Quota

Etymology

From the Latin phrase "quota pars" (how great a part), the feminine of "quotus" (of what number), itself from "quot" (how many). It entered English as the share or proportion assigned to each party. The sense hardened from a fair allotment into a demanded minimum or a capped maximum.

noun · /KWOH-tuh/
A fixed amount someone is required or permitted to produce, sell, or admit within a period.
What it names
The hard number hung over an activity — a target that shades from motivating goal into rigid obligation.
Example
The sales team hit its quota by December, then coasted through the rest of the month.
Related idea
A quota is a fixed threshold you must reach or not exceed; a KPI is a measure you try to improve without a hard cutoff. Quotas can also create perverse incentives — people game the count rather than serve the goal behind it.