Quality-driven OKR appraisals and employee performance in higher education: The mediating roles of training and quality management practices

Purpose This study examines how the quality-oriented characteristics of performance appraisal systems based on objectives and key results (OKRs) influence employee performance in higher education institutions and whether training and quality management practices (QMPs) mediate these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 707 academic and administrative staff members at a public higher education institution in Oman was conducted. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling to test direct and parallel mediation effects within a theory-driven socio-technical framework. Findings All appraisal quality dimensions exerted significant positive effects on employee performance. Training and quality management practices partially mediate these relationships, indicating that appraisal quality enhances performance, both directly and indirectly, through institutional learning and quality systems. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional and single-institution design limits causal inference and generalizability. Future studies should adopt longitudinal or multi-institutional designs and examine leadership style, organizational culture, and digital HRM maturity. Practical implications Higher education leaders should embed OKR-based appraisal systems within structured training and quality management practices. Emphasizing fairness, trust, clarity, and communication strengthens appraisal systems and supports sustained performance improvement. Social implications Quality-driven appraisal systems promote transparency, learning, and fairness in public higher education, fostering inclusive performance cultures, accountability, employee development, and public trust. Originality/value This study advances the performance and quality management literature by validating a socio-technical mediation model integrating OKR-based appraisal quality, training, and quality management practices in higher education. The study extends OKR research to public higher education, tests training and QMPs as parallel mediators, and provides evidence from Oman's underexplored institutional setting.