Author(s)

Feifan Shan

Corresponding Author

Feifan Shan

Abstract

The rank-and-yank system, as a performance management tool transplanted from corporate sectors to public institutions, requires its efficacy to be examined within a multidimensional evaluation framework. Drawing on the paradigm evolution of policy evaluation theory, this study constructs a multidimensional effectiveness evaluation framework encompassing policy objective, implementation efficiency, stakeholder perception, and ethical concern to systematically assess the rank-and-yank system applied to graduate thesis evaluations in universities. The findings reveal that while the system marginally enhances formal compliance (e.g., reducing formatting errors and improving citation standards), it exhibits diminishing marginal benefits in achieving its core objectives. Significant institutional attrition is observed during implementation, alongside negative externalities such as fragmented stakeholder consensus, alienation of academic relationships, academic misconduct, and ethical dilemmas. The study proposes that public institutions should establish adaptive mechanisms for policy transplantation and develop a collaborative governance system integrating "process evaluation-developmental support-flexible exit" strategies. This research contributes a novel analytical framework for evaluating the effectiveness of policy transplantation in public sectors and offers practical insights for optimizing higher education quality management.

Keywords

Rank-and-yank system; Policy transplantation; Academic quality evaluation; Institutional efficacy; Graduate education