Berend van der Kolk
@berendvdkolk.bsky.social
Associate Professor | VU Amsterdam | 📚The Quantified Society | Studying metrics and their implications | Also into 🎹
Site: berendvanderkolk.com
Book: https://tinyurl.com/quantsoci
Research: https://tinyurl.com/scholarkolk
Site: berendvanderkolk.com
Book: https://tinyurl.com/quantsoci
Research: https://tinyurl.com/scholarkolk
Pinned
Welcome to my BlueSky profile.
I'm a researcher and teacher interested in performance measurement.
I write and post about this theme, and occasionally on other topics including politics, jazz, and higher education.
More info: berendvanderkolk.com/about
I'm a researcher and teacher interested in performance measurement.
I write and post about this theme, and occasionally on other topics including politics, jazz, and higher education.
More info: berendvanderkolk.com/about
Indicatorisme:
"Bunq keert onder meer bonussen uit aan werknemers die recensies plaatsen over het bedrijf in de hoop zo de score (nu 3,7 uit 5 sterren) op te poetsen."
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
"Bunq keert onder meer bonussen uit aan werknemers die recensies plaatsen over het bedrijf in de hoop zo de score (nu 3,7 uit 5 sterren) op te poetsen."
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
Reddit-post van kritische ex-werknemer is bunq doorn in het oog. Bank dreigt met rechtszaak
Online reputatie: Bunq zet al maanden moderatoren van sociaal medium Reddit onder druk om een oude post van een ex-werknemer te verwijderen. Ook media, deskundigen en zelfs de minister van Financiën h...
www.nrc.nl
October 22, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Indicatorisme:
"Bunq keert onder meer bonussen uit aan werknemers die recensies plaatsen over het bedrijf in de hoop zo de score (nu 3,7 uit 5 sterren) op te poetsen."
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
"Bunq keert onder meer bonussen uit aan werknemers die recensies plaatsen over het bedrijf in de hoop zo de score (nu 3,7 uit 5 sterren) op te poetsen."
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
😐
"Deloitte Australia will issue a partial refund to the federal government after admitting that artificial intelligence had been used in the creation of a $440,000 report"
"Deloitte Australia will issue a partial refund to the federal government after admitting that artificial intelligence had been used in the creation of a $440,000 report"
October 6, 2025 at 6:54 AM
😐
"Deloitte Australia will issue a partial refund to the federal government after admitting that artificial intelligence had been used in the creation of a $440,000 report"
"Deloitte Australia will issue a partial refund to the federal government after admitting that artificial intelligence had been used in the creation of a $440,000 report"
Follow your dreams...👇
October 6, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Follow your dreams...👇
Vandaag in de @telegraaf.nl een stuk over de prestatiesamenleving, met bijdragen van psycholoog Nienke Wijnants en ondergetekende.
Link: www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/waaro...
Link: www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/waaro...
October 2, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Vandaag in de @telegraaf.nl een stuk over de prestatiesamenleving, met bijdragen van psycholoog Nienke Wijnants en ondergetekende.
Link: www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/waaro...
Link: www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/waaro...
Sorbonne University decides to withdraw from THE World University Ranking: www.sorbonne-universite.fr/en/news/sorb...
Why would universities do this? I wrote a blog about it recently on social science space, available here: www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Why would universities do this? I wrote a blog about it recently on social science space, available here: www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
September 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Sorbonne University decides to withdraw from THE World University Ranking: www.sorbonne-universite.fr/en/news/sorb...
Why would universities do this? I wrote a blog about it recently on social science space, available here: www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Why would universities do this? I wrote a blog about it recently on social science space, available here: www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Reposted by Berend van der Kolk
Hoeveel sterren geeft u dit stuk? Over onze doorgeslagen obsessie met online reviews
Hoeveel sterren geeft u dit stuk? Over onze doorgeslagen obsessie met online reviews
Of het nu gaat om restaurants, glasbakken of taxichauffeurs: we recenseren alles. Een goedbedoeld systeem, maar het lijkt zichzelf uit te hollen door overvloed en manipulatie. Wat hebben we er dan nog aan? Amber Dujardin recenseert de recensiesamenleving.
www.trouw.nl
September 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Hoeveel sterren geeft u dit stuk? Over onze doorgeslagen obsessie met online reviews
Reposted by Berend van der Kolk
'Let’s replace the frame of academia as a competition with a frame that recognizes and rewards cooperation. Let’s put an end to the ranking circus.'
