Based on the process variants and their respective frequencies and performance metrics, I can identify several root causes for the performance issues in the process. Here are some process and data-specific considerations:

1. **High rejection rates:** There are several process variants with high rejection rates, particularly at the ADMINISTRATION, SUPERVISOR, and BUDGET OWNER stages. These rejections lead to longer process cycles, increased workload, and potential demotivation for employees. To address this issue, consider improving the quality of initial submissions, providing clearer guidelines, or implementing a more streamlined approval process.

2. **Multiple resubmissions:** Several process variants involve multiple resubmissions due to rejections at various stages. This leads to longer process cycles and increased performance times. Implementing a more robust review and feedback mechanism before the initial submission could help reduce the number of resubmissions.

3. **Lengthy approval chains:** Some process variants have lengthy approval chains, involving multiple approvers (ADMINISTRATION, BUDGET OWNER, and SUPERVISOR). This can lead to delays and increased performance times. Consider simplifying the approval process by combining roles or implementing a more efficient workflow.

4. **Missing or incomplete information:** The "Declaration REJECTED by MISSING" event suggests that there might be issues with missing or incomplete information in the declarations. Ensuring that all necessary information is provided upfront can help reduce rejections and improve performance.

5. **High variance in performance times:** There is a wide range of performance times across process variants, indicating that some variants are significantly more time-consuming than others. Analyzing the specific steps and bottlenecks in these variants can help identify opportunities for optimization.

6. **Low frequency, high-performance time variants:** Some process variants have low frequencies but high performance times, such as "Declaration SUBMITTED by EMPLOYEE -> Declaration REJECTED by ADMINISTRATION -> Declaration REJECTED by EMPLOYEE -> Declaration SUBMITTED by EMPLOYEE -> Declaration REJECTED by ADMINISTRATION -> Declaration REJECTED by EMPLOYEE -> Declaration SUBMITTED by EMPLOYEE -> Declaration APPROVED by ADMINISTRATION -> Declaration FINAL_APPROVED by SUPERVISOR -> Request Payment -> Payment Handled." Investigating these variants can help identify specific issues that need to be addressed.

7. **Employee training and support:** Ensuring that employees are well-trained and supported throughout the process can help reduce errors, rejections, and resubmissions, ultimately improving performance.

8. **Data quality and consistency:**