FACTORS INFLUENCING PARENTS' SELECTION OF MUSIC SCHOOLS IN BANGKOK AND THE METROPOLITAN AREA

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Parents play a pivotal role in sustaining and ensuring the success of their children’s music learning through school selection, financial support, time management, motivation, and progress monitoring. In Bangkok and its metropolitan area, where a large number of private music schools operate under intense market competition, parents face diverse choices and hold high expectations regarding instructional quality. Understanding the factors that influence their school selection decisions is therefore crucial. This study aims to (1) analyze the factor structure underlying the variables affecting parents’ selection of private music schools and (2) examine parents’ perceptions of the importance of these factors, in order to reflect current trends in urban parents’ decision-making toward music education.

Methods: This study employed a quantitative research design using a 38-item, five-point Likert scale questionnaire developed from the Marketing Mix 7Ps framework, comprising Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence. The questionnaire was validated for content accuracy (IOC = 0.96) and tested for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.83). The sample consisted of 530 parents whose children were enrolled in private music schools registered with the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC) in Bangkok and its metropolitan area. Data were collected through an online survey conducted between April and May 2025. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were employed for data analysis, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation.

Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.865, and Bartlett’s Test was significant (p < .001), confirming data suitability for EFA. Nine factors were extracted, accounting for 64.15% of the total variance: (1) Convenience and effective management, (2) Academic goals and achievement, (3) School culture and atmosphere, (4) Administrator credibility and school reputation, (5) Attitudes emphasizing learning enjoyment, (6) Variety of activities and courses, (7) Location and facilities, (8) Price-consciousness and value for money, and (9) Price-quality attitude. Perception ratings revealed that “School culture and atmosphere” ( = 4.75, SD = 0.39) and “Attitudes emphasizing learning enjoyment” ( = 4.63, SD = 0.52) received the highest mean scores, followed by “Convenience and effective management” ( = 4.36, SD = 0.57), “Price-quality attitude” ( = 4.34, SD = 0.67) and “Administrator credibility and school reputation” ( = 4.34, SD = 0.65). The next factors were “Academic Goals and Achievement” ( = 4.22, SD = 0.72), “Location and Facilities” ( = 4.05, SD = 0.86), and “Variety of Activities and Courses” ( = 4.04, SD = 0.81). Meanwhile, “Price Consciousness and Value for Money” received the lowest mean score among the factors ( = 3.74, SD = 0.84). These findings suggest that urban parents prioritize emotional and social quality dimensions over price-related considerations.

Conclusions: The findings reveal that urban parents place the highest importance on emotional and social quality factors, particularly the learning atmosphere, students’ happiness, and positive teacher-student relationships, rather than price competition. Next in importance include convenience and effective management, which align with the demands of fast-paced urban lifestyles. School reputation, credibility, and Price-Quality Attitude further reflect parents’ confidence and willingness to invest in higher-quality education. While academic goals and supplementary activities remain relevant, they are not decisive in school selection. Moreover, this study extends the applicability of the Marketing Mix 7Ps framework to the context of private music schools, indicating that the most influential components are associated with Product, People, and Physical Evidence—namely, teachers, curricula, instruction, and positive learning environments—which parents perceive as more valuable than price considerations alone.