Abstract
The primary aim of this study was to develop a novel theoretical framework for measuring the holistic organisational performance of private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in South Africa. The framework is designed to serve as a strategic alignment tool, integrating institutional strategies, structures, people, and processes with the institution’s overarching vision and mission. In doing so, it aims to support the development of sustainable, agile, and high-performing PHEIs.
To achieve this, the study identified and clustered the most contextually relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) into four interrelated perspectives. These perspectives collectively form a holistic performance framework tailored to the operational realities of PHEIs. KPIs enable institutions to translate their strategic intent into measurable outputs and outcomes, thereby enhancing institutional effectiveness, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Over the past three decades, higher education globally has experienced growing demands for accountability and performance transparency from a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, regulatory authorities, industry, society, and students. Higher education institutions now operate in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment, further intensified by global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These conditions, coupled with rising competition, technological advancements, and changing learner expectations, have necessitated more responsive and performance-driven institutional models.
This study was grounded in the pragmatic research paradigm, which supports the use of mixed methods to address complex, real-world problems. A mixed-methods design was adopted, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative phase involved in-depth interviews with higher education experts, using elements of the nominal group technique to identify relevant KPIs and perspectives through thematic analysis. In the quantitative phase, a Net Promoter Score (NPS) questionnaire was used to rate each KPI, followed by the application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to rank them in order of priority.
The result was a comprehensive theoretical framework comprising four strategic perspectives and thirty key performance indicators. This framework offers a pioneering, context-specific tool for measuring the total organisational performance of
PHEIs in South Africa. By aligning institutional activities with their strategic vision and mission, the framework provides a foundation for evidence-based decision-making and the sustainable growth of private higher education institutions.