How academics interpret and deal with performance measures: a case study of two universities in Mainland China

In recent years, the Chinese government has launched several policies to facilitate universities to develop performance measures closely related to national university rankings and resources allocation. Directed by these performance measures, academics employ various strategies to deal with the increasing requirements and pressure. Using a qualitative research method, we interviewed 32 informants in one top-tier and one second-tier university in Mainland China. Our study observed that first, academics mainly comply or adjust/adapt to the situation but obtain very limited space to contest. Second, academics decode that high-stakes rewards and punishment, frequently changing indicators, and governing tools that strongly stress visibility constitute the complicated pressure on them. Third, to try to obtain more opportunities, academics are eager to join research teams. However, the social context is such that social connections (guanxi) and inbreeding constrain academics' space to recode or translate their situation.