Instilling Loyalty Intention to Alma Mater through Relationship Marketing Investments by Higher Education Institutions

This study explores an approach to instill students’ loyalty intention to their colleges while they are in the program. The study proposes and empirically investigates quality of on-campus career guidance services as a promising factor leading to students’ loyalty intention to their alma mater. The study draws from theories and research findings in services marketing, consumer behavior, and education psychology to develop a research model that investigates not only the direct effect of the quality of on-campus career guidance services upon the student’s loyalty intention, but also the indirect effects generated by career optimism and the sense of belonging. Data collection was carried out at a major business school in South Korea. The study’s findings provide a unique insight into the understanding of students’ loyalty development process and suggest a guideline of relationship marketing investments for colleges to establish students’ loyalty intention to alma mater. Implications for practitioners and researchers are provided.