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This article presents an investigation of the suitability of using quantitative or qualitative data for individual competencies assessment. Specifically, the primary purpose of this article is to identify if the results provided by quantitative and qualitative instruments focused on individual competencies are convergent.

In order to do the investigation proposed, a survey on individual competencies comprising a group of employees of the administrative area of a steel company was carried out. A total of 268 evaluations were collected and analyzed.

The analysis of the employee's performance appraisals provided by ratings and narrative comments indicates a low correlation between these assessments. The reasons for such low correlation include the qualitative assessments variability, the restricted list of competencies used in the quantitative assessments and the analytical format of quantitative assessments.

The study indicates that quantitative and qualitative assessments should be carried out jointly so that they can generate more comprehensive results. When the combined use is not possible, the quantitative approach is better suited for assessing performance, while the qualitative approach provides more valuable insights for boosting people development processes.

The paper aims to explore the academic performance (measured by quality points (QP)) of undergraduate business students in introductory courses of quantitative methods at a private university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also examines the impact of a number of academic and demographic factors pertinent to the performance of the business students in the courses concerned.

A random sample of 250 students drawn from the Faculty of Business Administration was chosen. Descriptive statistics were used to present the main characteristics of the participants. The study relied on one-way ANOVA, independent-samples t-test, and correlation to analyse the data collected.

The results generated revealed that the means of quality points (QP) for Business Statistics-1 (Stat. 1), Business Statistics-2 (Stat. 2) and Quantitative Methods (QM) for Business were slightly below 3. The results also showed significant correlations among quantitative courses' QP and overall grade point average (GPA). The results of one-way ANOVA and independent-samples t-test suggested that the performance of undergraduate business students in introductory quantitative methods courses differs significantly across business majors (except for QM for Business), nationality, high school major (except for QM for Business), gender and age.

There are a number of limitations associated with this study. First, the findings of the study are based on data from only one private university. Second, this study focuses on business students, and in turn it excludes students of other colleges (e.g. engineering) who also take quantitative courses and might have different experiences. On the other hand, it has a number of implications for the curriculum planners and the instructors.

The present study is the first attempt to explore the performance of undergraduate business students in introductory quantitative methods courses and to examine the impact of a number of factors on the performance in such courses in a private university setting in the UAE.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the accurate cause and effect relationships among strategic objectives and also to demonstrate how decision makers can be guided in the process of defining quantitative strategic target values in the framework of balanced scorecard (BSC) and performance measurement system.

Based on the proposed method in this research, after determining strategic objectives and developing an initial strategy map according to decision makers’ opinions, simultaneous equations system (SES) was used to determine the significance of the relationships among strategic objectives in higher perspectives of the BSC and corresponding strategic objectives in lower perspectives. Afterward, desirable values for performance measures were determined based on the equations and relationships obtained through SES and were optimized by goal programming method.

By applying the proposed method, a clearer picture of the associations among strategic objectives is obtained and the influence of strategic objectives on one another is determined. Afterward, optimal values for strategic objectives are determined to achieve the organization’s goals.

This paper proposes a framework for constructing a strategy map and setting quantitative targets in the framework of BSC. Indeed, this paper presents a case study to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. However, SES technique requires a greater amount of data to generate more accurate results. Although the advent of the Information Age has forced organizations’ decision makers to provide sufficient information and data for business analysis, the data requirements are met.

The presented quantitative approach is a supporting approach for improving decision makers’ opinions and enabling them to reach a more accurate picture of the relationships, valuing strategic objectives and achieving strategic goals. This research also presents a case study to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach. The application and implication of the proposed method in banking services show that the contributions of the paper are not only theoretical, but also practical.

The proposed method provides a novel approach for determining the most appropriate targets and applies a comprehensive and scientific model together with decision makers’ opinions and experiences and has two main contributions: first, the associations among strategic objectives are investigated and obtained in an effective way by conducting the SES for the first time in the framework of BSC. Second, quantitative targets have been determined to help in achieving the long-term goals. This task has been accomplished through a combination of SES, the three-stage least squares regression analysis and optimization by using weighted goal programming method.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a quantitative methodology for setting targets in the framework of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in order to achieve vision and goals.

Response Surface Methodology is proposed to find the significant relationships that should be included in the strategy map and the optimal values of performance measures are assessed by using the desirability function-based approach of RSM. The proposed method was created by reviewing the existing literature, modeling the problem, and applying it in an oil company. In fact, RSM is used to execute the design matrix, analyze the collected data, extract models, analyze the results, and optimize the procedures that generate multiple responses.

