Online Marketing Tools and Students’ Career Decision Processes: Managerial Insights from Iraqi Higher Education

Karakus, Mehmet, Leyva-Hernández, Sandra Nelly, Muhyaddin, Sanar, Tetik, Selman, Keles, Ibrahim and Can, Nurettin (2026) Online Marketing Tools and Students’ Career Decision Processes: Managerial Insights from Iraqi Higher Education. Administrative Sciences. ISSN 2076-3387

Text WURO_admsci-16-00025.pdf Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (701kB)

Abstract

This study explores how digital and traditional marketing tools influence higher education students’ career decision-making, satisfaction, and career commitment during students’ educational trajectories in Iraq’s rapidly expanding university sector. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a survey of 622 students was analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), followed by 24 semi-structured interviews with marketing and recruitment professionals. The quantitative findings show that students’ first-choice preferences, demographic factors, and engagement with LinkedIn, WeChat, blogs, and university webpages significantly shaped their career choices and satisfaction levels. Qualitative insights reveal that authenticity, transparent communication, and alignment between institutional messaging and lived experiences were key to sustaining trust. Traditional channels such as brochures and fairs remained important for credibility, supporting a hybrid marketing approach. The study contributes to management theory and practice in universities by linking digital communication strategies to student engagement and institutional performance. It also highlights the need for inclusive, transparent, and culturally adaptive marketing that reflects local and global contexts. These findings provide actionable guidance for higher education administrators seeking to build sustainable student trust, enhance recruitment effectiveness, and strengthen institutional reputation in competitive and resource-constrained systems.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	online marketing tools, higher education management, digital marketing strategy, online engagement, career decision-making, career choice satisfaction, career commitment, hybrid communication tools, institutional trust and reputation
Divisions:	Applied Science, Computing and Engineering
Depositing User:	Hayley Dennis
Date Deposited:	21 May 2026 11:01
Last Modified:	21 May 2026 11:01
URI:	https://wrexham.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18447

Actions (login required)

Edit Item