Using the Students-as-Customers Concept in Technology Disciplines: Students- Perspectives
Educational institutions increasingly adopt the
students-as-customers concept to satisfy their students.
Understanding students- perspectives on the use of this business
concept in educational institutions is necessary for the institutions to
effectively align these perspectives with their management practice.
The study investigates whether students in technology and business
disciplines have significantly different attitudes toward using the
students-as-customers concept in educational institutions and
explores the impact of treating students as customers in technology
disciplines under students- perspectives. The results from
quantitative and qualitative data analyses show that technology
students, in contrast to business students, fairly disagree with
educational institutions to treat students as customers. Treating
students as customers in technology disciplines will have a negative
influence on teaching performance, instructor-student relationships
and educational institutions- aim, but a positive influence on service
quality in educational institutions. The paper discusses the findings
and concludes with implications and limitations of the study.
[1] D. Bajou, "Treating students like customers," BizEd, March-April, 2005,
pp. 44-47.
[2] D.E. Clayson, and D.A. Haley, "Marketing models in education: student
as customers, products, or partners," Marketing Education Review, vol.
15,2005, pp. 1-36.
[3] L. Eagle, and R. Brennan, "Are students customers? TQM and
marketing perspectives," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 15, 2007,
pp. 44-60.
[4] E. Eisenhardt, "Building theories from case study research," Academy of
Management Review, vol. 14, 1989, pp.532-550.
[5] R. Galliers, Information Systems Research: Issues, Methods and
Practical Guidelines, Blackwell: Oxford,1992.
[6] J.E. Grocia, "The student as customer versus the student as learner.
About Campus," May-June, 1997, pp. 31-32.
[7] R.B. Halbesleben, J.A., Becker, and R.M. Buckley, "Considering the
labor contributions of students: An alternative to the student-as-customer
metaphor," Journal of Education for Business, May-June, 2003, pp. 255-
257.
[8] G.K. Kanji, and M.A. Tambi, "Total quality management in UK higher
education institutions," Total Quality Management, vol.10, 1999, pp.
129-153.
[9] H.B. Lammers, T. Kiesler, M.T. Curren, and D. Cours, "How hard do I
have to work? students and faculty expectations regarding university
work," Journal of Education for Business, vol. 80, 2005, pp. 210-213.
[10] M.B. Miles, and A.M. Huberman, Qualitative Data Analysis: An
Expanded Sourcebook, Sage: Thousand Oaks, 1994.
[11] C. Obermiller, P. Fleenor, and P. Rava, "Students as customers or
products: perceptions and preferences of faculty and students. Marketing
Education Review," vol. 15, 2005, pp. 27-36.
[12] A.J. Pickard, Research Methods in Information, London: Facet, 2007.
[13] T. Pitman, "Perceptions of academics and students as customers: a
survey of administrative staff in higher education," Journal of Higher
Education Policy and Management, vol. 22, 2000, pp. 165-75
[14] H. Rolfe, "Students' demands and expectations in an age of reduce
financial support: the perspectives of lecturers in four English
universities," Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol.
24, 2002, pp. 171-182.
[15] B. Sax, "Students as customers," On the Horizon, vol. 12, 2004, pp. 157-
159.
[16] R. Schwartzman, "Students as customers: a mangled managerial
metaphor," Paper presented at the Carolinas Speech Communication
Association Conference, Charlotte, NC, 1995.
[17] M. Weimer, Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice,
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2002.
[18] S. Merriam, Case Study Research in Education: A Qualitative Approach,
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 1988.
[19] G.E. Smith, and C.A. Huntsman, "Reframing the metaphor of the
citizen-government relationship: a value-centered perspective," vol. 57,
1997, pp. 309-318.
[20] R.K..Yin, Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage: Thousand Oaks,
1994.
[21] Y.S. Lincoln and E.G. Guba, Naturalistic Inquiry, Sage: London, 1985.
[22] L.B. Chonko, J.F. Tanner and R. Davis, "What are they thinking?
students- expectations and self-assessments," Journal of Education for
Business, vol.77, 2002, pp. 271-81.
[23] S. Bharadwaj, C.M. Futrell and D.M. Kantak, "Using student
evaluations to improve learning," MarketingEducation Review, vol. 3,
1993, pp. 16-21.
[24] V. E. Johnson, Grade Inflation: A Crisis in College Education, Springer:
New York, 2003.
[25] K. Wiesenfeld, "Making the grade," Newsweek, June 17, 1996, pp. 6.
[26] G.C. Macom, "The effect of using a normative approach to determine
achievement of educational objectives," Measurement Forum, vol. 3,
1997, pp.2-3.
[1] D. Bajou, "Treating students like customers," BizEd, March-April, 2005,
pp. 44-47.
