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1 – 10 of over 133000
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2006

Ling‐Feng Hsieh, Jiung‐Bin Chin and Mu‐Chen Wu

This article aims to construct a performance evaluation system for the e‐library in universities in Taiwan. The paper uses actual university cases as the target for analysis for…

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Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to construct a performance evaluation system for the e‐library in universities in Taiwan. The paper uses actual university cases as the target for analysis for in‐depth research so as to provide an evaluation reference.

Design/methodology/approach

This article reviewed the library performance evaluations found in the literature of the UK, Germany, USA and Taiwan and constructed primary performance evaluation indicators. The Delphi Method was then used to summarize the opinions of experts in completing the construction of a performance evaluation model for e‐library. With all the factors of e‐library, user satisfaction and input of libraries as the basis, Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to illustrate the problems and combine the two to establish the hierarchy structure for the performance evaluation of this research. The weights of all indicators within hierarchies are calculated and then the weight of the overall hierarchies are worked out.

Findings

The e‐library plays two important roles: data searching and academic study.

Originality/value

Using relevant e‐business data collected from libraries in six universities, combining indicator weight and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), this paper considers the distance of the universities from positive and negative Ideal Solutions as the evidence for ranking and demonstrate the overall performance of e‐libraries in all universities – providing future improvement directions for university libraries. The research can also provide important future decision‐making references for libraries and universities to enable better performances.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2011

Abouzar Zangoueinezhad and Asghar Moshabaki

The application of fuzzy multiple attribute decision making (FMADM) approach in evaluation of organizations has grown recently, and it is combined with knowledge‐based university

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Abstract

Purpose

The application of fuzzy multiple attribute decision making (FMADM) approach in evaluation of organizations has grown recently, and it is combined with knowledge‐based university evaluation parameters in this study. The paper seeks to propose a FMADM approach for measuring university performance on the four knowledge‐based perspectives of a balanced scorecard.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach first summarizes the evaluation indexes extracted from the university performance literature. Then, the relative weights of the chosen evaluation indexes are calculated using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). The fuzzy sets theory was adapted to university performance analysis.

Findings

The results reveal the critical aspects of the evaluation criteria as well as the gaps to improve university performance in order to achieve the aspired/desired level.

Research limitations/implications

The paper reveals the key issues in the existing performance evaluation method, especially in the university context.

Practical implications

This research analyses the performance of a university based on the knowledge‐based indexes in the four BSC perspectives, using a FME‐MADM approach. It considers specific knowledge‐based metrics for each perspective.

Originality/value

Although implementation of the performance measures in universities are now widespread, there is no considerable literature that sufficiently addresses the various issues faced by organizations during university implementation. The paper proposes application of the balanced knowledge‐based scorecard to universities aiming at evaluating performance annually.

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2022

Kate Thuy Mai and Zahirul Hoque

This paper explores why and how, and in what context, individuals' accounting of self, ethics and morality and self-knowledge of the limits of accountability can frame their…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores why and how, and in what context, individuals' accounting of self, ethics and morality and self-knowledge of the limits of accountability can frame their account giving and judging in an organisational formal performance evaluation process.

Design/methodology/approach

Building upon the Butlerian notions of accountability as advanced by Messner (2009) and Roberts (2009), the authors conducted a qualitative field study at a Vietnamese public university, involving face-to-face interviews, observation of performance evaluation meetings and examination of archival documents.

Findings

The authors found that individuals experience conflicting ethical and moral values when they rely on their self-knowledge of accountability (the ability to self-account) in their account giving and judging in the university's formal academic performance evaluation process. In addition, the authors found that when individuals want to provide the best account to the account demander, their understanding of their ability to self-account and the formal organisational accountability process influence their views on what authentic account giving means. As a result, enhanced ethics-to-others has the potential to be an ethical burden and may not lead to authentic or beyond minimum accounting of “self”. Yet, in the Vietnamese socio-cultural and political context within which the university operates, and in the situation of ethical and moral conflicts in self-accountability, the authors found evidence of individuals' self-accountability behaviours that is based on the co-existence of a sense of responsibility to others and self-knowledge of the limits of accountability.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study was limited to one Vietnamese public university, its findings enhance the knowledge about how individual ethical and moral values, self-knowledge of the limits of accountability and the formal organisational accountability process connect with each other in the socio-cultural and political context within which an organisation operates.

Practical implications

The study highlights the role of the context of local socio-cultural norms and values and of physical social interaction in developing the sense of connection to others, which influences the way individuals' ethical and moral values are mobilised to shape account-giving and judging behaviours.

Social implications

The emphasis on the role of the sense of connection to others on personal accountability and the emphasis on physical, face-to-face interaction in developing sense of connection to others leads to an interesting issue regarding the sense of connection in the virtual social interaction setting, which has become increasingly popular globally, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and its implication for the use of personal ethical and moral values in organisational accountability practices.

