PHYSICAL SERVICE CONDITION AND BRAND EQUITY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

PHYSICAL SERVICE CONDITION AND BRAND EQUITY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

The aim of the study will be to empirically examine the extent to which school physical service condition relates to the brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

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CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Education is among the largest instrument for academic progress, social development, political survival, and development of any nation. It seems to be among the largest industry in Nigeria (Akpa, 2002).  Education in Nigeria has witnessed active participation by non-governmental agencies, communities, and individuals as well as government agencies. The formal education system trending today ranging from the nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary in Nigeria was made possible by the innovations provided by the Christian missionary; situations where churches sponsored the building of schools as the colonial heads were a bit reluctant in providing schools until 1882 when Christian foundations ventured into school financing among countries in the world (Archibong, 2011). Similarly, education being a key for countries’ human capacity development has attracted both private and government interventions. Over the years, the government has made efforts in establishing national movements on education such as The Jomtien Declaration on Education For All 1990, The Dakar Framework For Action, 2000; the International Consultation Forum on Education For All, etc (FRN, 2004). Also, Samuel (2015) noted several reforms made by the federal government of Nigeria which include the 1926 and 1929 reforms which led to close down of illegal schools and construction new government-owned secondary schools, 1948 education reforms which led to the creation of the first university college at Ibadan, 2003 reforms that led to the adoption of 6-3-3-4 system that is an application for universal basic education (UBE).

Further, Bisong (1999) stated that the major reason behind these reforms is to improve the quality of education in the states. Although, the educational system in Nigeria has suffered lots of setbacks ranging from planning to the implementation level (Alani, 2000). Observably, these setbacks could have been the reason for a drop in the country’s educational brand equity which implies low brand awareness, perceived quality, and disloyalty of the public. Keller (1993) defined brand equity as the outcome of the brand on the user’s or markets’ response to the marketing programs associated with a specific product or its organization. This implies that brand equity of a school determines how the school will be addressed or responded to by the customers (parents, guardians, and trainers).  Brand equity as a concept was developed to define the relationship between customers and a brand in terms of the total value of a brand as a separate asset and as a measure of the strength of consumers’ attachment to the brand (Woodm, 2000). In the same vein, the current study intends to use brand equity to measure the strength of value attached to a brand (public and private secondary schools). In addition, Aaker (1991) explains brand equity in the perspective of consumers known as consumer-base brand equity (CBBE) and development a model that identified brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association, brand loyalty, and other assets as the dimensions of brand equity.

Further, El Mahdy and Mourad (2008); and Mourad (2010) noted that there are factors that affect the evaluation and perception of schools such factors include quality of staff, size, historical backgrounds, etc. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1991) noted that the quality of a service condition can be evaluated using different elements such as tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, etc. The tangibility includes factors within physical possibilities, equipment, teachers’ characteristics, etc. Similarly, Seo, Kim, and Choi (2015) studies on “Effects of Physical Environment on Brand Loyalty and Moderated Effects of Brand Image” observed that physical environment is a critical factor which transforms the service condition, attracts consumer satisfaction and loyalty which also leads to financial results. In addition, Pijls and Groen (2012) conducted a study on “cleanliness translated into sensory clues of the service environment” with the aim of investigating how cleanliness is perceived as part of the service environment.

Moreover, government policy towards education plays a crucial role in the success or failure of schools in a state. For instance, a government policy that requires secondary schools to have 30 students in each class and a range of teachers before it will be accredited will influence the operations of the schools. Government policies may contribute to the brand equity of an organization since its policies may make or mar the functionalities of the organization.

In addition, Brunzel (2007) observed that schools are engaging in brand management activities in other to improve their brand equity and ranking in the market. These activities may also include improving the service conditions of schools via ensuring quality equipment, a better school environment, and courteous staff.

The significance of secondary schools to any nation cannot be overemphasized as it serves as part of the foundation citizens need to climb higher in their academic pursuit. Evidently, a study conducted by Ige (2013) on “Provision of secondary education in Nigeria: Challenges and way forward”, maintained that secondary education is among the most critical stage of education. The study opined that secondary education stands as a bridge between primary and tertiary education.

