vi. This study applies the method of quantitative research design and the data collected through a questionnaire survey. No interview session was conducted due to the time constraint in completing this study. Future research using mixed method which involves collecting data in quantitative and qualitative with multi-sources is suggested to be done (Giangreco et al.
2010; Hanaysha, 2016). vii. This study was conducted in a Muslim-majority country. Future researchers are suggested to test the model in a Western environment.viii. This study collected the data at one point of time, applying a cross-sectional design methodology.
- Thesis Statement
- Structure and Outline
- Voice and Grammar
- Conclusion
Although researchers such as Chiaburu and Lindsay (2008) indicated that this design is commonly used in training research, some view the collection of data at one point of time make it difficult to draw inferences of causality (Dysvik & Kuvass 2008) and limiting the explanatory power of the results (Gegenfurtner et al. 2009a). Therefore, undertaking a longitudinal study in this area would assist in validating the current findings. While beyond the scope of this study, a longitudinal designed study may provide more robust findings on which to base causal inferences (Chiaburu et al. 2010a).5.
6 Conclusion This study is conducted to gain the answer for research objectives which were 1) to investigate the relationship between HEI service quality and student satisfaction 2) to investigate the relationship between students’ adjustment issues and student satisfaction 3) to investigate the relationship between student satisfaction and behavior Intention 4) to assess the mediating effect of students’ satisfaction between the service quality and behavioral intention among the international postgraduate students in research universities in Malaysia 5) to assess the mediating effect of students’ satisfaction between the adjustment issues and behavioral intention among the international postgraduate students in research universities in Malaysia 6) to assess the moderating role of student demographics (gender) between the student satisfaction and behavior intentions among the international postgraduate students in research universities in Malaysia. To achieve this objective, this study has used quantitative method. The data of the study was gathered based on quantitative instruments as the questionnaire was modified from previous research and all the questions were set into the fifth-point Likert-scale format.
The questionnaire was divided into five (5) sections which are SERVQUAL, Adjustment Issues and Student Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention and this questionnaire was distributed by online to a group of 500 international postgraduates who are studying in Malaysian Research Universities (UTM, UKM, UPM and UM). This online questionnaire was published from 10 January 2017 to 30 April 2017 with total almost four (4) months to collect adequate number of respondents. In addition, stratified sampling techniques were applied from total number of 7478 international postgraduate students in four (4) research universities. For pilot test questionnaire were distributed directly to a group of 30 international postgraduates students who are studying in UTM, for which random sampling technique was applied from a total of 3491 international postgraduate students in UTM.As overall, the correlations for independent variables the service quality have significant towards the perceived students’ satisfaction. For adjustment issues, there is also significant relationship towards students’ satisfaction. However, students’ satisfaction has significance towards the perceived behavioural intention. For mediation variables, the student satisfaction is a mediator in relationship between adjustment issues, service quality and behavioural intention; meanwhile nationality and age is a moderator in relationship between student satisfaction and behavioural intention.