By applying this methodological design, a clearer picture of the relationships between strategic objectives is obtained and the influence of strategic objectives on one another is determined. Afterward, optimal values for performance measures are determined.

This paper proposes a framework for constructing a strategy map and setting quantitative targets to translate the goals and strategies into corresponding performance measures and targets. Also, this paper presents a case study to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. However, RSM-based techniques require a greater amount of data to generate more accurate results. Although the advent of the Information Age has forced organizations’ decision makers to provide sufficient information and data for business analysis, the data requirements of RSM-based techniques are met.

In practice, the process of setting targets for performance measures can be challenging in terms of reaching a consensus between managers and decision makers. The findings of this paper can offer a new approach for performance evaluation based on the BSC which allows the organization’s decision makers to reach a more accurate picture of the relationship model between organization goals and those objectives within the BSC. It also demonstrates how decision makers can be guided in the process of defining performance target values in the BSC method.

Reviewing the literature on setting quantitative targets within the framework of the BSC showed no prior study in which RSM is used. This approach has two main contributions: the associations among strategic objectives are investigated and obtained in an effective way which analytically identifies the direction and degree of the relations among the performance measures. Considering the performance evaluation structure based on the BSC, quantitative targets have been determined to help in achieving the long-term goals of the organization. The application of the proposed method in a company showed that the contributions of this research are not only theoretical, but practical as well.

The large number of stakeholders in a project is a source of complexity because their inter-relationships can lead to complex interactions, an inadequate understanding of the other stakeholders and conflicting stakeholder interests. Although several studies have investigated the role and effects of engaging stakeholders in improving project success, studies examining the relationships between stakeholder engagement (SE) and quantitative and qualitative project performance (PP) in complex projects (CPs) have been limited. This study empirically examined the relationships between SE and project performance within complex and non-CP contexts.

The study used an extensive literature review to develop the conceptual model. The study identified 22 factors of measuring SE and project performance’s association within the context of CPs. The literature review followed by a questionnaire survey to collect data from quantifying the relationships. One hundred forty-four responses were received from project managers in different locations. The response data were subjected to structural equation modelling analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to evaluate the measurements model.

The current study generated several key findings. In the context of CPs, SE was found to negatively affect quantitative PP but to positively and significantly affect qualitative PP. In non-CPs, SE also positively affects qualitative PP. Further, in the context of CPs, SE negatively affects schedule performance, whereas no significant relationship was found between the two variables in non-CPs. In terms of cost performance, no significant relationship was observed between SE and cost performance for either group.

This research provides insight into differences in the relationship(s) between SE and PP in non-complex and CPs. The research also makes recommendations for project team members.

There is growing evidence that learning is faster, measurably better and more productive in a classroom setting when a student attends classes regularly. Each student brings in his/her experience, skills, and unique learning styles to a class – thus a classroom environment can potentially create positive externalities through which a student can gain substantially from various strengths of his/her peers. However, students do remain absent from their classes for a variety of reasons. One of the measurable effects of regular non-attendance in a university class, where students from various cultures and regions interact, is the academic performance. The purpose of this paper is to determine if there is any potential causal link between absenteeism (attendance) and academic performance.

Data were culled from the records of three batches of students in a British university campus in the Middle East. Quantile regression methods were used to establish the causal relationship between absenteeism and academic performance.

A quantile regression analysis reveals that absenteeism has negative impact on academic performance. This also suggests that low performers are worse affected by absenteeism as compared to the high performers.

Inclusion of some other factors, such as study habits, additional hours spent on quantitative modules, student’s ethnicity background, particularly in the context of United Arab Emirates, could have emboldened the robustness of the study. Non-availability or paucity of this information, to some degree, has limited the conclusions of this study.

Proponents of mandatory attendance argue that there is a positive correlation between attendance and performance. But, one very important issue which gets overlooked is who actually benefits more by attending classes – are the shirkers who have a poor attendance record or the ones who are more sincere, more regular, and active participants in a class? This study uses quantile regression analysis to address this issue.

Purpose – Accounting research has long shown the effect of subjectivity in performance evaluation. This study investigates one form of subjectivity in performance evaluation: flexibility in weighting performance measures examining decisions made by supervisors about weighting. Empirical studies show that the performance-measure weights are only partially consistent with the predictions of the agency theory and they are a still outstanding issue.

