Uncovering Alumni Perspectives: A Cluster Analysis of University Satisfaction

Abstract

Introduction and Aim
Universities are realizing the fundamental role their alumni have in their current and future sustainability, competitiveness, growth, and development, transforming them into one of their primary stakeholders and promoting the need to build solid and lasting relationships with them. To meet these challenges, universities are applying relationship marketing as a strategic response and considering students and alumni as consumers of a higher education experience (Cervera et al., 2011; de Macedo Bergamo et al., 2012; Iskhakova et al., 2017; Pedro et al., 2021; Schlesinger et al., 2012; Snijders et al., 2019).
Even though universities recognize alumni as strategic stakeholders, authors recognize the lack of research on the topic, specifically on their loyalty towards the university (Benites, 2021; Dalangin, 2021; Doña Toledo & Luque Martínez, 2020; Schlesinger et al., 2021; Cervera et al., 2011). Nevertheless, loyalty is one of the most relevant variables in relationship marketing because it is highly related to generating benefits for the organization; it impacts positive attitudes toward what the organization offers. Even more, a loyal consumer tends to maintain a close relationship with the organization, preferring it and recommending it as well, which is what universities seek with their alumni (Heffernan et al., 2018; Kotler & Keller, 2016; Schlesinger et al., 2014; 2017).

In this regard, previous studies have shown the significant influence that the perception of satisfaction has on loyalty toward the university (Doña Toledo & Luque Martínez, 2020; Eurico et al., 2015; Helgesen & Nesset, 2007; Martinez-Hague et al., 2022; Hague et al., 2022). Therefore, satisfaction becomes a crucial variable for this relationship, so this research seeks to deepen the study of this variable within the Graduate-University.

Identification Model proposed by Schlesinger et al. (2015; 2014; 2012). Its objective is to identify groups of Alumni, taking into account not only dimensions of a demographic nature, such as the graduation group, gender, or age, but also the perception of satisfaction during the experience of the Alumni concerning their university. The study used a quantitative approach, the two-step cluster analysis technique, on a sample of 333 Alumni of the School of Management of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. The variables researched are sex, specialty, current employment status, and the measurement of the perception of satisfaction used by Schlesinger et al. (2015; 2014; 2012) measured using a scale of three items.