Title: Determinants influencing intention to enrol on an online MBA programme

Authors: Lay Lee Lim; Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia. ' Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the key determinants that influence the students| intention to enrol on an online MBA programme and examine the moderating effect of demographic variables, namely age and gender, to the relationship model. 180 questionnaires were distributed to the adult who has obtained at least a Bachelor|s degree and the response rate of 67% was obtained. The analysis was carried out to look at which group is significantly influencing the intention via the multiple regression analysis and tests if the influence moderated by the demographic variables using the hierarchical regression analysis. The findings revealed that three key groups of determinants: individual, technology and the risks perceived, were affecting the students| intention to enrol an online MBA programme. Further analysis shows that intrinsic motivation, computer self-efficacy, acceptance technology and social risk are the four most essential individual determinants of students| intention. It was also found that the influence of perceived risks towards the intention would be stronger among the higher age group. Accordingly, the study provides the policymakers in the field of higher education insight into what is taking place in the domain of virtual campuses and means to set up a sustainable initiatives and strategies for a successful online education.

Keywords: determinants; intention to enrol; online MBA programmes; Malaysia; student intentions; student enrolement; demographic variables; age; gender; e-learning; online learning; electronic learning; intrinsic motivation; computer self-efficacy; technology acceptance; social risk.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2012.044455

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2012 Vol.9 No.1, pp.51 - 88

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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