Repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training in National Education Hierarchies: A Marketing Management Analysis of Reputational Equity in The Gambia
Ozioma Ikonne
Dr. Ozioma Ikonne, Department of Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Gambia University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology, Kanifing Estates, Serrekunda (Kanifing Municipal Council), Gambia.
Manuscript received on 02 April 2026 | Revised Manuscript received on 09 April 2026 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 April 2026 | Manuscript published on 30 April 2026 | PP: 22-32 | Volume-12 Issue-8, April 2026 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijmh.I187312090526 | DOI: 10.35940/ijmh.I1873.12080426
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This study examines the formation and constraints of reputational equity within the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector in The Gambia, extending marketing theory by conceptualising TVET as a sector-level (macro-brand) system rather than a collection of individual institutions. A convergent mixed methods design was employed, combining large-scale survey data with in-depth stakeholder interviews across multiple regions. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed concurrently and integrated to examine how institutional signalling, stakeholder perceptions, and symbolic legitimacy interact to shape reputational outcomes. The findings reveal a functional-symbolic reputational paradox, in which Technical and Vocational Education and Training is widely perceived as economically valuable for employability and entrepreneurship, yet remains constrained by low prestige and identity-based hesitation. While signalling infrastructure positively influences stakeholder perceptions, its impact is moderated by symbolic legitimacy structures that filter how value is interpreted. Reputational equity is shown to enhance trust and advocacy, but its conversion into enrolment preference remains conditional on overcoming stigma and status-based hierarchies. The study advances marketing management scholarship by (i) extending reputational equity to a sector-level market system, (ii) introducing the functional–symbolic paradox as a boundary condition in value–choice relationships, and (iii) developing a signal-dependent, multi-stakeholder model of reputational formation in education markets. The findings provide a transferable framework for analysing reputational dynamics in Technical and Vocational Education and Training and other public service sectors, particularly in emerging economies.
Keywords: TVET; Reputational Equity; Brand Equity; Corporate Reputation; Signaling; Vocational Stigma; The Gambia
Scope of the Article: Resource Management