UA&P MABA

A study advocating for a more human-centered approach to performance evaluation in business process outsourcing (BPO) settings earned a recognition at a recent academic conference in Manila.

Aki Rainier L. Tsukada, a licensed professional teacher, and currently a Master in Applied Business Analytics (MABA) student at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), was awarded Best Presenter during the 7th Northern Philippines Business Research Conference (NPBRC 2026), held on April 16–17 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The conference carried the theme “Reimagining Business Futures: Innovation, Sustainability, and Digital Transformation.”

Tsukada’s research, titled “Beyond Metrics: A Human-Centered Approach to Data-Driven Decision Making in a BPO Setting,” examines the limitations of traditional key performance indicator (KPI) systems widely used in service industries. According to the study, rigid and standardized metrics often fail to reflect the complexities of real-world operations, potentially leading to misaligned evaluations, decreased employee engagement, and less effective decision-making.

The study proposes an alternative framework that blends quantitative data with qualitative insights, allowing for a more adaptive and context-sensitive approach to performance measurement. By incorporating human-centered analytics, the research aims to improve fairness and relevance in evaluating employee performance, particularly in dynamic service environments like BPOs.

The study contributes to ongoing academic and industry discussions by bridging conventional KPI models with emerging analytical approaches that prioritize contextual awareness. Its findings also highlight the importance of aligning performance systems with operational realities to support more responsive and informed management strategies.

Beyond its academic merit, the study underscores the growing relevance of analytics innovation in business administration, particularly in shaping next-generation performance management frameworks that move beyond traditional metrics.

We thank everyone who joined us today for the MABA Information Session. If you'd like to rewind and catch up what you might have missed, send us an email at [email protected] so we can share the recording link.

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See you soon, future Dragons! 🐉