BUILDING A STRONG BRAND IDENTITY FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF UNIVERSITY COMPETITIVE FACTORS AND COMPETITIVENESS

Abstract

The competitive dynamics in higher education, globally, is transforming competitiveness in the sector such that it is no longer solely based on academic excellence but also has a touch of strategic branding that include brand identity and definition. The study forms part of a broader doctoral research that examine the competitiveness of Nigerian universities. Using a quantitative design, the current study investigates how university competitive factors influence university competitiveness through brand identity and definition. The data used in the study were extracted from the initial research. The dataset comprised of 565 observations, out of which, 207 were respondents from Nigeria’s federal universities and represents the sample size for the current study. The data was analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Although a few of the results yielded unexpected outcomes, the findings underscore the significance of these factors in brand building; demonstrating how institutional competencies can be transformed into symbolic and distinctive brand identity for competitiveness in the higher education market