Obviously, most of these studies have failed to empirically examine the relationship between service condition and brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State. In addition, most of the studies like Brunzel (2007), Archibong (2011); and Agi (2013) evaluated the problems facing secondary schools in Nigeria but failed to examine the impact of government policy on both secondary schools’ services and their brand equity. Hence, the study seeks to bridge these literature gaps which also serve as a point of departure.

Statement of The Problem

Public secondary schools in Nigeria are meant to enjoy high brand equity giving that the country is rich in resources; also holding that Nigeria is among the most blessed country in terms of human and natural resources. Government-owned secondary schools are supposed to be the best in infrastructure, equipment, teachers’ quality, characteristics, and other physical educational service conditions but the reverse is the case. Observably today, there is rapid growth in the Nigerian secondary school sector but dominated by privately-owned schools as a result of quality assurance in services which have led to increased patronage and loyalty of customers.

Among the problems facing secondary schools in Rivers and Nigeria at large are quality assurance challenges, low facilities, physical environment, which have continuously lead to low patronage and perceived value or quality (Agi, 2013). Observably, the majority of parents perceive public secondary schools as the low-class educational centre which implies that these schools have low brand equity. Further, public secondary schools tend to lose their customers (students), especially as income increases due to decreased brand equity. Low brand equity is detrimental to any organization as it leads to low perceived quality, low brand awareness, and negative word of mouth hence having fair chances of survival. Similarly, Alani (2000) noted that the educational system in Nigeria is faced with lots of problems that are not far from poor planning, poor funding, poor facilities, human capacity, etc.

Does it mean that better physical equipment as a means to achieve preferred physical service condition could lead to a positive turn around? Could cleanliness of the school environment, attractive characteristics of teachers assert a positive influence on parents’ (customers’) perception? However, the current study seeks to provide probable solutions to the above problems.

Aim and Objectives of The Study

The aim of the study will be to empirically examine the extent to which school physical service condition relates to the brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State. Some basic and specific objectives are as such:

1. To determine the extent to which physical equipment significantly relates to brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State.
2. To determine the extent to which teachers’ characteristics significantly relate to the brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State.
3. To determine the extent to which cleanliness significantly relates to brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State.
4. To determine the extent to which government policies significantly moderate the relationship between physical service condition and brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State

Research Questions

To achieve the aim and objectives of the study, some research-oriented questions would include:

1. To what extent does physical equipment significantly relates to brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State?
2. To what extent do teachers’ characteristics significantly relate to the brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State?
3. To what extent does cleanliness significantly relates to the brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State?
4. To what extent do government policies significantly relate to physical service condition and brand equity of public secondary schools in Rivers State?

1.5 Study Variables and Conceptual Framework

The predictor variable for this study would be Physical Service Condition with its dimensions as physical equipment, teachers’ characteristics, and cleanliness while its criterion variable is Brand Equity with its measures as perceived quality, brand awareness. Also, Government Policies stand as the moderating variable which moderates both the predictor and criterion variables. These can be mathematically represented as thus:

BE=f (PSC)……………………..………………………………………(i)

PSC=f (PE, TC, C)….……………….…………………………………..(ii)

BE = f (PQ, PI, WOM)……………………………..…..……….……..(iii)

(PQ, BA) = f (PE, TC, C) (GP)….…..………………….…….………..(iii)

Where BE = Brand Equity

F = Function

PQ = Perceived Quality

BA = Brand Awareness

PSC = Physical Service Condition

PE = Physical Equity

TC = Teachers Characteristics

C = Cleanliness

GP= Government Policies

1.6 Research Hypotheses

Based on the research questions above, these hypothetical statements were proposed as follows:

H_o1: There is no significant relationship between physical equipment and the perceived quality of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

H_o2: There is no significant relationship between physical equipment and brand awareness of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

H_o3: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ characteristics and the perceived quality of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

H_o4: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ characteristics and brand awareness of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

H_o5: There is no significant relationship between cleanliness and the perceived quality of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

H_o6: There is no significant relationship between cleanliness and brand awareness of public secondary schools in Rivers State

H_o7: Government policies do not significantly influence physical service condition and brand equity and of public secondary schools in Rivers State.

