PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND ACADEMIC STAFF PERFORMANCE: EXAMINING THE MEDIATING ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL.

Abstract

The paper will focus on the mediating effect of psychological capital in the association between the performance monitoring dimensions and the performance of academic staff in the University of Sialkot, Pakistan. The four monitoring dimensions that were perceived to be fair, timeliness of feedback, relevance of QEC criteria, and frequency of monitoring were postulated based on the Job Demands-Resources model to affect academic performance based on psychological capital (self-efficacy, hope, resilience, optimism). A cross sectional quantitative survey involved 278 participants, the academic staff, in the study, and a set of five-point Likert scale validated instruments were used to gather the data. The analysis was done using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with 5,000 bootstrap subsamples. Findings affirmed that the four dimensions of monitoring have a significant predictive validity of psychological capital, and, in that order, perceived fairness is the greatest predictor (b = 0.433, p < .001). Psychological capital showed a significant positive impact on academic performance (b = 0.716, p <.001). The four mediation pathways were all statistically significant, and it can be established that monitoring improves performance indirectly through psychological resource development and not direct behavioral compliance. The model predicted 46.3 and 51.2 percent of the variance of psychological capital and academic performance respectively. All the thirteen hypotheses were justified. The results provide theoretical contribution of JD-R theory to the academic literature and practical insights of designing developmental monitoring systems within the institutions of higher learning