External drivers of entry mode decisions of a higher education institution

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of cultural distance, governance quality, and market attractiveness on attachment of agents with a university. Design/methodology/approach – A single university was chosen as a case study and secondary data were collected. The focus of this paper is on education agents who market higher education institution (HEI) in international market and recruit international students. Findings – Multiple regression was performed and the finding indicated that governance quality and market attractiveness are significantly related with a number of agents attached to the marketing department of the university. However, cultural distance showed no significant relationship with agent attachment. Research limitations/implications – The availability of data was most challenging in gathering data for this study because the culture of a country may change across time and the sample was based on only one case study, a minimal amount of information was obtained. Practical implications – This study addresses the external factors that needed to be considered in selecting new agents. Originality/value – This study contributes to the international marketing literature by a focus on HEI and focus on agency approach.