Mixed-Methods Scale Development : Students’ Intention to Choose University Under the Lens of Institutional Social Media Engagement

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2026/v56/i6/176019

Keywords:

students’ intention to choose university, institutional social media engagement, social media responsiveness, institutional social media popularity, strategic media information, and Generation Z.
Publication Chronology: Paper Submission Date: October 15, 2025 ; Paper sent back for Revision : April 5, 2026 ; Paper Acceptance Date : April 25, 2026 ; Paper Published Online : June 15, 2026

Abstract

Purpose : Given the strong dependence of Generation Z (Gen Z) on social media, this research was designed to develop objective criteria and a measurement scale to assess the students’ intention to choose a university, giving particular attention to institutions’ social media engagement.

Methodology : The present study utilized a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Students’ Intention to Choose University Scale (SICUS). Semi-structured interviews with first-year undergraduate and postgraduate students from 10 universities in Northern India were conducted to elicit qualitative insights into university selection using social media platforms. The qualitative data informed the creation of an item pool for the scale, which was evaluated for face and content validity, followed by exploratory factor analysis (120 respondents), confirmatory factor analysis (120 respondents), and assessments of construct reliability and validity.

Findings : The findings resulted in a valid and reliable scale (SICUS) with three dimensions: social media responsiveness, institutional social media popularity, and strategic media information, which effectively measured the intention to choose a university among Gen Z, with satisfactory validity and reliability indices.

Practical Implications : SICUS is a valuable tool for researchers and higher education institutions to measure students’ intention to choose a university based on institutional social media engagement (ISME) and to inform the development of their social media strategies.

Originality : A scale was developed to measure students’ intention to choose a university, taking into account institutions’ SME. It also provides a step-by-step guide to developing a scale using an exploratory mixed-methods research approach.

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Published

2026-06-15

How to Cite

Chahal, L., Ahuja, S., Mittu, H., & Kumar, P. (2026). Mixed-Methods Scale Development : Students’ Intention to Choose University Under the Lens of Institutional Social Media Engagement. Indian Journal of Marketing, 56(6), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2026/v56/i6/176019

Issue

Volume 56, Issue 6, June 2026

Section

Articles
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