Originality/value

Adding to the conversation on how a formal organisational accountability process can be effective, this study identified (1) the unpredictable outcomes of using ethics as rules for accountability practices due to potentially conflicting ethical values; (2) the diverse understandings of self-accounting, leading to different ideas of authentic accounting; and (3) the possibility of moral accountability behaviours based on the co-existence of a sense of connection to others and an understanding of the limits of accountability.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 October 2015

V K J Jeevan

This paper aims to suggest performance evaluation of university libraries in India using qualitative and quantitative parameters provided by librarians to be collected, analysed…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to suggest performance evaluation of university libraries in India using qualitative and quantitative parameters provided by librarians to be collected, analysed and disseminated by a national agency apart from LibQual user surveys.

Design/methodology/approach

The status about the university libraries in India provided by the Association of Indian Universities publication Universities Handbook would help to assess the quantity and quality of collection and services offered by these libraries. The framework for performance evaluation of university libraries is presented in three heads: parameters, players and procedures. Parameters cover the various qualitative and quantitative data to be collected for the purpose of evaluation. Players include a vast network of institutions involved in this exercise. Among these, the first and foremost is the individual libraries. There should be a national agency to be identified for collecting, analysing and disseminating the consolidated evaluation reports on a national scale. There may also be international agencies or services involved to support and guide user survey such as LibQual. Procedures involve the processes, actions and activities undertaken by the various players to achieve the basic objective of performance evaluation of these university libraries.

Findings

The performance framework suggested when implemented every year by university libraries present the qualitative and quantitative outcome of their functioning and reveal their worth in the university landscape. This may also aid in planned and organised development of university libraries in the country. The results provided by this exercise should influence judicious collection development decisions and pragmatic information service planning.

Originality/value

India, perhaps, has the largest number of higher education institutions in the developing world. The national directory Universities Handbook only presents information about library of a university without any attempt to analyse the statistics collected to arrive at national trends or patterns. This may be the first attempt to provide a holistic picture to assess the performance of a varied spectrum of libraries as far as infrastructure, resources and services are concerned.

Details

New Library World, vol. 116 no. 9/10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 August 2020

Haniye Sadat Sajadi, Mohammadreza Maleki and Steve Michael

A university of medical sciences (UMS) is governed by a board that serves analogously as a board of trustees or a governing board in the western countries. In Iran, however, such…

Abstract

Purpose

A university of medical sciences (UMS) is governed by a board that serves analogously as a board of trustees or a governing board in the western countries. In Iran, however, such boards operate under the broad leadership of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) but still wield enormous power over their universities. Given the influence boards have in the affairs of an UMS, the question remains how the medical university board can be improved so as to improve the overall effectiveness of these institutions. The purpose of this article is a response to this question by focusing on criteria necessary for reviewing board performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative approach, the study solicited data from 37 key informants that were purposefully chosen from 52 medical science universities across Iran. Semi-structured face-to-face and phone interviews as well as a review of relevant document were the main means of the data gathering. We performed the framework analysis using software ATLAS-ti (version 5).

Findings

The analysis identified 32 overlapping indicators that must be considered in a board performance. These indicators were reclassified and summarized into six categories, including trustees, trustees' leadership, board structure, board process, board output (short-length results) and board outcomes (long-length results).

Originality/value

Our study findings confirmed the role of the context and its relationship with the effective board performance. Here, the governing arrangement of all institutions including UMS is shadowed by the social, economic, cultural, political and technological status of the country. So, special attention is recommended to identify what should be considered to evaluate the performance of the board given the context.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 12 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2020

Dubem Ikediashi, Godfrey Udo and Maureen Ofoegbu

This study aims to evaluate the performance of buildings in the University of Uyo using the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) technique.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the performance of buildings in the University of Uyo using the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) technique.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative questionnaire survey is adopted in which 333 copies of a validated questionnaire are administered to academic, administrative and maintenance staff and some students who occupy four buildings used for the survey. However, 124 valid responses are received giving a response rate of 37per cent. Data collected are analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools while the Kruskal Wallis chi-square (χ2) test is used to analyse hypotheses postulated for the study.

Findings

Findings reveal that the General Administration (GA) building has high ratings in five technical performance criteria of ambient level of sound in offices, the integrity of materials used for walls, and correctness of stair risers, threads in the building quality of lighting and quantity of lighting. Findings on the functional performance of GA building show that cleaning, friendliness, parking space, landscaping and indoor climate are the top five rated. Findings also reveal that lack of awareness about POE is a top-rated barrier, followed by a lack of orientation of stakeholders and a lack of adequately trained staff.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the body of knowledge on POE, particularly in universities by conducting an empirical evaluation of both technical and functional performance of the University of Uyo buildings. Besides, it establishes a set of factors that significantly hinder the implementation of POEs in universities. From a practice perspective, it provides valid feedback on which universities can build upon to improve conditions of their facilities and ultimately bolster the conducive environment for teaching and learning.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 18 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2015

Bernadette Nambi Karuhanga

The purpose of this study was to propose a tool for evaluating implementation of strategic performance management (PM) by examining the strategic PM practices in public…

1559

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to propose a tool for evaluating implementation of strategic performance management (PM) by examining the strategic PM practices in public universities in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature was reviewed and the general features of PM practices were identified. These were captured in a survey instrument which was later administered to staff in selected universities in Uganda to determine the extent of strategic PM implementation. Principal component analysis was conducted to cluster similar variables together with an aim of identifying the focal areas for determining the extent of strategic PM practices implementation in a university.

