Brand Awareness as a Determinant of Students' Choice of a Higher Institution: Evidence from Students in a Ghanaian University
Keywords:
Brand awareness, Technical University, Brand image, Brand identity, Brand culture, Brand personality, Higher institution, Ghana
Abstract
The competitive landscape of university education in Ghana is characterised by poor infrastructure, quality and environmental conditions, making it challenging for students and parents to select an institution for study. To attract students, universities must effectively leverage their marketing mix, particularly products and brands. This study examines the influence of brand awareness on students' selection of a higher institution. Employing a positivistic paradigm and quantitative approach, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by 345 students at a Technical University in Ghana. Data analysis using SPSS and Smart PLS software revealed a significant positive impact of institutional brand awareness on students' decisions. The study concludes that university branding plays a vital role in enrolment and highlights the importance of developing and promoting brand personality to differentiate universities in a competitive market. By understanding the factors contributing to brand awareness, higher institutions can tailor marketing strategies, enhance their reputation and achieve their objectives
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References
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Bohara, S., & Panwar, D. (2022). Impact of brand awareness on enrollment decision process moderated by student’s gender for. Journal of Content, Community, and Communication, 15(8).
Chao, X., Kou, G., Peng, Y., & Viedma, E.H. (2021). Large-scale group decision-making with non-cooperative behaviors and heterogeneous preferences: An application in financial inclusion. European Journal of Operational Research, 288(1), 271–293.
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Chaves, E.D.E.S. (2017). Identity, positioning, brand image and brand equity comparison: A vision about quality in brand management. Independent Journal of Management Production, 8, 1246–1263.
Chen, C.T. (2019). The mediating effect of brand identity on brand knowledge and the operational development of universities. South African Journal of Business Management, 50(1), 11.
Chun, T.Y., Lee, D.K., & Park, N.H. (2020). The Effect of Marketing Activities on the Brand Recognition, Brand Familiarity, and Purchase Intention on the SNS of Franchise Companies. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(11), 955-966.
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Kwarteng-Amaniampong, E., Tait, M., & Potgieter, A. (2024). The Influence of Visual Identity Elements on the Creation of a Footwear Brand in Ghana. African Journal of Business and Economic Research, 19(1), 221-242.
Leland, K.T. (2016). The brand mapping strategy: Design, build, and accelerate your brand. Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur Press.
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Lewis, E.S. (1898). The Attention Value. The Inland Printer, 21(5), 201-202.
Loewenstein, G., O'Donoghue, T., & Bhatia, S. (2015). Modeling the interplay between affect and deliberation. Decision, 2(2), 55.
Loureiro, S.M.C., Jimenez-Barreto, J., & Romero, J. (2020). Enhancing Brand Coolness Through Perceived Luxury Values: Insight from Luxury Fashion Brands. Journals of the Academy of Marketing Science, 57(3), 102-211.
Mabkhot, H. A., Shaari, H., & Salleh, S. M. (2017). The Influence of Brand Image and Brand Personality on Brand Loyalty, Mediating by Brand Trust: An Empirical Study. Journal of Pengurusan, 50, 1-18.
Mahmudah, R., & Iskamto, D. (2024). Customer Experience, Customer Service Quality, Customer Perceived Value, and Customer Satisfaction as Impact on Cinema XXI Customer Loyalty in Bandung City. International Journal of Economics, Business and Innovation, 3(2), 38-60.
Mao, Y., Lai, Y., Luo, Y., Liu, S., Du, Y., Zhou, J., Ma, J., Bonaituto, F. & Bonaiuto, M. (2020). Apple or Huawei: Understanding Flow, Brand Image, Brand Identity, Brand Personality and Purchase Intention of Smartphone. Sustainability, 12, 33-91.
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Muñoz, Y., Gallego, F.L., Salazar, A.A., & Rodríguez, M.S. (2019). Selling of Products: The Use of Single-Electrode Wireless EEG in Consumer Behavior. International Journal of Psychological Research, 12(1) 57-65.
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Nitzl, C., Roldán, J. L., & Cepeda, C. G. (2016). Mediation Analysis in Partial Least Squares Path Modeling: Helping Researchers Discuss More Sophisticated Models. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 119(9), 1849-1864.
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Pacheco-Barrios, K., & Fregni, F. (2020). Evidence-based decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Principles and practice of clinical research, 6(1), 1.
Pedeliento, G., & Kavaratzis, M. (2019). Bridging the Gap Between Culture, Identity and Image: A Structurationist Conceptualization of Place Brands and Place Branding. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28, 348–363.
