Decision-making Process of International Exchange Students: The most influential factors
Harju, Petra (2020)
Harju, Petra
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020053015473
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020053015473
Tiivistelmä
The thesis aimed to increase our understanding about the decision-making process of international exchange students and identify the main factors influencing to this process when applying for short-term student exchange abroad. The goal was to provide this information to Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Savonia UAS) with potential suggestions on how the university could support the incoming exchange students’ in their decision-making. Building on existing work on literature, the study asked: What are the factors that influence exchange students’ decision-making and consideration when choosing destination and host university and which factors have the most impact in this process. In this context, the literature placed student-as-customer perspective as a central focus point when creating the base for the research.
The survey applied to this work was quantitative research, meaning that the results received were based on numerical data. The survey created online questionnaire that was based on literature about decision-making process and factors influencing consumer behavior. These areas were combined and reflected from the student-as-customer perspective and the sample group that responded to the survey were the international exchange students studying in Savonia UAS. In this regard, data received from the survey was analyzed using percentages and averages where the main results were characterized using figures and charts. Finally, the summary table was created to confirm the existing literature and the results received from the survey.
Results from the survey revealed that the decision-making of exchange students’ is heavily based on professional growth and future career aspects. The data proved that course selection and quality of teaching were on top priorities when choosing the host university whereas aspects of climate and nature appeared to contribute the most when choosing the destination country. Moreover, support received from family and use of money played integral part in the evaluation process as these factors also raised concerns among respondents. Based on the overall results, potential recommendations for Savonia UAS could be to re-evaluate the course content and quality of teaching targeted for exchange students and make potential reformations regarding these areas if found necessary. Based to the feedback received from open questions of the questionnaire, the university could offer more comprehensive information guides about the cost of living and practical things in host country. Discussion and limitations of this work are analyzed more precisely in the end of the paper. In this regard, work presented in this thesis could work as a base for a further research to test if the results received hold true
The survey applied to this work was quantitative research, meaning that the results received were based on numerical data. The survey created online questionnaire that was based on literature about decision-making process and factors influencing consumer behavior. These areas were combined and reflected from the student-as-customer perspective and the sample group that responded to the survey were the international exchange students studying in Savonia UAS. In this regard, data received from the survey was analyzed using percentages and averages where the main results were characterized using figures and charts. Finally, the summary table was created to confirm the existing literature and the results received from the survey.
Results from the survey revealed that the decision-making of exchange students’ is heavily based on professional growth and future career aspects. The data proved that course selection and quality of teaching were on top priorities when choosing the host university whereas aspects of climate and nature appeared to contribute the most when choosing the destination country. Moreover, support received from family and use of money played integral part in the evaluation process as these factors also raised concerns among respondents. Based on the overall results, potential recommendations for Savonia UAS could be to re-evaluate the course content and quality of teaching targeted for exchange students and make potential reformations regarding these areas if found necessary. Based to the feedback received from open questions of the questionnaire, the university could offer more comprehensive information guides about the cost of living and practical things in host country. Discussion and limitations of this work are analyzed more precisely in the end of the paper. In this regard, work presented in this thesis could work as a base for a further research to test if the results received hold true