Methodology/approach – We develop an experiment to analyse supervisor decision-making, manipulating two factors: internal organisational interdependence and the level of managerial performance. We derive hypotheses along with both economic and behavioural approaches. The economic approach is based on agency theory predictions and the controllability principle while the behavioural approach is drawn on the organisational justice theory. We argue that in low interdependence contexts the supervisor's decision confirms the agency theory predictions, while in high interdependence conditions weighting decisions could be driven by behavioural considerations of fairness perceptions of the evaluation process and the level of managerial performance.

Findings – We find that in low interdependence contexts the supervisor's decision confirms the agency theory predictions, while in high interdependence contexts it does not. The results indicate that the supervisor's decision stems from the integration of economic and behavioural perspectives.

Research and social implications – The theoretical framework can be useful for interpreting the supervisor decision-making and the weighting process.

Originality – The economic and behavioural approaches allow us to understand flexibility in weighting performance measures suggesting that, in addition to economic considerations, a behavioural perspective may also be relevant in explaining subjective weighting.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether performance management practices affect performance in public sector organizations.

Theoretically, the research project is based on economic as well as behavioral theories. The study distinguishes amongst quantitative performance (efficiency, quantities produced) and qualitative performance (accuracy, quality, innovation and employee morale) and uses survey data from 93 public sector organizations in the Netherlands.

The research shows that the definition of clear and measurable goals is positively associated with quantity performance as well as quality performance. In addition, the use of incentives is positively associated with quantity performance yet not related to quality performance. Finally, the effects of performance management practices in public sector organizations are affected by institutional factors. The results suggest that the behavioral effects of performance management practices are as important as the economic effects in public sector organizations.

All limitations of survey research apply. The survey is based on public sector organizations in The Netherlands; findings may not be transferable to other countries.

The joint introduction of performance management practices may provide an opportunity to increase quantity performance yet may have no impact on quality performance.

The paper responds to previous calls in the literature to use quantitative research methods to generalize findings from previous case studies. Also, the paper empirically tests the impact of performance management practices on performance, an area that has attracted scarce research attention.

This study aims to examine to what extent the relationships between hospital workers’ perceptions of lean leadership behaviour, their engagement and the hospital unit’s perceived performance are mediated by job demands.

The data (n = 1,624) come from a lean implementation study in a Dutch hospital and are analysed using structural equation modelling in Mplus (v8.4).

The results confirm that lean leadership behaviour is related to employee engagement and hospital unit performance as perceived by employees, and these relationships are partially mediated through job demands. More specifically, the authors found that the type of job demand explains the direction of mediation effects. On the one hand, so-called challenging demands positively mediate the relationships between lean leadership behaviour and its outcomes. Conversely, hindering demands negatively mediates the relationship between lean leadership behaviour and perceived unit performance.

The authors recommend hospital organisations and human resources managers start by helping hospital leaders understand the underlying mechanisms that explain the effects of leadership on employees’ perceptions and, second, support their frontline leaders by providing training, coaching and feedback on how to influence job demands in a way that creates an optimal work environment for hospital employees.

The authors contribute to the literature by building upon insights from the job demands-resources model to explain the effects of lean leadership behaviour and by investigating the relevance of lean leadership in a hospital context, given the phenomenon’s strong roots in manufacturing.

The paper seeks to show the contextualisation of call centres as a work‐specific ethnographically and culturally based community, which, in turn, influences pedagogical practices through the encoding and decoding of cultural texts in relation to two logics: cost‐efficiency and customer‐orientation.

The paper includes a qualitative, interpretive research‐based case study involving three Australian incoming customer service call centres and seven call centre managers.

The paper finds cultural texts with high management structure and control and low workplace socialisation and semiotic literacy favour constructions of meaning which prioritise qualitative (customer‐orientated logic) performance by a customer service representative (CSR) at early cultural junctures. This position subsequently transitions to favour the prioritisation of quantitative (cost‐efficient logic) performance as the CSR progresses. The shift occurs through a process of relayered knowledge constructs wherein a corresponding reduction in management control and structure of the texts is counter‐balanced by an increase in workplace socialisation and semiotic literacy.

The paper includes enriched understandings of call centre contextuality and shows that fresh perspectives on contextually influenced pedagogical practices have the potential to direct and harness more informed approaches to call centre teaching and learning, particularly in relation to the logics of cost‐efficiency and customer‐orientation.

A thought‐provoking paper for call centre managers and human resource learning and development professionals which foregrounds the concepts of work‐specific ethnographic community, cultural texts, encoding and decoding, socialisation and semiotic literacy as influential workplace teaching and learning conduits.