Leadership development has become a focal area for most organisations today in an attempt to ensure that leaders are able to take them into the future and achieve a competitive advantage. Literature reveals that, among others, one of the most popular initiatives in leadership development includes the use 360-degree feedback. Due to the sensitivity and challenge of giving and receiving 360 degree feedback, it is essential to understand the subjective experience of manager's who have recently undergone the process as well as the factors which influence and are influenced by the process. To achieve this, a grounded theory study was conducted in a large manufacturing organisation. The data was collected through focus group interviews with a voluntary sample of senior managers who had participated in a 360 degree feedback process. The outcomes of the study include a definition of "subjective experience" as well as a substantive theory on the subjective experience of 360-degree feedback as a tool in leadership development. Findings indicate that individual's reactions coupled with the perception of both the accuracy and utility of the process are key contributors which form the essence of "subjective experience". Past experience, present information and context were further identified to be key intervening variables of a manager's subjective experience of 360-degree feedback as a tool in leadership development. A number of limitations within this study are explained and recommendations for future research and organisations are provided. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial Psychology)

Multi-rater tools also referred to as 360-degree feedback tools, are frequently used in addition to traditional supervisory appraisals due to sources (i.e., supervisor, peer, direct report) unique perspectives and opportunities to view different aspects of job performance. Research has found that the differences among sources are most prevalent between self and other ratings, and the direction of agreement is related to overall job performance. Research has typically focused on one form of agreement, the direction of an individual's self-ratings compared to others' ratings. The current study expanded on past research on rater agreement using a data set (n = 215) consisting of multi-rater data for professionals participating in a leadership development process. The study examined the ability to predict job performance with three different measures of self-other agreement (i.e., difference between overall mean scores (difference), mean absolute difference across items (difference), and mean correlation across items (similarity)). The study also examined how the relationships may differ across performance dimensions. The final purpose was to explore how the importance of the performance dimensions, as rated by the participant, may moderate the relationship between self-other agreement and job performance. Partial support for study's hypotheses was found. The direction and difference measures of agreement on the overall multi-rater tool and performance dimensions accounted for a significant amount of the variance in job performance. The relationship between the similarity measure of agreement and job performance, and the moderating effect of importance were not supported in the current study.

This thesis focuses on the topic of the 360-Degree Feedback with the emphasis on the application of this technique. In the theoretical part of the thesis is described the process of the 360-Degree Feedback with the accent on implementation of this tool to the company. The thesis also contains short description of the design of the 360- Degree Feedback questionnaire; and presentation how the data can be collected. Last but not least it is mentioned, how the final output of this method can be used. The application of the tool is described in the complexity of different personal activities and processes, with the combination of other personal tools (such as Assessment centers or Employee Surveys). The empirical part contains a description of the implementation of the 360- Degree Feedback into a personal and counseling company. The appropriate implementation is here taken like an important part of effective use of this tool. The data of the empirical study were collected by attempted observation.

Purpose This thesis investigates if leaders’ self-perception and the employees’ perceptions of their leadership are aligned. Background To know whether leaders use a preferred leadership style one could ask their employees. The followers are considered a suitable benchmark for a leader to gain insight into his or her style of leadership. It is therefore of interest to research if the leaders’ self-perception of their leadership is aligned with the perception of their employees. This study will investigate three different managers and their employees in three Team Sportia stores on their view of leadership and leadership perception. Method In order to answer the purpose, the authors conducted an embedded case study including three different Team Sportia Stores. The investigation emphasized the holistic view of the researched environment and both managers and employees were included. Qualitative data was gathered from managers through in depth semi-constructed interviews while quantitative data was gathered through surveying of employees. The briefly described method of measuring exercised and perceived leadership is referred to as conducting 360-degree feedback. The information collected enabled the authors to create a meta-inference of the leadership at each Team Sportia Store researched. Conclusion The three investigated managers differ in their view of leadership, however they all emphases result-orientation. The alignment in perception between the leaders and their employees differ across the three research units. The manager in Stockholm has a more accurate self-perception, than his colleagues in Mariestad and Jönköping. / Syfte Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om ledares självuppfattning och anställdas uppfattning av deras ledarskap stämmer överens med varandra. Bakgrund Ett sätt för ledare att ta reda på om man använder sig av en uppskattad ledarskapsstil är att fråga de anställda. Anställda kan ses som en passande utgångspunkt för en ledare när man vill skaffa sig insikt om sitt eget ledarskap. Av denna anledning är det intressant att undersöka om ledares uppfattning stämmer överens med uppfattningen bland de anställda. Denna studie undersöker tre olika ledare, samt deras anställda, i tre Team Sportia-butiker för att kartlägga om deras uppfattningar stämmer överens. Metod För att uppfylla syftet med denna rapport har författarna inkluderat både ledare och anställda och fokuserat på att skapa en helhetsbild av den undersöka miljön. Kvalitativ data har samlats in genom semi strukturerade intervjuer med de tre olika ledarna, och kvantitativ data samlades in genom en enkätundersökning band de anställda. Den ovan nämnda metoden att samla in data från både ledare och anställda kallas för 360-degree feedback och gör det möjligt att skapa övergripande bild av ledarskapet i varje Team Sportia-butik. Slutsats Synen på ledarskap skiljer sig mellan de tre ledarna i denna studie, däremot delar de uppfattningen angående vikten av fokus på resultat. Studien visar på skillnader i uppfattningen av ledarskapet i de tre undersökta butikerna. Ledaren i Stockholm har en bättre självbild av sitt ledarskap, än sina två kollegor i Mariestad och Jönköping.

