Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for Researchers at Different Levels & Strategies to Achieve it

Abstract

Purpose: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) serve as essential tools for academic researchers across various stages of their careers, from PhD research level to the post-doctorate research level, and even for research supervisors. These quantitative and qualitative metrics play a pivotal role in guiding and evaluating research endeavours, fostering accountability, and enhancing the overall quality and impact of academic work. KPIs play a critical role in shaping the trajectory of academic researchers' careers. They provide a structured way to measure and enhance research productivity, impact, and collaboration, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge and the overall enrichment of the academic community. It is academically interesting to know KPTs for PhD scholars’ level, post-doctorate scholars level, and research supervisors level.

Methodology/Approach: The exploratory research method is adopted to analyze, compare, evaluate, interpret, and create KPIs at different academic research levels. The information is collected from scholarly articles using listed keywords with the help of search engines like Google.com, Google scholar, Organizational websites, and AI machines like ChatGPT and Bard. Using this relevant information, KPIs at different research levels are obtained. These KPIs at different academic research levels are further analysed using ABCD analysis framework.

Findings/Result: Many KPIs are identified and listed at PhD scholars’ level, post-doctorate scholars level, and research supervisors level. Using ABCD analysis framework, these KPIs are analysed and evaluated. It is believed that the identified KPIs systematically in this research are going to be guiding policies for academic researchers at PhD scholars level, post-doctorate scholars level, and research supervisors level.

Originality/Value: For the first time, the key performance indicators (KPIs) are identified systematically and presented using exploratory research method. It is believed that like in business organizations of other industries, these key indicators are expected to be guiding principles to enhance the academic research productivity of higher education and research institutions at PhD scholars level, post-doctorate scholars level, and research supervisors level.

Type of Paper: Explorative Policy Research.