Craig Tutterow and James A. Evans
University rankings and metrics have become an increasingly prominent basis of student decisions, generalized university reputation, and the resources university’s attract. We…
Abstract
University rankings and metrics have become an increasingly prominent basis of student decisions, generalized university reputation, and the resources university’s attract. We review the history of metrics in higher education and scholarship about the influence of ranking on the position and strategic behavior of universities and students. Most quantitative analyses on this topic estimate the influence of change in university rank on performance. These studies consistently identify a small, short-lived influence of rank shift on selectivity (e.g., one rank position corresponds to ≤1% more student applicants), comparable to ranking effects documented in other domains. This understates the larger system-level impact of metrification on universities, students, and the professions that surround them. We explore one system-level transformation likely influenced by the rise of rankings. Recent years have witnessed the rise of enrollment management and independent educational consultation. We illustrate a plausible pathway from ranking to this transformation: In an effort to improve rankings, universities solicit more applications from students to reduce their acceptance rate. Lower acceptance rates lead to more uncertainty for students about acceptance, leading them to apply to more schools, which decreases the probability that accepted students will attend. This leads to greater uncertainty about enrollment for students and universities and generates demand for new services to manage it. Because these and other system-level transformations are not as cleanly measured as rank position and performance, they have not received the same treatment or modeling attention in higher education scholarship, despite their importance for understanding and influencing education policy.
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THE SPEED at which technical colleges are paying heed to the exhortations of Circular 322, issued by the Ministry of Education in April 1957, varies throughout the country…
Abstract
THE SPEED at which technical colleges are paying heed to the exhortations of Circular 322, issued by the Ministry of Education in April 1957, varies throughout the country according to local understanding of the need for college libraries. Fortunately for the future of technical education in Britain the importance of this aspect of training is at last being accepted — mainly through successful demonstration and thanks to the foresight of a few perceptive Principals and their Boards of Governors. Some discussion of the initial problems likely to revolve round such a library may be of assistance to others who have not yet entered the field.
Başak Topaler and Nur Ayvaz-Çavdaroğlu
Being a prestigious institution depends on gaining respect in the eyes of various stakeholders with diverse expectations. Existing research is silent on how university…
Abstract
Purpose
Being a prestigious institution depends on gaining respect in the eyes of various stakeholders with diverse expectations. Existing research is silent on how university characteristics affect judgments of prestige and, therefore, presents an incomplete picture of prestige dynamics in higher education. This paper aims to fill this gap in the literature by empirically examining the stakeholders’ evaluation of university characteristics in terms of prestige value.
Design/methodology/approach
The entire population of universities (public and private) in Turkish higher education constitutes the sample of the study. The analytic hierarchy process technique is applied to ascertain how stakeholders prioritize university characteristics in terms of prestige value, and regression analysis is used to determine the effects of these characteristics on university selectivity.
Findings
The findings suggest a novel conceptual model of university prestige, which establishes its multilayered and fragmented nature. Accordingly, universities may be subject to multiple prestige hierarchies based on universal or context-specific criteria, in the eyes of various stakeholders, and based on different markers of success.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical analyses are limited to the stakeholder groups that are key to university outcomes in Turkish higher education, and to selectivity in admissions as the only visible marker of success in this context.
Originality/value
The study enhances existing literature that posits that universities are subject to a single prestige hierarchy based on common metrics of performance. It illustrates the uneven landscape in which university prestige evolves by developing a wider and deeper focus on university characteristics.
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F.H. AYRES, C.F. CAYLESS and JANICE A. GERMAN
The loans control system used at AWRE is described in detail. Punched cards produced in the library are used as input to a computer to provide the necessary control tools…
Abstract
The loans control system used at AWRE is described in detail. Punched cards produced in the library are used as input to a computer to provide the necessary control tools: reminders, borrower, and date listings. Details are given of a method of using the computer to perform a sort in UDC number order. Plans to integrate and mechanize the cataloguing and ordering operations using an IBM 870 system and an IBM 360/30 computer are also described.
THE earliest libraries in any kind of community were run by interested members of the community with enthusiasm but no special training. Their communities asked them for very…
Abstract
THE earliest libraries in any kind of community were run by interested members of the community with enthusiasm but no special training. Their communities asked them for very little more than they could get or do for themselves but did not care to find the time for, and because the librarian was one of their own, but no longer functioning fully in their world, the members of the community tended to have, however loyally or gently, a lower opinion of the man and consequently hisoffice. For the failed academic or businessman this was little less than just, but it was quite unjust to the profession of librarianship.