<p><strong>Purpose</strong> This thesis investigates if leaders’ self-perception and the employees’ perceptions of their leadership are aligned.</p><p><strong>Background</strong> To know whether leaders use a preferred leadership style one could ask their employees. The followers are considered a suitable benchmark for a leader to gain insight into his or her style of leadership. It is therefore of interest to research if the leaders’ self-perception of their leadership is aligned with the perception of their employees. This study will investigate three different managers and their employees in three Team Sportia stores on their view of leadership and leadership perception.</p><p><strong>Method</strong> In order to answer the purpose, the authors conducted an embedded case study including three different Team Sportia Stores. The investigation emphasized the holistic view of the researched environment and both managers and employees were included. Qualitative data was gathered from managers through in depth semi-constructed interviews while quantitative data was gathered through surveying of employees. The briefly described method of measuring exercised and perceived leadership is referred to as conducting 360-degree feedback. The information collected enabled the authors to create a meta-inference of the leadership at each Team Sportia Store researched.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong> The three investigated managers differ in their view of leadership, however they all emphases result-orientation. The alignment in perception between the leaders and their employees differ across the three research units. The manager in Stockholm has a more accurate self-perception, than his colleagues in Mariestad and Jönköping.</p> / <p><strong>Syfte</strong> Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om ledares självuppfattning och anställdas uppfattning av deras ledarskap stämmer överens med varandra.</p><p><strong>Bakgrund</strong> Ett sätt för ledare att ta reda på om man använder sig av en uppskattad ledarskapsstil är att fråga de anställda. Anställda kan ses som en passande utgångspunkt för en ledare när man vill skaffa sig insikt om sitt eget ledarskap. Av denna anledning är det intressant att undersöka om ledares uppfattning stämmer överens med uppfattningen bland de anställda. Denna studie undersöker tre olika ledare, samt deras anställda, i tre Team Sportia-butiker för att kartlägga om deras uppfattningar stämmer överens.</p><p><strong>Metod</strong> För att uppfylla syftet med denna rapport har författarna inkluderat både ledare och anställda och fokuserat på att skapa en helhetsbild av den undersöka miljön. Kvalitativ data har samlats in genom semi strukturerade intervjuer med de tre olika ledarna, och kvantitativ data samlades in genom en enkätundersökning band de anställda. Den ovan nämnda metoden att samla in data från både ledare och anställda kallas för 360-degree feedback och gör det möjligt att skapa övergripande bild av ledarskapet i varje Team Sportia-butik.</p><p><strong>Slutsats</strong> Synen på ledarskap skiljer sig mellan de tre ledarna i denna studie, däremot delar de uppfattningen angående vikten av fokus på resultat. Studien visar på skillnader i uppfattningen av ledarskapet i de tre undersökta butikerna. Ledaren i Stockholm har en bättre självbild av sitt ledarskap, än sina två kollegor i Mariestad och Jönköping.</p>