Stop the University Ranking Circus by @berendvdkolk.bsky.social
#HigherEd
www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Stop the University Ranking Circus by @berendvdkolk.bsky.social
#HigherEd
www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Stop the University Ranking Circus - Social Science Space
It’s that time of the year again. Some 50 percent of your academic LinkedIn connections share they are “happy” or even “thrilled” […]
www.socialsciencespace.com
August 21, 2025 at 11:08 AM
'Let’s replace the frame of academia as a competition with a frame that recognizes and rewards cooperation. Let’s put an end to the ranking circus.'
Stop the University Ranking Circus by @berendvdkolk.bsky.social
#HigherEd
www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Stop the University Ranking Circus by @berendvdkolk.bsky.social
#HigherEd
www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
"we should ignore rankings as academics: they are misleading and harmful to academic values"
- www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
- www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
Stop the University Ranking Circus - Social Science Space
It’s that time of the year again. Some 50 percent of your academic LinkedIn connections share they are “happy” or even “thrilled” […]
www.socialsciencespace.com
August 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
"we should ignore rankings as academics: they are misleading and harmful to academic values"
- www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
- www.socialsciencespace.com/2025/08/stop...
August 17, 2025 at 5:59 PM
"The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lie will now be accepted as truth, and truth be defamed as lie, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world (..) is being destroyed."
- Hannah Arendt
- Hannah Arendt
BREAKING: President Trump fires the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hours after weak jobs report.
Trump fires labor statistics boss hours after weak jobs report
The president implied that the BLS commissioner, long-time federal employee Erika McEntarfer, manipulated the data "for political purposes."
nbcnews.to
August 2, 2025 at 6:31 AM
"The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lie will now be accepted as truth, and truth be defamed as lie, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world (..) is being destroyed."
- Hannah Arendt
- Hannah Arendt
MS Teams in a car - I cannot wait..
Never able to skip a meeting anymore if you're traveling.
🤨 "Car productivity"
#surveillance
Never able to skip a meeting anymore if you're traveling.
🤨 "Car productivity"
#surveillance
July 30, 2025 at 6:52 AM
MS Teams in a car - I cannot wait..
Never able to skip a meeting anymore if you're traveling.
🤨 "Car productivity"
#surveillance
Never able to skip a meeting anymore if you're traveling.
🤨 "Car productivity"
#surveillance
Look! I found a scatterplot during my holidays 🤓
(@ Museo Can Mario)
(@ Museo Can Mario)
July 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Look! I found a scatterplot during my holidays 🤓
(@ Museo Can Mario)
(@ Museo Can Mario)
How does digitalization of finance departments take shape?
To answer this question, we conducted a survey and various interviews with finance directors. We find, among others, that having a digitalization strategy matters.
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
To answer this question, we conducted a survey and various interviews with finance directors. We find, among others, that having a digitalization strategy matters.
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
July 11, 2025 at 9:29 AM
How does digitalization of finance departments take shape?
To answer this question, we conducted a survey and various interviews with finance directors. We find, among others, that having a digitalization strategy matters.
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
To answer this question, we conducted a survey and various interviews with finance directors. We find, among others, that having a digitalization strategy matters.
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
Well, well, well... 🤡
July 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Well, well, well... 🤡
False dichotomies: a blessing or a curse?
June 24, 2025 at 9:12 AM
False dichotomies: a blessing or a curse?
Hoe verhouden controle en vertrouwen zich tot elkaar in de zorg? En welke rol speelt prestatiemeting?
Dit thema komt aan de orde in het dubbelinterview in FIZIER, het blad van de beroepsvereniging van zorgfinancials.
Interview (18-21): issuu.com/fizi4/docs/f...
Onderzoek: doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...
Dit thema komt aan de orde in het dubbelinterview in FIZIER, het blad van de beroepsvereniging van zorgfinancials.
Interview (18-21): issuu.com/fizi4/docs/f...
Onderzoek: doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...
June 23, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Hoe verhouden controle en vertrouwen zich tot elkaar in de zorg? En welke rol speelt prestatiemeting?
Dit thema komt aan de orde in het dubbelinterview in FIZIER, het blad van de beroepsvereniging van zorgfinancials.
