Abstract

The purpose is to explain to university management in Ghana how to use strategic relationship marketing stratagems (SRMS) to attain sustainable retention which is viewed from a sustained competitive arena.  A hypothetical model (“Susten Model”) is provided to serve as a guide (which is yet to be subjected to intellectual scrutiny).  A cross-sectional survey was used with the help of a structured questionnaire. Data was collected from 500 respondents (senior members- both staff and non-teaching staff) and were examined through SmartPLS 3 and SPSS. The former was used to analyse the structural relationship of the variables while the latter was equally used for the descriptive analysis. The finding publicized that within the context of Ghana, universities can attain sustainable retention through the use of strategic relationship marketing stratagems if these stratagems are treasured as a strategic marketing resource. The phenomenon deserves further research because data were collected from some selected universities in these cities (Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast) in Ghana. Future research can expand on the database for empirical legitimacy. For retention sustainability, the SRMS advocates that management should have a conflict resolution chamber to resolve students’ protests promptly, deliver first-class educational services and institute an effective and efficient educational communication system. These stratagems are competitively enhanced when management is well trusted, accessible, students are made to feel part of university management and finally, the conflict resolution mechanism is made to be swift. It underpins and advances the frame of information concerning relationship marketing by introducing this new concept “strategic relationship marketing.”

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