the implications of integrated marketing …

Journal of Business and Social Development Volume 4(2) 2016: 1-13

Journal of Business and Social Development Volume 4 Number 2, September 2016: 1-13

ISSN: 2289-2915© Penerbit UMT

THE IMPLICATIONS OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN MAINTAINING STUDENT RELATIONSHIP OF A MALAYSIAN PUBLIC

INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION (IMPLIKASI KOMUNIKASI PEMASARAN BERSEPADU DALAM MENGEKALKAN

HUBUNGAN DENGAN PELAJAR DI SEBUAH INSTITUSI PENGAJIAN TINGGI AWAM MALAYSIA)

SITI AISHAH CHU ABDULLAH

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang.

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract: Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a business process that improves the higher education institutions’ marketing strategy by sending clear and consistent messages throughout the institutions in every contact point. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the strategic processes of IMC in the Malaysian public institution of higher education (IHE) and its correlation with leadership in maintaining student relationship. Quantitative analysis was performed to observe the level of IMC implementation and leadership styles exhibited in the selected Malaysian IHE. The IMC four-stage framework and seven dimensions of full range leadership theory, which comprises of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership theory served as the basis of the study. The study found that the lecturers and administrative staffs of the Malaysian public university in Penang were adequately experienced in their job. They have also played their roles well by communicating with the students, and were thus respected, appreciated, and trusted by their students. Hence, they have created a strong emotional bond with the customer, and at the same time, maintained internal stakeholder relationships.

Keywords: Integrated marketing communication framework, student relationship, Malaysian public institution of higher education, full range leadership theory, Malaysian public university in Penang.

Abstrak: Komunikasi pemasaran bersepadu (IMC) merupakan satu proses perniagaan yang meningkatkan strategi pemasaran institusi pengajian tinggi dengan menghantar mesej yang jelas dan konsisten di seluruh institusi dari setiap sudut hubungan. Justeru, tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji proses strategik IMC di institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) awam di Malaysia dan korelasinya dengan kepimpinan dalam mengekalkan hubungan dengan pelajar. Analisis kuantitatif telah dilakukan untuk melihat tahap pelaksanaan IMC dan gaya kepimpinan yang diperlihatkan di IPT Malaysia yang terpilih. Empat peringkat rangka kerja IMC dan tujuh dimensi teori rangkaian penuh kepimpinan yang terdiri daripada teori kepimpinan transformasi, transaksi dan laissez-faire disampaikan sebagai asas kajian. Kajian mendapati bahawa pensyarah dan kakitangan pentadbiran universiti awam Malaysia di Pulau Pinang mempunyai pengalaman yang mencukupi dalam tugas mereka. Mereka juga telah memainkan peranan dengan baik, dengan berkomunikasi dengan pelajar dan dengan itu, mereka dihormati, dihargai dan dipercayai oleh pelajar-pelajar mereka. Oleh itu, mereka telah mencipta ikatan emosi yang kuat dengan pelanggan dan pada masa yang sama, mengekalkan hubungan pihak berkepentingan dalaman.

Kata kunci: Rangka kerja komunikasi pemasaran bersepadu, hubungan dengan pelajar, institusi pengajian tinggi awam Malaysia, teori rangkaian penuh, universiti awam Malaysia di Pulau Pinang.

Introduction Ever since its introduction in the early 20th century, integrated marketing communication (IMC) has undergone several conceptual

transformations in order to meet the requirements of the constantly changing marketplace. At present, Schultz’s (2004) definition of IMC can be deduced as the following:

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Siti Aishah Chu Abdullah 2

Integrated marketing communications is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute, and evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive brand communications programmes over time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates, and other targeted relevant external and internal audiences.

According to Schultz (2009), many modern-day organisations still focus on functional organisational structure or supply-chain approach, in which, functional groups, such as marketing, finance, human resources, information technology (IT), and operations report upward in some type of command-and-control system. Managers of the functions are dedicated to maximising the facilities and resources they control or for which they are responsible (4Ps approach – product, place, price, and promotion), whereas the customers are treated as a second thought (Schultz, 2009).

Somehow, this supply-chain approach is less relevant in today’s world, where the customer’s choices are growing at a very fast rate due to the rapid development of IT and internet (Wong, 2006). The service orientation of today’s marketplace gives renewed meaning to this relationship, calling specific attention to the dual importance of instrumental value (product), as well as personal value (consumption) in establishing a coherent experience for people (Ponsonby & Boyle, 2004), whereby, there is a communicative interchange between marketing and the marketplace – the relationship perspective (Grönroos, 2004).