Figure 1: Conceptual Frameworks on Service Condition and Brand Equity of Secondary Schools in Rivers State.

Source: Adapted from Mourad, M., Ennew, C., Kortam, W (2011); Buil, Martı´nez, and de Chernatony (2013); Seo, Kim, and Choi (2015); Aaker (1991); Pijls and Groen (2012)

1.7 Significance of the Study

The result of this study would be of relevance to a set of individuals or group of persons that wish to make business or related decisions.

Firstly, to marketing managers of secondary especially in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Practitioners in similar business lines within and outside the country. The findings and reviews of the study will equip them to make more informed decisions.

Secondly, the research result will benefit business-oriented students especially marketing and management students that will definitely draw inference from the reviews and the empirical evidence. The conceptual framework and findings will serve as an aid for further studies.

Lastly, to users or citizens and concerned government agencies, the study will expand their horizon on the understanding of the importance, side effects of brand equity. It will also educate them on the relevance of physical service conditions of secondary schools they patronize in making investments.

1.8   Scope of the Study

The scope of this study would be grouped into Geographical, Context/Theoretical, and Unit of analysis.

Geographical scope:

The study revolves around customer/users of public secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Copies of questionnaire are given to only customers (parents/users) of public educational services operational in Port Harcourt metropolis

Content scope:

The study would be domiciled on physical service conditions and customer-based brand equity. The researcher further reviewed both dimensions such as physical equipment, teachers’ characteristics, cleanliness, and measures such as perceived quality and brand awareness of the including theories that underpin the study.

Unit of analysis:

The study will adopt a micro-level of analysis which implies that focus was made on only customers of the sampled public secondary schools and was issued copies of the questionnaire with less regard given to their staff of the organizations.

 1.9 Limitation of the Study

These include factors that can affect the authenticity of the entire work and such are: inability to completely avoid bias, inability to study other dimensions of both variables, and adopting only macro-level of analysis indicates that consumers’ data were not used as primary data of the researcher.

Further, geographically, the study is limited to Port Harcourt as the researcher found it more difficult to study the whole state or country. Hence, these serve as a limitation.

1.10 Operational Definition of Terms

All the definitions in this section will be based on how the researcher used them in the study to aid readers and enhance a quick understanding of the basic concepts behind the study.

Physical Service Condition: Physical service condition is the physical service elements that customers get in contact with during service delivery.

Physical Equipment: Physical Equipment is the tools and amenities employed by schools in rendering educational services.

Teachers’ Characteristics: Teachers’ characteristics are the physical look of teachers or staff of the secondary school.

Cleanliness: This entails neatness of the school physical environment

Brand Equity: Brand Equity is accumulated credit a brand has which reflects on its customers’ responses towards the brand’s marketing programs or product.

Perceived Quality: Perceived quality or value is the belief that a product or company can provide more benefits equivalent to or greater than what is expected.

Brand Awareness: This is the degree at which the public or customers/ parents know about the existence of a secondary school.

Government Policy: Government policy is a plan, rule, or regulation implemented within a political boundary which affects both the economic and social activities of citizens and organizations within.

1.11 Organization of the Study

Chapter one is the introduction of the study. It contains the context of the problem, statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, research question, research hypotheses, scope, and limitation of the study, the significance of the study, and definition of terms. Chapter two is the review of related literature on the subject matter. Chapter three is the methodology; it contains the research design, sampling procedure, sample size determination and data collection method, test of reliability and validity, operational measures of the variables, and data analysis technique(s). Chapter four is based on presentation of data analyzed while chapter five contains a summary of findings, conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions for further studies