Raithel, S., Sarstedt, M., Scharf, S., & Schwaiger, M. (2012). On the Value Relevance of Customer Satisfaction. Multiple Drivers and Multiple Markets. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(4), 509-525.
Rhian, J. (2021). Branding and Marketing in Higher Education. Routledge.
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Sallam, M. A. (2014). The Effects of Brand Image and Brand Identification on Brand Love and Purchase Decision Making: The role of WOM. International Business Research, 7(10), 187-193.
Sarstedt, M., Hair, J.F., Pick, M., Liengaard, B.D., L?cr?mioara Radomir, L., & Ringle, C.M. (2022). Progress in partial least squares structural equation modeling use in marketing research in the last decade. Psychology & Marketing, 39, 1035-1064.
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Takyi, S. A., Amponsah, O., Asibey, M. O., & Ayambire, R. A. (2021). An Overview of Ghana’s Educational System and its Implication for Educational Equity. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 24(2), 157-182.
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Abbas S.A. (2019). Brand loyalty of higher education institutions. Marketing and Management of Innovations, 1, 46-56.
Amoako, I., & Asamoah-Gyimah, K. (2020). Indicators of students’ satisfaction of quality education services in some selected universities in Ghana. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(4), 61-72.
Baber, H. (2022). Application of the AIDA model of advertising in crowdfunding. International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship, 14(3), 167-179.
Bastos, W., & Levy, S.J. (2012). A history of the concept of branding: practice and theory. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, 4(3), 347-368.
Beach, L.R., & Connolly, T. (2005). The psychology of decision making: People in organizations (2nd ed.). L.R.. Beach, & T. Connolly (Eds.): SAGE publications.
Ben-Akiva, M., de Palma, A., McFadden, D., Abou-Zeid, M., Chiappori, P.A., de Lapparent, M., & Manski, C. (2012). Process and context in choice models. Marketing Letters, 23(2), 439-456.
Bilgin, Y. (2018). The effect of social media marketing activities on brand awareness, brand image and brand loyalty. Business & Management Studies: An International Journal, 6(1), 128-148.
Bohara, S., & Panwar, D. (2022). Impact of brand awareness on enrollment decision process moderated by student’s gender for. Journal of Content, Community, and Communication, 15(8).
Chao, X., Kou, G., Peng, Y., & Viedma, E.H. (2021). Large-scale group decision-making with non-cooperative behaviors and heterogeneous preferences: An application in financial inclusion. European Journal of Operational Research, 288(1), 271–293.
Chatterjee, I., & Chakraborty, P. (2020). Use of Information and Communication Technology by medical Educators amid COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49, 310-324.
Chaves, E.D.E.S. (2017). Identity, positioning, brand image and brand equity comparison: A vision about quality in brand management. Independent Journal of Management Production, 8, 1246–1263.
Chen, C.T. (2019). The mediating effect of brand identity on brand knowledge and the operational development of universities. South African Journal of Business Management, 50(1), 11.
Chun, T.Y., Lee, D.K., & Park, N.H. (2020). The Effect of Marketing Activities on the Brand Recognition, Brand Familiarity, and Purchase Intention on the SNS of Franchise Companies. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(11), 955-966.
Cialdini, R.B. (2009). Influence: Science and practice ( 5th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Ebrahim, R.S. (2020). The role of trust in understanding the Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 19(4), 287-308.
Eisenfuhr, F. (2011). Decision making. Springer.
Esia-Donkoh, K., & Antwi, T. (2015). Instructional, psychological and social effects of large classes on students of the department of basic education, university of education, Winneba, Ghana. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Educational Sciences, 3(3), 63-78.
Florack, A., & Palcu, J. (2017). The psychology of branding. In C. Jansson-Boyd, & M. Zawisza (Eds.). International handbook of consumer psychology (pp. 542-564). New York: Routledge.
Grönroos, C. (2015). Service Management and Marketing: Managing the Service Profit Logic. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons.
Hair, J.F., Hult, G.T.M., Ringle, C.M. & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A Primer on Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), 3rd Ed. Sage: Thousand Oaks.
Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Gudergan, S.P. (2018). Advanced Issues in Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). CA: Sage: Thousand Oaks.
Hair, J.F. Tomas, M.H. Ringle, C.M. & Sarstedt, M. (2021). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), Sage.
Hair, J.F., Risher, J.J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C.M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2-24.
Hassana, A., Ibrahim, M., & Sani, A. (2021). Exploring the impact of brand image on student loyalty. Journal of Higher Education and Product Management, 43, 53-66.