This situation is well reflected in the extremely competitive environment in IHE (Dawes & Brown, 2002). Today’s potential student customers are more sophisticated, since they have a wide variety of IHEs and programmes choices, and they have access to ample programme information from various sources, including the government quality control agencies to their need for details. In other words, the information and

communication technology (ICT) entitles power to the customers (Hulbert, Capon & Piercy, 2003) and enables them to demand for more personalised products and services.

The researchers have decided to focus on IMC in the context of IHEs mainly due to the fact that the university provides and supports the environment of learning and the dissemination of knowledge among its stakeholders. Whereby, it could be a source of value creation for them (Mohd Ghazali Mohayidin et al., 2007). In this sense, IMC is the exact marketing strategy that emphasises on the satisfaction of consumers and other stakeholders by putting into concern of their personal value. A satisfied student and employee, in particular, will eventually reflect on their performance towards studies, work assignments, achievements, personal development, et cetera. Thus, developing quality graduates, who possess analytical and problem solving skills and interpersonal understanding have become the main concern of a university (Mohd Ghazali Mohayidin et al., 2007). In other words, IMC not only maintains the relationship between stakeholders, but also contributes to Malaysia’s goal of building a knowledge-based (k-based) society (Mohd Ghazali Mohayidin et al., 2007) and the feeding of talent into the other sectors, which “ensures sufficiency in human capital for the growth and development of Malaysian economy (PEMANDU, 2013).

In 1995, 20.00 per cent of overseas trained Malaysian students had cost the country around USD800 million in currency outflow, constituting nearly 12.00 per cent of Malaysia’s account deficit then (Silverman, 1996 Ooi, Ho, & Amri, 2010), and today, the amount are expected to be higher due to currency crisis. In order to overcome the problem, the capacity of public and private IHEs in Malaysia has been increased and expanded (Ziguras, 2001; Sirat, 2008).

In 2009, Malaysia was ranked the world’s 11th most preferred study destination by the Institute of International Education. Whereby, Malaysia achieved a 26.00 per cent increase



THE IMPLICATIONS OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION 3

in 2009 in international student numbers compared to 2008 and is estimated to reach 80,000 students in 2010 (Lim, 2009; Heaney, Ryan & Heaney, 2010). Meanwhile, in 2016, Malaysia is ranked at the 33rd world’s best country for education and 28th overall by the U.S. News and World Report L. P. (McPhillips, 2016). Thus, competition in the market is also expected to be higher due to the existence of such rankings.

It has dawned on the IHEs that the stiff competition in the education marketplace requires them to work extra harder in maintaining relationship with the stakeholders. IMC helps an organisation to understand customers’ needs better by creating a bond between the customers and the organisation. Besides that, IMC helps organisation to make full use of communication channels to deliver messages more effectively. This is when IMC becomes a value to the management strategies of the Malaysian IHEs. In other words, the potential of enhancing image and reputation of organisation becomes higher with the presence of IMC. Hence, IMC is an appropriate business process and marketing strategy for Malaysian IHEs, which urgently need a sustainable competitive image and reputation (brand) in order to prevail in the ever changing marketplace. Then only can the nation’s goal of becoming a regional centre of higher education be achieved.

Today, it is of utmost importance for the IHEs to create their very own brand by first exchanging values with the students, as sustaining relationship with the students will also ensure the students’ loyalty towards the products or services of the institution, whereby, it leads to brand equity. Leuthesser (1988) defines brand equity as the set of associations and behaviour on the part of brand customers, channel members, and parent corporation that permits the brand to earn greater volume or greater margins than it could without the brand name. Thus, IMC helps brand-relationship building much easier as it supports a communicative environment throughout the institution.

However, despite the importance of IMC, many organisations tend to oppose to its implementation due to insistence in upholding their traditional structure. Hence, IMC has to move alongside leadership which supports its growth in order to shape its success. Bennis and Nanus (1985) state that leadership is needed in order to guide the organisation towards developing new insights with the aim of creating a development that can bring changes towards a better organisation. They add that leadership is the result of interactions between two or more people acting towards achieving specific goals stimulated by the wants and needs of the involving parties. In brief, the implementation of IMC could be made possible by leaders who are willing to adapt to the changes of the market by being highly spirited, inventive, creative, and bold in creating new strategies that suit the current situation.

