Chinese students' decision-making process: a case of a Business School in the UK

Recruitment of international students is becoming increasingly important across the globe. This area is under researched and requires more theoretical underpinning to support the consumer decision-making strategies of UK Higher Education institutions. Chinese students are the largest group of international students in the UK. This paper explores the influences that have an effect on Chinese students' decision making. This study is an exploratory research consisting of 51 interviews with Chinese students enrolled on the course at a Business School. An integrated model reflecting influences on decision making was developed from the analysed data that are contextualised for this particular market segment. The data suggest that Chinese students are influenced by the UK's academic reputation, the desire to experience Western culture, the facilities at the institution, the image and reputation of the school, and external factors related to the destination city. This paper contributes to the development of literature in global decision-making process within higher education.