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Heriot-Watt University

Management attention in performance measurement and management

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Performance measurement and management (PMM) refers to performance measurement systems and performance management practices. Management attention (MA) is a limited cognitive resource that fuels managers’ minds. It can also be understood as the cognitive process that chooses what information is passed on to higher-level processes such as judgment and learning. This research postulates the thesis that certain characteristics of PMM attract greater MA than others. Our knowledge about this phenomenon is still embryonic. Therefore, this thesis aims to explain how PMM affects MA. This thesis explores six micro-level case studies about the impact of PMM concepts and characteristics on management attention. Control theory, levers of control (LoC), effort theory, and dual process theory jointly informed the conceptual structure for data collection. Evidence suggests that PMM concepts and characteristics affect management attention through MA characteristics of five novel MA concepts: Ideological compass, social intelligence, reflexivity, routinised behaviours, and engagement. This thesis develops 86 theoretical propositions that explain the significant impact of PMM characteristics on MA characteristics which further affects the cognitive judgment mechanism that governs managers’ attentional allocation policy (i.e., intuitive analytical judgment). Findings contribute to control theory and LoC in particular.

Degree

thesis:*
Grantor dc:publisher
Heriot-Watt University
Year dc:date.issued
2022

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Pfefferkorn, Tom
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • Bititci, Professor Umit S.
  • Jackson, Doctor Bill

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10399/4765
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:ros.hw.ac.uk:10399/4765

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Heriot-Watt University
Base URL
www.ros.hw.ac.uk/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Pfefferkorn, Tom. Management attention in performance measurement and management. Heriot-Watt University, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10399/4765