In this study, the identified research problems are the need to observe (1) the level of IMC implementation in the Malaysian public IHE and (2) the leadership styles exhibited in the Malaysian public IHE.

MethodologyQuantitative analysis of survey research was employed to measure and access the level of IMC implementation, with regards to Schultz and Schultz’s (2004) four stages of IMC framework and the leadership style based on Burns’ (1978) and Bass’ and Avolio’s (1992) seven dimensions of full range (i.e. transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire) leadership theory.

In this study, a public Malaysian IHE was selected as the subject of case study, since it plays important roles in transforming Malaysia into a net exporter of higher education (Ziguras, 2001) through quality education (Wilkinson & Yussof, 2005), and thus, generates the economic growth of Malaysia. Then, the researchers narrows down the scope by selecting only public (with university status) Malaysian IHE,




which provide IMC programme or subject in the communication faculty, by means of having a better focus in examining the implementation of IMC.

A public university in Penang was selected as the subject of public Malaysian IHE, since this institution has an undoubtedly long history of establishment. The selected public university in Penang has been declared as one of the six research-intensive universities in Malaysia, alongside Universiti Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia (Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2016). Moreover, it has been declared as an Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX) university status in 2008. Meanwhile, in 2013, there is a sum of 28,966 postgraduate and undergraduate students in this university (Find The Best, 2013), turning it into one of the biggest universities in terms of enrolment in Malaysia (Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2016). In 1995, the School of Communication was established in this university, and the school continues to enhance its educational services by offering a new course known as IMC in one of its postgraduate programmes since 2011.

In the Malaysian IHEs, their stakeholders include customers or clients (students), employees (administrative and academic staff), suppliers, distributors, shareholders, the media, MARCOM agencies, government regulators, communities, financial and investor community and special interests groups (Wong, 2006). The students’ feedbacks were considered important, since the IHEs rely on them to survive. As Szántó and Harsányi (2007) put it:

Students, as the main target audience of schools should get special attention. Their satisfaction is essential, since they are very important opinion leaders: the general image of the school is formed by them, potential applicants get information from them, and, of course, it is much easier to work with pleased ‘clients’. We have to get feedback from them, examine their needs, and try to provide them

with all the necessary information they need.

Hence, in this study, the purposive target samples are students undertaking the postgraduate programme of Master of Communication on IMC. In determining the sample size of the quantitative survey, an approximately 50 students (population size), with a confidence level of 95.00 per cent and 0.05 degree of accuracy or margin of error was expected upon response to the questionnaire distributed to them. Based on this formula that was originated from The Research Advisors (2006) and used by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) in their article on determining sample size for research activities, a total of 44 responses was expected from the survey research of this study (refer to Table 1 in the Appendix).

A self-administered survey questionnaire was distributed one-to-one respondent, using the supervised administration method. The self-administered survey questionnaire of this study consists of close-ended questions. There are a total of five Likert-type questions in the questionnaire. The selected measurement format for the Likert-type questions in the topic area of IMC is a six-point scale (Don’t know=0; Strongly disagree=1 point; Disagree=2 points; Neutral=3 points; Agree=4 points; Strongly agree=5 points). Meanwhile, the measurement format for the Likert-type question in the topic area of leadership is a five-point scale (Not at all=0; Once in a while=1; Sometimes=2; Fairly often=3; Frequently, if not always=4), based on the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) by Bass and Avolio (1992), a validated, standardised measure of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership (Avolio & Bass, 1995).

The four stages of IMC framework by Schultz and Schultz (2004) and seven dimensions of full range Leadership Theory by Burns (1978) and Bass and Avolio (1992) served as the basis of the study, since they were determined to be most relevant to IHEs (Edmiston, 2008; Amir & Zaidatol, 2012). Table 2 provides an overview of the indicators




Table 2: Indicators of the four stages of IMC frameworkOrientation Indicators

Stage 1 Tactical coordination of marketing communication (MARCOM)• Coordinate interpersonal and cross-functional communication within the organisation

and with external partners.Stage 2 Commitment to market research in support of IMC

• Utilise primary and secondary market research sources as well as actual behavioural customer data.

• Maintain a multitude of feedback channels to gather information about customers and effectively act upon customer feedback throughout the organisation.

