The impact of blue ocean strategy’s ERRC grid on community engagement in higher education at Puntland state university in Somalia

Abstract

The study assesses the extent to which Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create (ERRC) dimensions in the blue ocean framework associate with community engagement at Puntland State University (PSU) in Somalia. Specifically, it evaluates the effectiveness of the ERRC grid in strengthening university community relationships. An explanatory, cross-sectional research design was used, and the study targeted 102 individuals from the administrative, academic, and faculty staff members of the university. A response rate of 90% was achieved for the survey. A structured questionnaire with five points, known as the Likert scale, was created to gather data from respondents. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data through Smart PLS and STATA. The study findings show that ERRC dimensions collectively explain community engagement (R² = 0.605), which shows that the degree of explanatory power is substantial. The Create dimension (β = 0.449, p = 0.000, CI excludes zero) and the Raise dimension (β = 0.323, p = 0.010, CI excludes zero) have a significant positive impact on community engagement. However, Eliminate and Reduce dimensions have small and marginal effects (f2 = 0.034 and f2 = 0.032) and are statistically nonsignificant. Puntland State University should prioritize investments in innovative programs and services that meet community needs, according to the study’s findings.