Establishing the Perception of Academic Staff on Performance Monitoring in Private Chartered Universities in Western Uganda

Abstract Background Effective performance monitoring is essential for improving academic productivity, especially in private higher education institutions. This study aimed to establish the perception of academic staff toward performance monitoring and how these perceptions influence academic staff performance in private chartered universities in Western Uganda. Guided by Expectancy Theory and Self-Determination Theory, the study explored how monitoring practices affect motivation and performance outcomes. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative strand involved 386 academic staff selected from five private chartered universities using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. In the qualitative strand, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected Deans of Faculties. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results Findings revealed that 58.2% of academic staff had a moderately positive perception of existing performance monitoring practices. Pearson correlation analysis showed a moderate positive relationship between perception of performance monitoring and academic staff performance (r = .476, p < 0.01). Regression analysis further indicated that perception of performance monitoring significantly predicted academic staff performance (β = 0.394, p = 0.000), explaining 18.7% of the variance (R² = 0.187). Qualitative data revealed challenges such as irregular feedback, lack of transparency, and limited involvement of academic staff in developing performance indicators. Conclusions The study concludes that academic staff performance can be enhanced when performance monitoring systems are perceived as fair, transparent, and participatory. It recommends the standardization of performance evaluation procedures, improved feedback mechanisms, and the active involvement of academic staff in setting performance targets. Strengthening these areas could improve motivation, engagement, and overall academic performance in private universities across the region.