0.000). Overall, the findings of this empirical study provide a theoretical contribution by emphasizing cafe and restaurant operational strategies that enhance customer satisfaction.
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Challenges of improving effectiveness and efficiency of the higher educational system in developing countries
Saheer Al-Jaghoub ,
Ahmad Samed Al-Adwan 
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Hussein Al-Yaseen ,
Anas Al-Soud ,
Ahmad Areiqat
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.17(1).2019.03
Problems and Perspectives in Management Volume 17, 2019 Issue #1 pp. 19-31 Views: 2025 Downloads: 514 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯDue to the country’s lack of natural resources and its dependence on human resources, Jordanian universities have started to implement quality assurance system aiming to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the higher educational system. This paper presents the results of a research that aims to identify the main issues and challenges facing these universities in implementing quality assurance system. Data for this research were collected using a survey mailed to all public and private universities to investigate the main issues affecting the implementation of quality assurance system in Jordanian universities. The results of this research showed that the most important challenges faced by Jordanian universities are: human and lack of awareness, resistance to change and cultural among others. The research findings hoped to be useful for both universities and policy makers in the government in order to realize the full benefits of implementing quality assurance system. Hence, this and other research on implementing quality assurance in higher educational institutions might be of assistance.
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The role of total quality management in enhancing the quality of private healthcare services
Mohannad Abu Daqar ,
Milan Constantinovits
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.18(2).2020.07
Problems and Perspectives in Management Volume 18, 2020 Issue #2 pp. 64-78 Views: 1926 Downloads: 2106 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯThe study aims to explore the role of total quality management (TQM) in enhancing the service quality of the private healthcare sector in the Northern Area of West Bank Palestine. The study involves a questionnaire-based survey, private hospitals, and healthcare centers selected in North West Bank. The administrative employees are the population of the study, 200 employees were selected via stratified sampling method. By using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings show that all TQM factors are positively and directly related to each other in the private healthcare sector. There is a positive and direct relationship between four TQM factors (customer satisfaction, employee involvement, continual improvements, and top management commitment) and service quality, while there is a negative direct relationship between processes and service quality. TQM factors (customer satisfaction, employee involvement, continual improvements, processes, and top management commitment) explained 95% of the variance in healthcare service quality (R² = 0.950, P < 0.05). Continual improvements is the main pillar in TQM application in healthcare sector, and it is highly associated with the private healthcare processes (R² = 0.907, P < 0.01), while top management commitment is the most significant factor in improving the service quality. Full understanding and commitment by the managers across all levels and activating the effective communication between employees at all levels in the organization are the key factors of a successful TQM implementation; it helps in strengthening the teamwork efficiency. Top management is required to avoid the monotonic managerial practices, especially in the organizational processes, as it has a negative impact on the private healthcare service quality.
