Enhancing University Brand Image and Reputation through Customer Value Co-Creation Behaviour

This study examines the causality between university website, customer value co-creation

behaviour, university brand image and reputation. Drawing upon a sample of 285 students

from a London-based university and using partial least squares structural equation modelling,

the findings argue that a university website is critical to generate students’ co-creation

behaviour. The research findings confirm the positive impact from website features on

customer participation behaviour and customer citizenship behaviour; however, website

applications and features have different impacts on the dimensions of customer value cocreation

behaviour, i.e. customer participation and citizenship behaviour. This study asserts

the pivotal role of students’ value co-creation behaviour in creating and sustaining university

brand image and reputation. This research is particularly useful for higher education (HE)

institutions, by investigating and investing in their website design they can enhance students’

co-creation behaviour in the context of the increasingly competitive UK HE market. Based

upon the findings, this paper offers managerial implementations for decision-makers, brand

managers, graphic and web designers who wish to understand the relationship between a

website and its outcomes, especially relating to corporate image and reputation.