Interview (18-21): issuu.com/fizi4/docs/f...
Onderzoek: doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...
Dit thema komt aan de orde in het dubbelinterview in FIZIER, het blad van de beroepsvereniging van zorgfinancials.
Interview (18-21): issuu.com/fizi4/docs/f...
Onderzoek: doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...
Reposted by Berend van der Kolk
This was always my main beef with the quality improvement projects I was exposed to in the past--tracking data that didn't actually reflect changes that mattered, and forcing non-data to be data. I think we can do better than that.
June 17, 2025 at 9:42 PM
This was always my main beef with the quality improvement projects I was exposed to in the past--tracking data that didn't actually reflect changes that mattered, and forcing non-data to be data. I think we can do better than that.
June 17, 2025 at 12:54 PM
For those interested in management control & motivation: a paper was published last week by Hikaru Goto and Makoto Kuroki, replicating our motivation paper in a Japanese setting.
Replication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Our original paper:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Replication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Our original paper:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
June 10, 2025 at 8:35 AM
For those interested in management control & motivation: a paper was published last week by Hikaru Goto and Makoto Kuroki, replicating our motivation paper in a Japanese setting.
Replication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Our original paper:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Replication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Our original paper:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Wat is indicatorisme?
Lees en leer erover bij @binnenlandsbestuur.bsky.social : www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/carriere/vu-...
#indicatorisme #meetmaatschappij @vuamsterdam.bsky.social
Lees en leer erover bij @binnenlandsbestuur.bsky.social : www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/carriere/vu-...
#indicatorisme #meetmaatschappij @vuamsterdam.bsky.social
Wat is indicatorisme?
Indicators zijn overal. Of het nu gaat om inwonerstevredenheid, ervaren veiligheid of de financiële positie van een gemeente, door het meten en rapporteren van indicatoren proberen we grip te krijgen ...
www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl
June 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Wat is indicatorisme?
Lees en leer erover bij @binnenlandsbestuur.bsky.social : www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/carriere/vu-...
#indicatorisme #meetmaatschappij @vuamsterdam.bsky.social
Lees en leer erover bij @binnenlandsbestuur.bsky.social : www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/carriere/vu-...
#indicatorisme #meetmaatschappij @vuamsterdam.bsky.social
🤩 Is there any place on earth with a higher (history+beauty)/m2 ratio than Rome?
May 31, 2025 at 10:50 AM
🤩 Is there any place on earth with a higher (history+beauty)/m2 ratio than Rome?
What's a potential problem of quantitative research?
"quantitative analysis and discourse often implies a degree of certainty in its generalisations that vastly exceeds the limits of assumptions and probabilities involved in the underlying calculations"
- Parker & Northcott, doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ...
"quantitative analysis and discourse often implies a degree of certainty in its generalisations that vastly exceeds the limits of assumptions and probabilities involved in the underlying calculations"
- Parker & Northcott, doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ...
May 26, 2025 at 7:50 AM
What's a potential problem of quantitative research?
"quantitative analysis and discourse often implies a degree of certainty in its generalisations that vastly exceeds the limits of assumptions and probabilities involved in the underlying calculations"
- Parker & Northcott, doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ...
"quantitative analysis and discourse often implies a degree of certainty in its generalisations that vastly exceeds the limits of assumptions and probabilities involved in the underlying calculations"
- Parker & Northcott, doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ...
Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that can be measured matters.
Source: The Quantified Society, p. 130.
www.amazon.com/Quantified-S...
Source: The Quantified Society, p. 130.
www.amazon.com/Quantified-S...
May 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that can be measured matters.
Source: The Quantified Society, p. 130.
www.amazon.com/Quantified-S...
Source: The Quantified Society, p. 130.
www.amazon.com/Quantified-S...
"Managers [falsely] conceive of themselves as morally neutral characters whose skills enable them to devise the most efficient means of achieving whatever end is proposed."
- Alisdair MacIntyre (1929-2025)
- Alisdair MacIntyre (1929-2025)
May 23, 2025 at 10:05 AM
"Managers [falsely] conceive of themselves as morally neutral characters whose skills enable them to devise the most efficient means of achieving whatever end is proposed."
- Alisdair MacIntyre (1929-2025)
- Alisdair MacIntyre (1929-2025)
They have offices..? 🤔😉
May 23, 2025 at 7:41 AM
They have offices..? 🤔😉