Student commitment and satisfaction as mediator between service quality and student retention : a perspective of universities in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

The Kingdom of Bahrain is experiencing a paradigm shift economically. Its economic model is moving away from the fuel-based model to a service-based model. It is pertinent to examine the education services industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain, particularly the Higher Education sector. Especially when many countries such as Malaysia have enjoyed the economic benefits from the higher education industry, many universities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, specifically private higher education institutions (PHEIs), face declining student retention. The existing service quality model explores the perplexing issues between the economical paradigm shift and industry response. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between Private Higher Education Service Quality (PHESQ) expanded from SERVQUAL and students' retention within PHEIs in the Kingdom of Bahrain with the mediating effect students' commitment and students' satisfaction is investigated. Two underpinning theories, the SERVQUAL model and Tinto's Student Retention Theory, were employed as the main extensions to the existing research. This study surveyed 475 students from 11 PHEIs in the Kingdom of Bahrain and analysed using PLS-SEM. Findings show that two PHESQ dimensions, reliability and empathy, were positively related to students' retention while tangibility, responsiveness, and assurance were not. Furthermore, the study also found that students' satisfaction and commitment fully mediated the relationship between PHESQ and students' retention. The results reveal that the overall PHESQ dimensions are a significant predictor of students' retention. In addition, the study also exposed that the students' satisfaction and commitment play the most significant mediating role in predicting overall students' retention. Theoretically, the SERVQUAL model and Tinto's Student Retention Theory contribute to the contemporary understanding of students' retention and quality services in the PHEI in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The interdependencies between all elements in the PHESO practices were evidenced by the validation of the framework of SERVQUAL. In addition, this study will assist the management of PHEI in developing a market-oriented service strategy to achieve a high quality of service and enhance the students' retention level in universities.