Performance measurement of professors at two European universities : A study at the IECS Ecole de Management de Strasbourg in France and the Europa-

Abstract

Background: In a context of belt-tightening policy and of increasing competition between universities in France and in Germany, universities and therefore professors are required to increase their efficiency and to provide evidence of it. Performance measurement systems are assumed to increase transparency and incentives within the university sector. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to analyze to which extent performance measurement of professors at one French and one German university is relevant and how this performance can be measured. The study is conducted at the business school l’IECS Ecole de Management de Strasbourg (France) and within the Faculty of Business & Economics at the Europa-Universität Viadrina in Frankfurt an der Oder (Germany). Method: Performance measurement is considered through the study and the comparison of two universities. Based on a theoretical framework including theories from the private sector, the public sector and the university sector, several in-depth interviews are conducted to collect facts and opinions from both professors and administrators and from both the IECS and the Viadrina. Conclusion: This study assesses the relevance of the measurement performance of professors at the IECS and the Viadrina. It provides also the main areas where professors’ performance should be measured and the main methods to measure this performance. Lastly the thesis raises several issues linked to performance measurement such as the organizational culture of universities, the utilisation of performance measurement system information and the impacts of performance measurement