Brand Personality, Strategic Marketing Partnerships and Customer Service Delivery of Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

The objectives of this study include: to determine the effect of brand personality on customer service delivery of public universities in Kenya and to assess the moderating effect of strategic marketing partnerships on the relationship between brand personality and customer service delivery of public universities in Kenya. The study was underpinned on brand personality model, relationship marketing theory and Service Quality Model (SERVQUAL). Positivistic and cross-sectional research approaches were used. The target population of this study was 84,931 students who were selected from 31 public universities while 61,541 students were selected from a sample frame of 15 public universities. The sample size of 398 respondents was calculated from the sample frame population using Israel formula. Random sampling technique was used to select universities while using multistage purposive sampling method was used to select respondents of the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Hypotheses were tested using linear mixed effect (LME) modelling technique fitted with Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimation (REML) models. The findings of this study revealed existence of a significant influence of brand personality on customer service delivery of public university in Kenya. Further, strategic marketing partnerships was found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship brand personality and customer service delivery of public university in Kenya. It was recommended that university managers should emphasize on brand personality as well as controlling strategic marketing practices for enhanced customer service delivery.