(a) The senior management of Universal University (UU) intend to develop both quantitative and qualitative
measures of performance in relation to lecturing staff.
As part of UU’s mission to provide ‘quality education’ to its students, lecturers are encouraged to apply their skill and judgement in the creation, delivery and assessment aspects of the learning process.
Academic staff are organised on a departmental basis. Each department is expected to achieve and improve on targets in the achievement of its role. As part of their development both personally and as departmental members, staff are encouraged to participate fully in research publication, new course design and innovation in teaching and learning methods.
Academic staff have differing views on whether action on their part in pursuing aspects of such goals is
compatible with their personal goals.
Required:
Using the above scenario, discuss in relation to the lecturing staff within (UU) each of the following:
(i) The application of Agency Theory to staff, in their role as agents and provide examples of the
observability of their role in relation to outcomes and effort;
(ii) The application of Expectancy Theory with specific reference to the relationship between:
– strength of motivation to do (X);
– strength of preference for outcome (Y);
– expectation that doing (X) will result in (Y). (12 marks)
(b) ‘Hard Accountability’ is deemed to apply to lecturing staff in each of three specific areas as follows:
(i) accounting for the numbers;
(ii) ensuring the numbers are accounted for;
(iii) being held accountable for events and circumstances leading to the numbers.
Required:
Describe how each of the areas (b)(i) to (iii) may be applied at UU and critically evaluate this approach to
performance measurement in the context of the scenario described above. (8 marks)