Hassana, R., Garba, A., & Abdullahi, M. (2021). Marketing Strategies for Higher Education Institutions. Springer.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C.M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A New Criterion for Assessing Discriminant Validity in Variance-Based Structural Equation Modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C.M., & Sarstedt, M. (2016). Testing measurement invariance of composites using partial least squares. International Marketing Review, 33(3), 405-431.
Hossler, D., & Gallagher, K. S. (1987). Studying student college choice: A three-phase model and the implications for policymakers. College and University, 62(3), 207-221.
Keller, K.L. (2009). Building Strong Brands in a Modern Marketing Communications Environment. Journal of Marketing Communications, 5(2/3), 139-155.
Khatri, V., Samuel, B.M., & Dennis, A.R. (2018). System 1 and system 2 cognition in the decision to adopt and use a new technology. Information & Management, 55(6), 709–724.
Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: a full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 11(14), 1-10.
Kotler, J., & Keller, K. (2020). Marketing Management, Global Edition, 16th Edition. Retrieved 1 25, 2025, from https://www.pearson.com/se/Nordics-Higher-Education/subject-catalogue/marketing/Kotler- Keller-Marketing-Management-Global-Edition-16e.html.
Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. & Tait, M. (2016). Principles of Marketing: Global and Southern African Perspectives, 2nd ed. Cape Town: Pearson.
Kotler P., Keller, L., Goodman, M., Brady, & M., Hansen, T. (2019). Marketing Management, 1st ed. Pearson Education.
Kwarteng-Amaniampong, E., Tait, M., & Potgieter, A. (2024). The Influence of Visual Identity Elements on the Creation of a Footwear Brand in Ghana. African Journal of Business and Economic Research, 19(1), 221-242.
Leland, K.T. (2016). The brand mapping strategy: Design, build, and accelerate your brand. Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur Press.
Levine, D.S. (2019). One or two minds? Neural network modelling of decision making by the unified self. Neural Networks, 120, 74–85.
Lewis, E.S. (1898). The Attention Value. The Inland Printer, 21(5), 201-202.
Loewenstein, G., O'Donoghue, T., & Bhatia, S. (2015). Modeling the interplay between affect and deliberation. Decision, 2(2), 55.
Loureiro, S.M.C., Jimenez-Barreto, J., & Romero, J. (2020). Enhancing Brand Coolness Through Perceived Luxury Values: Insight from Luxury Fashion Brands. Journals of the Academy of Marketing Science, 57(3), 102-211.
Mabkhot, H. A., Shaari, H., & Salleh, S. M. (2017). The Influence of Brand Image and Brand Personality on Brand Loyalty, Mediating by Brand Trust: An Empirical Study. Journal of Pengurusan, 50, 1-18.
Mahmudah, R., & Iskamto, D. (2024). Customer Experience, Customer Service Quality, Customer Perceived Value, and Customer Satisfaction as Impact on Cinema XXI Customer Loyalty in Bandung City. International Journal of Economics, Business and Innovation, 3(2), 38-60.
Mao, Y., Lai, Y., Luo, Y., Liu, S., Du, Y., Zhou, J., Ma, J., Bonaituto, F. & Bonaiuto, M. (2020). Apple or Huawei: Understanding Flow, Brand Image, Brand Identity, Brand Personality and Purchase Intention of Smartphone. Sustainability, 12, 33-91.
Mensah, C. Azila-Gbettor, E.M., Appietu, M.E. & Agbodza, J.S. (2021). Internship work-related stress: a comparative study between hospitality and marketing students. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 33(1), 29-42.
McCarthy, E. J. (1960). Basic marketing: A managerial approach. Irwin.
Montazeribarforoushi, S., Keshavarzsaleh, A. & Ramsøy, T.Z. (2017). On the hierarchy of choice: An applied neuroscience perspective on the AIDA model. Cogent Psychology, 4, 1363343.
Moorhead, G., & Griffin, R. W. (2001). Organizational Behavior (6th ed.). Massachusetts: Boston Houghton Mifflin.
Moreira, E. (2023). The Paradox of Branding: A Societal Examination of Its Positive and Negative Effects on Personal Freedom. Master's Thesis, Paris College of Art, Paris, France.
Muñoz, Y., Gallego, F.L., Salazar, A.A., & Rodríguez, M.S. (2019). Selling of Products: The Use of Single-Electrode Wireless EEG in Consumer Behavior. International Journal of Psychological Research, 12(1) 57-65.
