Developing the Performance of Academic Department Heads at the University of Hafr Al-Batin in Light of the Visual Management Approach: A Proposed Framework

Abstract

This study aimed to present a proposed framework for developing the performance of academic department heads at the University of Hafr Al-Batin in light of the visual management approach. It sought to identify the extent to which department heads practice visual management from the perspective of faculty members, examining statistically significant differences according to the variables of gender, academic rank, college type, and years of experience. The descriptive–analytical approach was adopted. The study population consisted of 416 faculty members holding the ranks of professor, associate professor, and assistant professor during the academic year 2025. The sample comprised 200 faculty members, representing 48% of the total population. A questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. The findings indicated that the overall level of department heads’ practice of visual management was high. The dimension of eliminating waste in activities and resources ranked first, followed by the work rules, while the diagnosis dimension ranked last. Results also revealed no statistically significant differences in the degree of practice attributable to the variables of gender, academic rank, college type, or years of experience. The study proposed a framework for enhancing the performance of academic department heads in accordance with the visual management approach. It concluded with several recommendations, most notably the adoption of this proposed framework by the university leadership.