Revista Internacional de Economia e Ciências de Gestão

Is Students’ Religiosity Moderating Word of Mouth in Islamic Private Higher Education?

Abstract

Eko Handayanto, Tulus Haryono and Hunik Sri Runing Sawitri

Marketing communications by Word of Mouth or WOM universally important role in business success and is one of the marketing communication strategy, a strong impact on the performance of marketing, as well as playing an important role in influencing the purchasing decision back. WOM can be an alternative marketing communications for a private university based Islamic religion that have had difficulty in promoting the institution. The research aims to analyze the influence of service quality on WOM marketing communications. Another research aim is to analyze the role of satisfaction as a mediator, and the role of religiosity as moderator effect of service quality on WOM marketing communications. Respondents are students of University of Muhammadiyah Malang and University of Islam Malang who had conducted WOM. Data collected by questionnaire and analyzed using SEM PLS. The analysis showed that the service quality has no direct effect on WOM marketing communications. Service quality has direct effect on satisfaction, and satisfaction has direct effect on WOM. Another result is religiosity did not moderate the influence of satisfaction on WOM.