Findings

Strategic PM in public universities in Uganda exists and is aimed at achieving quality. Despite its existence, respondents generally disagreed that: an effective PM system exists in their respective universities, PM training is continuously provided to managers and staff and a formal process exists for units to provide feedback on the attainment of goals. Findings further revealed that implementation of PM practices in universities could be evaluated based on five foci, namely, alignment of organisational vision, mission, strategy and individual performance goals; staff involvement in PM implementation at unit level; existence of an improvement plan; existence of a performance evaluation plan; and staff awareness and understanding of PM.

Research limitations/implications

The study focussed on only public universities in Uganda; hence, another study could be conducted considering all universities, both private and public. The list of items from literature may not be exhaustive hence additional PM practices that were not included in this tool should be identified from literature to enrich the evaluation tool.

Practical implications

This study allowed the development of an empirical list of PM practices which could be used by universities and policy makers to evaluate implementation of strategic PM. Hence, the five foci could be adopted as an evaluation tool for universities with regard to strategic PM implementation. Using these five foci, university managers can identify the grey areas in their PM systems to which management attention could be focussed for improvement.

Originality/value

Despite the increasing desire for effective PM implementation in most organisations the world over, there exists no empirical evidence of institutional PM implementation in public universities in Uganda. Besides, to the best of my knowledge, no study has been previously conducted with the aim of developing a tool for evaluating strategic (PM implementation in universities in Uganda.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 19 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2013

Evila Piva and Cristina Rossi-Lamastra

Despite evaluating the performance of university-industry alliances being extremely important, scholars have not developed any structured and commonly accepted systems of…

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite evaluating the performance of university-industry alliances being extremely important, scholars have not developed any structured and commonly accepted systems of indicators aimed at measuring the results of these collaborations. In this article, the aim is to review the literature on the evaluation of the performance of university-industry alliances and to identify a series of issues that future studies on this topic should take into account.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opts for a literature review on university-industry collaborations. The review is based on papers in management, economics, and organization science. Systems of indicators to evaluate the performance of these collaborations are discussed. Directions for further research are proposed.

Findings

The literature review on firm-industry collaborations highlights a large number of contributions on the topic. However, it shows that there is still room for further inquiry on systems of indicators to evaluate the performance of these collaborations.

Research limitations/implications

The literature review offers a good guideline to researchers intending to study the performance of industry-university collaborations. The discussion on the system of indicators paves the way to further empirical research on the topic.

Practical implications

The authors are confident that the paper has interesting practical implications. Indeed, it is a valuable guideline for policymakers, university managers, and entrepreneurs interested in evaluating the performance of industry-university collaborations.

Social implications

Industry collaborations are the third mission of university systems. When this mission is accomplished in a proper manner, it benefits firms, universities, and society at large.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the debate on university-industry collaborations by offering literature on the topic with a particular emphasis on an under-researched theme: systems of indicators to evaluate the performance of these collaborations.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 December 2023

Chao Ren, Hui Situ and Gillian Maree Vesty

This paper examines the ways in which Chinese university middle managers evaluate subordinate performance in response to the Chinese Double First-Class University Plan, a national…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the ways in which Chinese university middle managers evaluate subordinate performance in response to the Chinese Double First-Class University Plan, a national project that ranks the performance of universities. In exploring compromise arrangements, the hybridised valuing activity of middle managers is found to be shaped by emergent and extant macro-foundations.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative data from 49 semi-structured interviews at five Chinese public universities were conducted. Drawing on macro-foundational studies and the sociology of worth (SW) theory, the analysis helps to identify socially shared patterns of actions and outcomes.

Findings

The findings elucidate the interplay between diverse economic, social, political and institutional values and the compromise-making by middle managers. The authors find that contextual factors restrict Chinese academic middle managers' autonomy, preventing workable compromise. Through the selective adoption of international and local management practices, compromise has evolved into a private differential treaty at the operational level.

Originality/value

A nuanced explanation reveals how the macro-foundations of Chinese society influence middle managers who engage with accounting when facilitating compromise. This study helps outsiders better understand the complex convergence and divergence of performance evaluative practices in Chinese universities against the backdrop of global market-based forces and the moral dimensions of organisational life. The findings have wider implications for the Chinese government in navigating institutional steps and developing supportive policies to enable middle managers to advance productive but also sustainable compromise.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

W.F. Szeto and P.C. Wright

Performance evaluation is one of the most crucial, yet least understood functions of organisational life. In higher education for example, this issue arouses the emotions and…

Abstract

Performance evaluation is one of the most crucial, yet least understood functions of organisational life. In higher education for example, this issue arouses the emotions and consumes the time and the energy of both faculty and administrators as few others do.

Details

Equal Opportunities International, vol. 22 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0261-0159

Keywords

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