Stage 3 Commitment to market research in support of IMC• Leverage technologies to facilitate internal and external communications.

• Adopt technologies for market research and data management purposes.

• Employ technologies to determine individuals who have the potential to deliver the highest value (financial or service contributions) to the institution.

Stage 4 Commitment to market research in support of IMC• Active support of institutional leadership.

• MARCOM staff empowered by senior leadership to lead the integration of external communication with internal communication directed to students, staff, alumni and other constituents.

• Measure effectiveness of MARCOM and incorporate findings into strategic planning.

Note: Adapted from Schultz and Schultz (2004).

Table 3: Dimensions of full range leadership theoryOrientation InterpretationDimension 1 Idealised Influence indicates whether one holds subordinates’ trust, maintain their faith

and respect, show dedication to them, appeal to their hopes and dreams, and act as their role model.

Dimension 2 Inspirational Motivation measures the degree to which one provides a vision, uses appropriate symbols and images to help others focus on their work, and try to make others feel their work is significant.

Dimension 3 Intellectual Stimulation shows the degree to which one encourages others to be creative in looking at old problems in new ways, create an environment that is tolerant of seemingly extreme positions, and nurture people to question their own values and beliefs and those of the organisation.

Dimension 4 Individualised Consideration indicates the degree to which one shows interest in others’ well being, assign projects individually and pay attention to those who seem less involved in the group.

Dimension 5 Contingent Reward shows the degree to which one tells others what to do in order to be rewarded, emphasises what one expect from them and recognises their accomplishments.

Dimension 6 Management-by-exception measures the degree to which one takes corrective action on the basis of results of leader-follower transactions.

Dimension 7 Laissez-faire measures whether one requires little of others, is content to let things ride and let others do their own thing.

Note: Adapted from Bass and Avolio (1992).




of the four stages of IMC, whereas Table 3 provides an overview of the seven dimensions of full range leadership theory.

All the collected data were coded by topic areas structured around the four stages of IMC framework and seven dimensions of full range leadership. Data from this study were classified as ordinal data (i.e. choice factors, perception of IMC in institution, perception of facilities and services provided in institution, perception of the importance of IMC to institution, and perception of leadership styles in IHE). The quantitative International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 15.0 software was utilised to code answers from the survey questionnaire. The statistical output generated through the SPSS 15.0 programme included mean analyses.

Results and DiscussionA total of 46 students had answered the survey questionnaire of this study; 29 were female and 17 were male. A majority of the students were Malay (N=30), whereas the others were Indian (N=7), Chinese (N=6), and of other ethnicity or nationality (N=3). A total of 38 students were working men and women, earning a monthly salary between RM2,000 to RM4,000.

Table 4 shows the result of the 23 characteristics of university choice factor, which were meant to provide answers for the first stage of IMC, that is, tactical coordination of MARCOM. The students’ main university choice factor was quality of teaching (Mean=4.70). Image of university was their second university choice factor (Mean=4.58). Wide choice of subjects or courses came third in their university choice factor (Mean=4.55). This finding reveals that the students appreciated first-class educational service and varieties, and to top it all, the image of a university was as much important. Whereby, if the image of a university is positive, the degree of customer confidence and loyalty tends to be higher, as proposed by LeBlanc and Nguyen (1999).

Table 5 shows the result of the five statements on IMC in the institution, which were meant to provide answers in terms of commitment to market research in support of IMC (IMC second stage). The students’ main perception of IMC in the institution was that the presence of IMC programme or subject is necessary and important for Malaysia (Mean=4.49). Besides that, the students were satisfied with the present IMC programme or subject provided by their school, since it has fulfilled their needs for future career (Mean=4.21). In some ways or another, IMC has helped them to excel in related projects, trainings, or other activities (Mean=4.16). This finding exposes that the students were aware of the necessity and importance of IMC programme or subject to Malaysia, and that, their objective of pursuing their studies was either to upgrade their level in job prospects or employment prospects.

Table 6 shows the result of the five statements on the facilities and services provided in the institution, which were meant to provide answers for the stage three of IMC (i.e., application of IT in support of IMC). The students claimed that computers were available for their use (Mean=4.11) and the administrative staffs were helpful when they needed their help regarding the use of computer, et cetera (Mean=4.10). Besides that, the internet was accessible for them (students) to browse the websites (Mean=3.96). This finding reveals that the facilities and services provided by the institution were satisfactory; computers and the internet were available for the students, and the administrative staffs were adequately skilled in computers to lend them a helping hand.

