Driving Institutional Transformation: The Role of Integrated Marketing Communication in Burundian Higher Education: A Case of Université Sagesse d’Afrique
Nobel Estimé BASABAKWINSHI （ Université du Burundi ）
https://doi.org/10.37155/2972-4856-0402-2Abstract
Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Burundi, especially Université Sagesse d’Afrique (USA), grapple with standing out in a crowded market where smart communication strategies are key to thriving. Even though Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) has proven effective worldwide, it’s rarely used in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), leaving universities with patchy brand images and weak digital setups. This study takes a quantitative look at how three IMC elements message consistency, social media engagement, and digital tool use affect USA’s organizational performance. We used a cross-sectional survey to gather data from 350 students and lecturers at the Kinindo, Asiatique, and Kamenge campuses, applying stratified random sampling. Python (version 3.11) handled the stats, including multiple regression and diagnostic tests to ensure the model’s reliability. Overall, the full IMC framework explained 62% of the variation in organizational performance. Message consistency was the strongest predictor (β = .48, p <.001), which outranked social media engagement (β =.25) and digital tool use (β = .18). They were no notable differences by campus or respondent group (p > .05), indicating broad agreement on the University standing. These results reveal a “synergy effect”: a university’s reputation hinges on consistent messaging across all channels, not one-off marketing efforts. The study provides administrators with a hands-on framework to boost competitiveness, even with tight resources.
Keywords
Integrated Marketing Communication; Organizational Performance; Higher Education; Digital Marketing; Social MediaFull Text
PDFReferences
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[3]．Butkouskaya, V., Andreu, J. L. i, & Alarcón‐del‐Amo, M. (2020). Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), and Performance in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Gender Gap and Inter-Country Context. Sustainability, 12(17), 7159. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177159
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[6]．Desta, E., & Amantie, chalchissa. (2023). The Role of Integrated Marketing Communication in Marketing Performance: Evidence from Scientific Review of Literature. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4477398
[7]．Elrod, J. K., & Fortenberry, J. L. (2020). Integrated marketing communications: a strategic priority in health and medicine. BMC Health Services Research, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05606-7
[8]．Fomunyam, K. G. (2020). Higher Education Branding in Africa: A Social Media Perspective. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(12), 6941. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.081261
[9]．Foroudi, P., Nazarian, A., Ziyadin, S., Kitchen, P. J., Hafeez, K., Priporas, C., & Pantano, E. (2020). Co-creating brand image and reputation through stakeholder’s social network. Journal of Business Research, 114, 42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.035
[10]．Hadiyati, E., Mulyono, R. S., & Gunadi, G. (2024). Digital marketing as a determinant variable for improving the business performance. Innovative Marketing, 20(3), 28. https://doi.org/10.21511/im.20(3).2024.03
[11]．Ismail, F. (2021). The utilization of Social Media in marketing the Lebanese Higher Education institutions. SHS Web of Conferences, 111, 1004. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202111101004
[12]．Jiang, Y., Pongsakornrungsilp, S., Pongsakornrungsilp, P., & Li, L. (2024). The Impact of Interactivity on Customer Purchase Intention in Social Media Marketing: The Mediating Role of Social Presence. TEM Journal, 2133. https://doi.org/10.18421/tem133-41
[13]．Laradi, S., Berber, N., Rehman, H. M., Hossain, M. B., Hiew, L.-C., & Illés, C. B. (2023). Unlocking the power of social media marketing: Investigating the role of posting, interaction, and monitoring capabilities in building brand equity. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2273601
[14]．Marešová, P., Hruška, J., & Kuča, K. (2020). Social Media University Branding. Education Sciences, 10(3), 74. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10030074
[15]．Maring, N. C., & Gmür, M. (2024). Effects of University’s Social Media Presence on Students’ Organizational Media Use and Loyalty. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/10495142.2024.2372662
[16]．Mateus, M. A., Rincón, A. G., & Juárez, F. (2023). Relationship between perceived value, student experience, and university reputation: structural equation modeling. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02272-y
[17]．Ngan, N. T. H., & Thành, H. V. (2022). Impact of Integrated Marketing Communication on Marketing Performance: A Case Study in the Hospitality Industry. VNU JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1108/vnueab.4681
[18]．Othman, N. H., Awang, N., Salleh, M. R., Ambak, A., Alwi, A., & Ibrahim, W. N. W. (2025). Optimizing Digital Promotion Strategies in Higher Education: A Theoretical Review and Framework [Review of Optimizing Digital Promotion Strategies in Higher Education: A Theoretical Review and Framework]. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(7). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v15-i7/26111
[19]．Rabenu, E., & Shkoler, O. (2022). A systematic and theoretical approach to the marketing of higher education. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.982347
[20]．Ruangkanjanases, A., Sivarak, O., Wibowo, A., & Chen, S. (2022). Creating behavioral engagement among higher education’s prospective students through social media marketing activities: The role of brand equity as mediator. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1004573
[21]．Sharma, V., Mahajan, Y., & Kapse, M. (2024). From outreach to outcome: exploring the impact of integrated marketing communication on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2371070
[22]．Singh, D. B., Khan, A. Z., Pandey, A. R., Singh, A. M., & Siddiqui, M. R. (2024). Exploring the Impact of Integrated Marketing Communications on Branding and Advertising Effectiveness. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 5(4), 3658. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.5.0424.1019
[23]．World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. (2013). JAMA, 310(20), 2191. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053
[24]．Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper & Row. HathiTrust Digital Library. https://archive.org/details/statisticsanintr0000taro/page/926/mode/2up
[25]．Madhavaram, S., Badrinarayanan, V., & McDonald, R. E. (2005). INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION (IMC) AND BRAND IDENTITY AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF BRAND EQUITY STRATEGY: A Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions. Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2005.10639213
[26]．Diemar, J. D. (2016). Creating an in-house integrated marketing and communications strategy. Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing., 1(3), 261. https://doi.org/10.69554/tqsx3657
[27]．Wande Kasope Elugbaju, Nnenna Ijeoma Okeke, & Olufunke Anne Alabi. (2024). SaaS-Based reporting systems in higher education: A digital transition framework for operational resilience. International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences, 6(10), 2512–2532. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=74968830
[28]. Huebner, C. (2020). It Only Works if it All Works: An Analysis of Integrated Marketing Communications and its Application for Enrollment Management Marketers. Journal of Marketing Communications for Higher Education, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.6017/jmche.v1i3.12201
[29]. Mandagie, W. C., & Rana, J. A. S. (2023). Creating employee-based brand equity through integrated marketing communication and social media adoption: Indonesian private universities. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 7(2), 707. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.3.001
Copyright © 2026 Nobel Estimé BASABAKWINSHI
Publishing time:2026-04-28
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License