Making sense of service recovery in higher education institutions: Exploring the relationship between perceived justice and recovery satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the relationship between perceived justice and recovery satisfaction in higher education institutions. Design/Methodology/Approach: Responses were collected from a purposive sample of 430 full-time students across three public higher education institutions in South Africa using a self-administered questionnaire. Findings: Based on the data collected, perceived justice viz. interactional and distributive justice is found to have a significant and positive correlation with recovery satisfaction whereas procedural justice has an insignificant and positive correlation with recovery satisfaction. Practical Implications: The results of this study could prove useful to higher education institutions to ensure that fairness is provided to students during the service recovery process. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity for higher education institutional management to review policies and procedures so that they are responsive to the various needs of students. Originality/Value: This study makes the first attempt to model perceived justice and recovery satisfaction in the South African higher education sector.