Ngambeki, I., Dalrymple, O., & Evangelou, D. (2008). Decision Making in First Year Engineering: Exploring How Students Decide About Future Studies and Career Pathways. Paper presented at 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition.
Nitzl, C., Roldán, J. L., & Cepeda, C. G. (2016). Mediation Analysis in Partial Least Squares Path Modeling: Helping Researchers Discuss More Sophisticated Models. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 119(9), 1849-1864.
Nunnally, J. C. (1979). Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.
O’Shaughnessy, J. (1992). Explaining Buyer Behavior. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Pacheco-Barrios, K., & Fregni, F. (2020). Evidence-based decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Principles and practice of clinical research, 6(1), 1.
Pedeliento, G., & Kavaratzis, M. (2019). Bridging the Gap Between Culture, Identity and Image: A Structurationist Conceptualization of Place Brands and Place Branding. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28, 348–363.
Raithel, S., Sarstedt, M., Scharf, S., & Schwaiger, M. (2012). On the Value Relevance of Customer Satisfaction. Multiple Drivers and Multiple Markets. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(4), 509-525.
Rhian, J. (2021). Branding and Marketing in Higher Education. Routledge.
Ries, A., & Trout, J. (2018). The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding (2nd ed.). Harper Business.
Rodas, M.A. (2019). Paradox Brands: Can Brands with Contradictory Meanings be more Appealing to Consumers? PhD Dissertation. The University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA.
Sallam, M. A. (2014). The Effects of Brand Image and Brand Identification on Brand Love and Purchase Decision Making: The role of WOM. International Business Research, 7(10), 187-193.
Sarstedt, M., Hair, J.F., Pick, M., Liengaard, B.D., L?cr?mioara Radomir, L., & Ringle, C.M. (2022). Progress in partial least squares structural equation modeling use in marketing research in the last decade. Psychology & Marketing, 39, 1035-1064.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research Methods for Business Students, 7th ed. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
Savioni, L., Triberti, S., Durosini, I. & Pravettoni, G. (2022). How to make big decisions: A cross-sectional study on the decision making process in life choices. Current Psychology. 42. 3. 10.1007/s12144-022-02792-x.
Sharma, A., Patro, S., & Chaudhry, H. (2022). Brand identity and culture interaction in the Indian context: a grounded approach. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 19(11), 31-54.
Siitonen, H. (2017). The impact of brand image on customer experience – Company X. Bachelor’s Thesis, Degree Programme of Business Administration. Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.
Stamos, A., Bruyneel, S., De Rock, B., Cherchye, L., & Dewitte, S. (2018). A dual-process model of decision-making: The symmetric effect of intuitive and cognitive judgments on optimal budget allocation. Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, 1(1), 11.
Stine, R. A., Foster, D., & Foster, D. P. (2011). Statistics for business: Decision making and analysis. Addison-Wesley.
Stocchi, L., Ludwichowska, G., Fuller, R., & Gregoric, A. (2020). Customer-based brand equity for branded apps: A simple research framework. Journal of Marketing Communications, 1-30.
Stolyarov, N. O., Petrenko, E. S., Serova, O. A., & Umuralieva, A. S. (2019). The digital reality of the modern economy: New actors and new decision-making logic. In Institute of Scientific Communications Conference (pp. 882–888). Springer.
Strong, E.K. (1925). The Psychology of Selling and Advertising. McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Su, J., & Tong, X. (2015). Brand personality and brand equity: Evidence from the sportswear industry. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24(2), 124-133.
Takyi, S. A., Amponsah, O., Asibey, M. O., & Ayambire, R. A. (2021). An Overview of Ghana’s Educational System and its Implication for Educational Equity. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 24(2), 157-182.
Wheeler, A. (2014). Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team. Journal of Branding and Strategy, 2, 416–417.
Yiadom, M.B., & Madele, T. (2022a). Profile features of Mobile Network Customers in Ghana as a Basis for Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning. Information Management and Business Review, 14(1), 1-15.
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Published
2025-03-07
How to Cite
Yiadom, M. B., Agyeman-Duah, M. O., & Laryea, C. N. A. (2025). Brand Awareness as a Determinant of Students’ Choice of a Higher Institution: Evidence from Students in a Ghanaian University. Information Management and Business Review, 17(1(I), 371-384. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v17i1(I).4407
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Research Paper
Copyright (c) 2025 Michael Boakye Yiadom, Mathew Opoku Agyeman-Duah, Christina Naa Ayertso Laryea
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