[2] D.E. Clayson, and D.A. Haley, "Marketing models in education: student
as customers, products, or partners," Marketing Education Review, vol.
15,2005, pp. 1-36.
[3] L. Eagle, and R. Brennan, "Are students customers? TQM and
marketing perspectives," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 15, 2007,
pp. 44-60.
[4] E. Eisenhardt, "Building theories from case study research," Academy of
Management Review, vol. 14, 1989, pp.532-550.
[5] R. Galliers, Information Systems Research: Issues, Methods and
Practical Guidelines, Blackwell: Oxford,1992.
[6] J.E. Grocia, "The student as customer versus the student as learner.
About Campus," May-June, 1997, pp. 31-32.
[7] R.B. Halbesleben, J.A., Becker, and R.M. Buckley, "Considering the
labor contributions of students: An alternative to the student-as-customer
metaphor," Journal of Education for Business, May-June, 2003, pp. 255-
257.
[8] G.K. Kanji, and M.A. Tambi, "Total quality management in UK higher
education institutions," Total Quality Management, vol.10, 1999, pp.
129-153.
[9] H.B. Lammers, T. Kiesler, M.T. Curren, and D. Cours, "How hard do I
have to work? students and faculty expectations regarding university
work," Journal of Education for Business, vol. 80, 2005, pp. 210-213.
[10] M.B. Miles, and A.M. Huberman, Qualitative Data Analysis: An
Expanded Sourcebook, Sage: Thousand Oaks, 1994.
[11] C. Obermiller, P. Fleenor, and P. Rava, "Students as customers or
products: perceptions and preferences of faculty and students. Marketing
Education Review," vol. 15, 2005, pp. 27-36.
[12] A.J. Pickard, Research Methods in Information, London: Facet, 2007.
[13] T. Pitman, "Perceptions of academics and students as customers: a
survey of administrative staff in higher education," Journal of Higher
Education Policy and Management, vol. 22, 2000, pp. 165-75
[14] H. Rolfe, "Students' demands and expectations in an age of reduce
financial support: the perspectives of lecturers in four English
universities," Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol.
24, 2002, pp. 171-182.
[15] B. Sax, "Students as customers," On the Horizon, vol. 12, 2004, pp. 157-
159.
[16] R. Schwartzman, "Students as customers: a mangled managerial
metaphor," Paper presented at the Carolinas Speech Communication
Association Conference, Charlotte, NC, 1995.
[17] M. Weimer, Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice,
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2002.
[18] S. Merriam, Case Study Research in Education: A Qualitative Approach,
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 1988.
[19] G.E. Smith, and C.A. Huntsman, "Reframing the metaphor of the
citizen-government relationship: a value-centered perspective," vol. 57,
1997, pp. 309-318.
[20] R.K..Yin, Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage: Thousand Oaks,
1994.
[21] Y.S. Lincoln and E.G. Guba, Naturalistic Inquiry, Sage: London, 1985.
[22] L.B. Chonko, J.F. Tanner and R. Davis, "What are they thinking?
students- expectations and self-assessments," Journal of Education for
Business, vol.77, 2002, pp. 271-81.
[23] S. Bharadwaj, C.M. Futrell and D.M. Kantak, "Using student
evaluations to improve learning," MarketingEducation Review, vol. 3,
1993, pp. 16-21.
[24] V. E. Johnson, Grade Inflation: A Crisis in College Education, Springer:
New York, 2003.
[25] K. Wiesenfeld, "Making the grade," Newsweek, June 17, 1996, pp. 6.
[26] G.C. Macom, "The effect of using a normative approach to determine
achievement of educational objectives," Measurement Forum, vol. 3,
1997, pp.2-3.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:53200", author = "Boonlert Watjatrakul", title = "Using the Students-as-Customers Concept in Technology Disciplines: Students- Perspectives", abstract = "Educational institutions increasingly adopt the
students-as-customers concept to satisfy their students.
Understanding students- perspectives on the use of this business
concept in educational institutions is necessary for the institutions to
effectively align these perspectives with their management practice.
The study investigates whether students in technology and business
disciplines have significantly different attitudes toward using the
students-as-customers concept in educational institutions and
explores the impact of treating students as customers in technology
disciplines under students- perspectives. The results from
quantitative and qualitative data analyses show that technology
students, in contrast to business students, fairly disagree with
educational institutions to treat students as customers. Treating
students as customers in technology disciplines will have a negative
influence on teaching performance, instructor-student relationships
and educational institutions- aim, but a positive influence on service
quality in educational institutions. The paper discusses the findings
and concludes with implications and limitations of the study.", keywords = "Education, information technology, students-ascustomers,
technology disciplines.", volume = "3", number = "3", pages = "207-5", }
