CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
1.0
CHAPTER DESCRIPTION
This
first chapter consists of an introduction and background to the study towards
the factors that influenced student’s satisfaction. This chapter also includes the problem
statement, objectives of the study.
Besides that, it also briefly discusses the significance of the study
and limitations during the process in completing this study.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Higher
education has become a vibrant business in Malaysia and it is importance to
cultivate the creative and innovative intellectual human capitals that are
needed for the future growth of the economy. Today, higher education is no
longer the privilege of the wealthy few, but providing opportunities to all
qualified students, both locally and internationally. The demand for education
will rise as people or parents have higher aspirations for their children’s
future.
This
study aims to uncover the factors that affect student’s satisfaction in UiTM
Shah Alam. Therefore, students from higher education institutions are
considered as the main customers to be satisfied and need of valuable
educational experiences and marketability. In the other words, the students
have the right as a client to receive the service quality provided relying on
the fact they are paying for it.
1.2 INTRODUCTION
Students’
satisfaction surveys are important in ascertaining whether colleges and
universities are fulfilling their mission. It is well known that the most
important product of educational institutions is qualified graduates. In order
to best prepare students so that they are sought after by employers upon
graduation, an effective curriculum is needed. Students must understand the
value of their education and be satisfied with their overall experience in
order to promote and support their higher educational institution as a student
and as an alumnus.
According
to Kotler (2012), Customers usually face a broad array of products and services
that might satisfy a given need. In choosing these markets offering, customers
form expectation about the value and satisfaction that the offering will give.
Satisfied customers will raise the possibility to buy or to tell others about
their experiences. Dissatisfied customers often switch to competitors and
disparage the product to others.
According
to Mei and Teong (2003), customer satisfaction can be measured by after the
service had been provided or during on-going after sales activities. In the
case of higher education, Mei and Teong stated that students shall be given a
set of survey before and after the course sessions of the semester.
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
A
few studies had been done focusing on the how student satisfaction factors
affect perceived learning in higher education institution. However, there is
still a need for a study that focuses on the factors affecting student’s
satisfaction among this type of institution. This is due to the fact that the
globalization has taken place in the atmosphere of higher education in
Malaysia. The emergence of national and international private universities and
colleges has increase the scope of selection made by the students. This is based
on the belief of they are paying for the certificate that they will be
receiving. In this scenario, the academic staffs are the one to be put under
pressure as they are bound to customer-company relationship motto which is
“customers always right”. Therefore, institution would face the tendency of
higher rate of turn over. This will
eventually affect the performance of the institution.
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The
purpose for this study is to identify the level of satisfaction among
undergraduate students in UITM Shah Alam. The specific objective of the study
is to investigate the most factors that affect student’s satisfaction among
undergraduate students in UITM Shah Alam.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
Research
questions are a statement of the purpose of a study. Research questions is about what the
researcher want to investigate and study besides the questions become a
beginning in doing the research and have to be answer in the end of the study.
This paper has a several questions that researcher want to find out the answer.
The questions include:
i. What is the level of satisfaction
among undergraduate student in UITM, Shah Alam?
ii. What
are the most factors that affect student’s satisfaction among undergraduate
students in UITM Shah Alam?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
In
the context of public higher education, the students are considered as the main
customers to be satisfied. In other words, students’ need of valuable
educational experiences and marketability have to be fulfilled. The measurement
of student satisfaction can be useful to post-secondary institutions, to help
them to pinpoint their strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Satisfaction ratings go beyond teaching assessments, which have a narrow focus,
to include broader aspects of the student learning experience. To grasp the
complexity of that learning experience, it is not enough to know the degree to
which students are satisfied, it is important to understand the factors that
contribute to student satisfaction.
1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY
The
limitation of this study is small population of samples which are 98 undergraduate
students from Faculty of Business Management, UITM, Shah Alam. UITM is a public
higher education institution in Malaysia. So the perceptions received are very
limited just only among the undergraduate students in that university. Research
will be expected to involve a larger sample so that the data obtained can
reflect the situation of the most close to the real situation. If time allow
good also if researchers involves the entire population. Because the
information obtained through the questionnaire is limited, interviews and
observation methods should also be used to the purpose of obtaining more
detailed data.
1.8 CONCLUSION
In
conclusion, every higher education institution must know the factors that can
affect student’s satisfaction in learning process.
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