The influence of communication, brand trust, and commitment on the brand loyalty towards international schools in China from the perspective of parent perception

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of international schools in China, driven by globalization and socio-economic development, engendered significant challenges in brand management and customer loyalty. This study investigated the intricate relationships among communication, brand trust, brand commitment, and brand loyalty in international schools in China from the perspective of parent perception. Employing a quantitative research design, this study utilized stratified, purposive, quota, and convenience sampling techniques to survey 827 parents of students enrolled in 134 Chinese international schools across four regions: Central China, North China, South China, and East China. The research instrument comprised a self-administered questionnaire designed to capture parents' perceptions of communication strategies, brand trust, emotional and continuous commitment, and brand loyalty. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse the data and elucidate the causal relationships among the variables. The findings revealed that both controllable and uncontrollable communication strategies significantly influenced brand trust. Only uncontrollable communication exhibited a significant effect on emotional and continuous commitment. Brand trust emerged as a crucial mediator, significantly affecting both forms of commitment and brand loyalty. The emotional and continuous commitments positively influenced brand loyalty, underlining the importance of fostering strong customer relationships. This research made several significant contributions to the field of brand management in international education. Firstly, it developed and validated a comprehensive model illustrating the complex interplay between communication strategies, brand trust, customer commitment, and brand loyalty in the context of international schools in China. Secondly, it highlighted the differential impacts of controllable and uncontrollable communication on various aspects of brand relationships, providing valuable insights for strategic communication management. Lastly, the study emphasized the critical role of brand trust as a mediator in the brand loyalty formation process, offering a nuanced understanding of how communication strategies translate into customer loyalty in the international education sector. These findings provide both theoretical advancements and practical implications for researchers and practitioners in the field of international education branding and marketing, particularly within the rapidly evolving Chinese market.