Yulia Sidorova, Michela Arnaboldi and Jacopo Radaelli
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how social media (SM) influence performance measurement systems (PMS), examining changes in measurement methods, performance indicators and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how social media (SM) influence performance measurement systems (PMS), examining changes in measurement methods, performance indicators and their application.
Design/methodology/approach
The framework of the research was constructed to cover the technical component of PMS (measurement methods and indicators) and the use of the information obtained from SM. Empirically, the study is based on a set of case studies in eight companies.
Findings
The study findings offer a theoretical and empirical framework to evaluate PMS in the era of SM. It provides a classification of SM metrics, key performance indicators correlated to their use within different departments belonging to eight companies, highlighting the benefits and threats of SM information for PMS.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of this study is the diversity of industries included into the multiple-case study. The authors choose cases with the aim of providing a broader view on the impact of SM on PMS. However, the results show the dependency of use and type of measurement on certain industries, requiring future research focused on specific sectors or PMS aspects.
Practical implications
The paper provides a map of SM information measurement methods and use, which allows companies to position themselves and examine PMS evolution.
Originality/value
The results of the paper propose a holistic model, employing SM as a new variable in PMS.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategic maintenance performance measurement system.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategic maintenance performance measurement system.
Design/methodology/approach
In response to this purpose, a balanced scorecard framework was adopted to assess the contribution of support functions (such as maintenance) to strategic business objectives. A case study approach was used to test the suggested framework at a Swedish paper mill.
Findings
It was found that by using the suggested framework it was possible to measure and identify the cause‐and‐effect relationship of using an effective maintenance strategy, and assess its impact on the company's competitive advantages. For example, it was found that there is potential to, ideally, improve the company's return on investment (ROI) by 9 per cent. This figure represents a projected US$8.4 million in lost profits, which are caused by planned inoperative time and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) elements. At least 14 per cent of the ROI potential improvements are directly related to the maintenance function as lost profit, which is due to unplanned stoppages and bad quality caused by maintenance‐related problems.
Practical implications
Using the modified BSC provides a framework whereby the contribution of support functions (for example, maintenance) to the strategic business objectives can be assessed. The modified BSC makes it easier for the maintenance and production staff who are technically oriented to communicate with top management in terms that managers understand, i.e. in terms of money. Furthermore, this approach facilitates the making of cost‐effective decisions.
Originality/value
The present study contributes to our knowledge of this process by changing the status of the “maintenance function”. This is done by showing that maintenance is no longer a cost centre, but should be regarded as a profit generating function.
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This research aims to examine the challenges of recruiting participatory action research (PAR) in managing innovation projects. An enhanced methodology based on PAR was developed…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to examine the challenges of recruiting participatory action research (PAR) in managing innovation projects. An enhanced methodology based on PAR was developed to mitigate the challenges related to recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. The proposed methodology was evaluated by comparing it to established methodologies/frameworks such as Scrum, Design Thinking (DT) and The Lean Startup (TLS). The evaluation aimed to determine the advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology in managing innovation projects.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed enhanced methodology consists of eight steps, ranging from developing an understanding of the industry and business structure to learning and knowledge management. In addition, the enhanced methodology uses other techniques, such as Force field analysis and 12 boundary questions.
Findings
The research findings indicate that using the proposed methodology can improve the formalization of collaboration in PAR, enabling the organization to respond better to market changes. It helps define the project scope more clearly, encouraging innovation, addressing communication barriers and considering different worldviews and practical issues. Based on the findings, the proposed enhanced methodology could complement other methodologies/frameworks such as Scrum, DT and TLS.
Research limitations/implications
The current research adds to the existing literature by identifying the challenges of recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. A deductive reasoning process was utilized because there is no comprehensive research concerning the challenges of recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. On the other hand, the PAR 4-phase cycle has been reviewed and enhanced to manage innovation projects.
Practical implications
The proposed methodology was used in a new product development project. The case study was done on one of the payment service provider companies that design, develop and deploy a digital product for marketing, installation, repair and maintenance of electronic funds transfer at point of sale devices.
Originality/value
No research has yet sought to identify the challenges of using PAR in innovation project management (IPM). Identifying the challenges associated with applying PAR in the IPM and providing an enhanced methodology to mitigate the challenges could fill a gap in IPM studies.