Internal marketing strategies in United Arab Emirates higher education

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze the impact of internal marketing orientations (IMOs) on the competitiveness of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A stratified random sampling was employed to collect data from a pool of 5,968 faculty members in 102 HIEs in the UAE. An online survey questionnaire was placed on Qualtrics online data collection platform and sent to selected participants. Out of a total of 638 surveys send through email, 349 surveys were returned, duly filled. The model was tested using SmartPLS structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). IMO dimensions of information generation (IG), information dissemination (ID) and information responsiveness (IR) are inexplicably linked to HEI's competitiveness and faculty performance. IR proved to be a more significant predictor of HEI's competitiveness compared to IG and ID. The study proposes that HEI policymakers encourage the exchange of value among the internal stakeholders and formulate employee-focused policies as part of their corporate objectives. The findings also advocate in improving working conditions and enhancing work–life balance to strengthen the institutions' competitive position within the industry. This study is the first to explore the interrelationship among the IMO dimensions of IG, ID and IR and their impact on HEI competitiveness, particularly in the UAE.

Keywords: Faculty commitment, Higher educational institutions, Institutional competitiveness, Internal market orientation