An approach for analyzing and visualizing the relationships among key performance indicators for creating sustainable campuses in higher education institutions

Understanding the direct and indirect interrelationships among key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial for developing the effective strategies that drive continuous improvement in sustainability. However, most of studies focusing on KPIs for campus sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs) have overlooked this aspect. This study aimed to bridge this research gap by employing an approach that combines social network analysis (SNA) with cross-impact matrix multiplication (MICMAC) analysis. This approach allows decision-makers to analyze and visualize the relationships among KPIs and is also supported by a model that can optimize the selection of which KPIs to improve. To demonstrate its practicality, the approach was applied to 23 environmental KPIs developed to enhance a university campus's sustainability in the United Arab Emirates. This application identified three critical KPIs: the percentage of purchased green products, the proportion of environmentally collaborative suppliers, and the progress rate towards achieving a level of LEED certification. This study is unique in two ways. First, it was the first to use SNA and MICMAC analysis to analyze and visualize the relationships among KPIs for sustainability in HEIs. Second, this study was also the first to combine an optimization model with SNA and MICMAC analysis, making it a novel contribution to the existing literature.