Predicting 4-H Program Loyalty Among Alumni
Keywords:
Alumni, Extension Education, Program Loyalty, Program Satisfaction, 4-H Youth DevelopmentAbstract
Providing positive experiences for consumers is a key concern for retail-based businesses, as it enables them to build loyalty within their customer base. While determinants of loyalty have been researched extensively within business contexts, little research exists examining the determinants of program loyalty within extension services more generally, nor the 4-H youth development program more specifically. The purpose of the study was to examine whether program satisfaction, number of activities, and years of program involvement influenced levels of 4-H program loyalty amongst program alumni. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to address the study objectives. Statistically significant correlations were observed between all variables of interest. Regression analysis indicated program satisfaction and total number of activities were statistically significant, positive predictors of 4-H program loyalty and accounted for 32.1% of observed variance. These findings indicate it may be appropriate for extension programming in 4-H to ensure participants are satisfied with their experience and to offer a variety of programs with varying levels of expected involvement to accommodate more potential participants.
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