Table 7 shows the result of the eight statements on the importance of IMC to the institution, which were meant to provide answers for the final (fifth) stage of IMC, that is, strategic integration of IMC. The students strongly believed that IMC enables the achievement of greater communication efficiency (Mean=4.33). Secondly, the students




Table 4: Students’ choice factors (tactical coordination of MARCOM)Factors Mean Std. Deviation

Wide choice of subjects/courses 4.55 .702Quality of teaching 4.70 .576Academic facilities 4.57 .616Entry requirements 4.29 .709Fees 4.36 1.108Location of university 4.48 .853Sports programmes 2.87 1.192Social life on campus 3.26 1.295Attractiveness of campus 3.61 1.339Campus safety and security 3.93 1.356On campus housing/hostels 2.81 1.665

Parents went there (tradition) 2.07 1.797Brother/sister went there 2.42 1.641Friends went there 2.54 1.691Academic reputation (prestige) 4.14 1.263Financial assistance 4.33 .939Language policy 4.24 .997Links with the industry 4.49 .703Multi-cultural/diversity 4.28 .940International links 4.27 .969Employment prospects 4.35 .905Flexible study mode 4.46 .899Image of university 4.58 .646

Note: The factors were rated on a six-point scale from 0 to 5, denoting from ‘don’t know’ to ‘very important’.

Table 5: Students’ perception of IMC in the institution (commitment to market research in support of IMC)Statements Mean Std. Deviation

The present IMC programme/subject in your faculty is well taught.

4.14 .691

IMC helps you to excel in related projects, trainings or other activities.

4.16 .734

The present IMC programme/subject provided by your school satisfies you or fulfils your need for future career.

4.21 .685

IMC has changed the management of your faculty in your institution for the better.

4.04 .722

IMC programme/subject is necessary and important for Malaysia.

4.49 .666

Note: The statements were rated on a six-point scale from 0 to 5, denoting from ‘don’t know’ to ‘strongly agree’.




believed that IMC is able to build strong brand equity (goodwill), and thus, it is exactly the brand building strategy needed in the Malaysian IHEs (Mean=4.25 respectively). In other words, IMC increases the IHEs’ brand awareness level (Mean=4.23). This finding echoes to the statement made by Madhavaram, Badrinarayanan, and McDonald (2005) that IMC strategy is essential to the organisation’s strategic brand development, and that it strengthens the interface between the organisation’s brand identity strategy and its customer-based brand equity, that is, brand awareness and brand image.

Table 8 shows the result of the 21 statements on leadership style in the institution

which were meant to provide answers for the seven dimensions of full range leadership theory (i.e., idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualised consideration, contingent reward, management-by-exception, and laissez-faire). In the dimension of idealised influence, the most prominent perception of students is that they felt good to be around the lecturers and the administrative staffs of their school or institution (Mean=2.93). Meanwhile, in terms of inspirational motivation dimension, the students claimed that the lecturers and administrative staffs of their school or institution had mostly helped them find meaning in their work (Mean=2.94).

Table 6: Students’ perception of facilities and services provided in institution (application of IT in support of IMC)

Statements Mean Std. DeviationComputers are available for your use. 4.11 .869The internet is accessible for web browsing. 3.96 .989The internet connection satisfies you. 3.82 1.010The administrative staffs are helpful when you need their help regarding the use of computer, etc.

4.10 .938

The administrative staffs possess good computer skills.

3.93 1.109


Table 7: Students’ perception of the importance of IMC to institution (strategic integration of IMC)Statements Mean Std. Deviation

IMC achieves greater communication efficiency.

4.33 .760

IMC increases the higher education institutions’ brand awareness level.

4.23 .827

IMC builds profitable relationship with students, lecturers and stakeholders.

4.21 .784

IMC enhances team spirit and teamwork. 4.08 .839IMC builds strong brand equity (goodwill). 4.25 .772IMC reduces marcom (promotion) cost. 3.75 1.143Using IMC gives the higher education institution a competitive advantage.

4.06 .985

IMC is exactly the brand building strategy needed in the Malaysian IHEs.

