Marketing Efforts on Satisfaction, Performance, and Retention among Employees in Higher Education Sector: A Case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines the impact of internal marketing efforts on employee satisfaction, performance, and retention in the higher education sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Grounded in the notion that employees are internal customers, the study explores how marketing-oriented human resource practices influence key employee outcomes in academic institutions. The population consists of employees from three public sector women universities Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar, Women University Mardan, and Women University Swabi comprising a total of 671 staff members across teaching, supporting, clerical, and non-clerical categories. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select institutions with relatively developed HRM systems and internal marketing practices, followed by proportionate sampling to ensure representation. A total of 245 questionnaires were distributed, and the valid responses were used for empirical analysis. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from established scales in prior studies and measured using a five-point Likert scale. The findings indicate that internal marketing efforts have a significant positive effect on employee satisfaction, performance, and retention. Furthermore, employee satisfaction is found to be strongly associated with both performance and retention, suggesting its critical role in enhancing employee-related outcomes within academic institutions. The study contributes to the internal marketing and higher education literature by providing empirical evidence from a developing economy context. The findings offer practical insights for university administrators, emphasizing that investment in employee-focused practices can lead to improved institutional performance and long-term sustainability.
Authors: Saima Rahman, Ghazala Yasmeen
Institutions: University of Peshawar, Women University Swabi
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7203828084