Understanding the Dimensions of Relationship in the Context of Brazilian Higher Education: A Study from a Model and Measurement of Westbrook Dholakia

Abstract

The customer and service provider relationship is a recurrent topic in the marketing field. Nonetheless, researchers point out the need for a better understanding of factors that form perceptions of services in higher education and that reflect the way such perceptions affect students´ experiences. Aiming to help form a better comprehension of the topic, in this work, we assess a measurement model for the relationship of graduate students with the education institution, which was proposed in a study of Westbrook and Dholakia conducted in the United States. That original study was never concluded or submitted for publication. With authorization from the authors, we present their findings; propose a simplification of the model, aiming to make it more parsimonious leaving its content validity unharmed; and test the new version of the model, using scales adapted to be applied in Brazil, with a sample of  276 respondents. The more parsimonious version provides better internal consistency and validity results as compared to findings of Wesbrook and Dholakia. Thus, this paper has two main contributions: (1) we showcase results of an unpublished study by two celebrated researchers of the field of marketing; and (2) we present a new assessment of their model as adapted for a new context. Hence, the present work is collaborative and provides a better understanding of relationship variables in the education service context and for the reinforcement of the scientific status of marketing as well, as we reassess and compare findings with a previous scientific study of the same model.