4.25 .798





Table 8: Students’ perception of leadership styles in the institution (seven dimensions of full range leadership theory)

Idealised Influence Mean Std. DeviationThey make students feel good to be around them. 2.93 1.122Students have complete faith in them. 2.57 1.086Students are proud to be associated with them. 2.78 1.066

Inspirational Motivation Mean Std. DeviationThey express with a few simple words that students could and should do.

2.75 1.088

They provide appealing images about what students can do.

2.72 1.081

They help students find meaning in their work. 2.94 .993Intellectual Stimulation Mean Std. Deviation

They enable students to think about old problems in new ways.

2.98 .995

They provide students with new ways of looking at puzzling things.

2.91 .996

They get students to rethink ideas that they had never questioned before.

2.69 1.096

Individualised Consideration Mean Std. DeviationThey help students develop themselves. 2.93 .935They let students know how they think students are doing. 2.94 1.004They give personal attention to students who seem rejected.

2.42 1.162

Contingent Reward Mean Std. DeviationThey tell students what to do if they want to be rewarded for their work.

2.77 1.044

They provide recognition or rewards when students reach their goals.

2.52 1.229

They call attention to what students can get for what they accomplish.

2.57 1.154

Management-by-exception Mean Std. DeviationThey are satisfied when students meet agreed-upon standards.

2.96 .999

As long as things are working, they do not try to change anything.

2.37 1.275

They tell students the standards students have to know to carry out their work.

2.70 1.217

Laissez-faire Mean Std. DeviationThey are content to let students continue working in the same way as always.

2.71 1.049

Whatever students want to do is OK with them. 2.39 1.232They ask no more of students than what is absolutely essential.

2.40 1.187

Note: The factors were rated on a five-point scale from 0 to 4, denoting from ‘not at all’ to ‘frequently, if not always’.




Apart from that, the students claimed that the lecturers and administrative staffs of their school or institution had enabled them to think about old problems in new ways as an intellectual stimulation (Mean=2.98). When it comes to the dimension of individualised consideration, the students were being told by the lecturers and administrative staffs of their school or institution about how they think the students were doing (Mean=2.94) in order to help the students develop themselves (Mean=2.93). As for contingent reward, the lecturers and administrative staffs of the students’ school or institution tell the students what to do if they want to be rewarded for their work (Mean=2.77). On the other hand, in terms of management-by-exception, the lecturers and administrative staffs of the students’ school or institution were satisfied when the students meet agreed-upon standards (Mean=2.96). In the dimension of laissez-faire, the lecturers and administrative staffs of the students’ school or institution were contented of letting the students continue working in the same way as always (Mean=2.71).

The analysis on the leadership style reveals that the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution have made the students felt good to be around them, since they have shown dedication to the students (Bass & Avolio, 1992). Besides that, the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution have helped the students find meaning in their work by providing a vision and using appropriate symbols and images to make them feel that their work is significant (Bass & Avolio, 1992). In addition to that, the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution have also enabled them to think about old problems in new ways. According to Judge and Piccolo (2004), leaders with this trait stimulate and encourage creativity in their followers. Moreover, the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution normally inform the students on how they think the students are doing by interacting with them, whereby, being aware of individual concerns (Bass, 1998). In

fact, the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution normally tell the students what to do if they want to be rewarded for their work, and are satisfied when the students meet agreed-upon standards. These results echo Hunt and Schuler’s (1976) finding, which indicated that higher levels of performance and effectiveness occur when the subordinate can directly associate rewards with the leader. The lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution were also contented to let the students continue working in the same way as always. In other words, they were content to let things ride (Bass & Avolio, 1992). This is most probably because the lecturers and administrative staffs from the students’ school or institution were already satisfied with the students’ performance at present.

ConclusionLooking back in terms of age and achievements, it can be considered that the selected Malaysian public university in Penang has acquired its own brand equity. Despite that, this Malaysian public university in Penang still needs a comprehensive marketing strategy to sustain student retention and attract future students into enrolling. The presence of IMC is an added advantage to this Malaysian public university in Penang. From the analyses, it can be concluded that the lecturers and administrative staffs of this Malaysian public university in Penang were adequately experienced in their job and that they have played their roles well; they have communicated well with the students, and are thus respected, appreciated, and trusted by their students. In other words, they have successfully created a strong emotional bond with the customer, and at the very same time, maintained internal stakeholder relationships.

AcknowledgementThis study was supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education through the MyPhD funding programme.




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AppendixTable 1: Required sample size

Source: Adapted from The Research Advisors (2006)


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