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Giving regular performance feedback for improvement and indicating good performance is essential for individuals to function optimally in the work environment. Managers often avoid the task of giving feedback, especially negative feedback. This avoidant behaviour is manifested in different ways, including delegating the task of giving feedback, suppressing the information which managers believe is negative, avoiding giving feedback or not giving feedback at all. This study was aimed at answering the following questions: What are the factors contributing to the phenomenon of managers’ reluctance to give feedback? What are the factors contributing to the discomfort managers experience when faced with the task of giving feedback? Can coaching, as a development tool, contribute to enhancing managerial skills for executing the task of giving feedback? A qualitative study, using a case study approach, was conducted to determine the experiences, feelings and perceptions of managers when having to engage in giving feedback. The study design comprised individual coaching for participants, followed by semi-structured interviews to evaluate the learnings, changed perceptions and feelings and giving feedback, following the coaching process. The findings provided an in-depth understanding of the managers’ experiences and the contributory factors influencing the manner in which the task of giving feedback was executed. Recommendations were made on how coaching as a development tool can be utilized to enhance managerial skills for the task of giving feedback. Recommendations were made for future studies relating to managers having to engage in giving feedback.

Gender differences were investigated on ratings of citizenship performance (altruistic behaviors in the workplace). Self, peer, and supervisor ratings were collected on the three dimensions of citizenship performance (personal support, organizational support, and conscientious initiative) with scale type and gender as possible moderators of citizenship performance ratings. Two hundred and twenty-four individuals performance ratings were collected, from different companies across the United States. The majority of these participants were white and female, and the largest industry sampled was the customer service industry. Participants were asked to complete a performance rating about themselves and have their peers and supervisor evaluate their performance. It was found that peers and supervisors rated women significantly higher on citizenship performance than they rated men. No gender differences were found on self ratings. Scale type was found to moderate the findings for peer ratings, but not supervisor ratings. The difference between men and women was larger on the objective scale than on the subjective scale. Further, a significant relationship was found between supervisor ratings of citizenship performance and salary for men, but not for women. Implications are discussed for men and women in the workplace in regards to women receiving higher citizenship performance than men and women not being rewarded equally with a higher salary for performance citizenship performance as were men.

Corporate governance and management by values have become vital for organisations in South Africa. Recent allegations of corruption, corporate failures and the abuse of leadership power highlight the need for solid moral and ethical foundations. A set of shared values in an organisation may prove to be a significant competitive advantage. The competence of employees as reflected through the evaluation of their individual job goals has been widely measured for many years. Currently, limited information is available on the measurement and evaluation of the conformance of employees to corporate values. This study explores the conformance of individual members to core values as part of a regular, systematic performance measurement system. Introducing such a system may assist in enforcing accountability for individual ethical behaviour. Literature on the topic advises that the core values of an organisation should be carefully and correctly identified before individual conformance to the values can be measured. Managing by values entails that preferred behaviours should be entrenched in all codes, policies, and procedures of an organisation, including the performance measurement system. A 360-degree evaluation is considered the most appropriate method to evaluate individual conformance to corporate values. Information gathered from the model development part of this study indicates the following: 360-Degree evaluation of values conformance may be incorporated into any existing performance measurement system that conforms to the criteria established in this study. A performance/values template used for the evaluation of job performance and values conformance results effectively differentiates employees into categories. The model developed in this study was effectively implemented and tested in an organisation. It is expected that the implementation of the model will enhance the performance of individuals and ultimately facilitate the creation of a motivating climate within the organisation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Academic research in 360-degree feedback continues to be dominated by a positivist approach with analyses of the feedback ratings. In contrast, this qualitative study explores how people make sense of 360, across the chain of meaning making involving not only raters and feedback recipients but also HR managers, facilitators and external consultants. Two corporate case studies in the pharmaceutical sector show how 360 evolves as a social process and carries a variety of meanings in different organisations and management contexts. Quasi-scientific rituals are revealed, demonstrating the existence of pseudo-anonymity and of complex use of numerical ratings and narrative comments. Woven alongside these corporate case studies is an autoethnography, which examines emotional and cognitive responses to two rounds of 360 asking for feedback on coaching performance. The autoethnographic thread allows insights into the dynamic relationship between academic and practitioner perspectives, as the researcher moves between both worlds. This PhD makes three contributions: the conceptualisation of 360 as a social process; the questioning of taken-for-granted customs within 360; and a methodological contribution to the development of autoethnographic practice.

Corporate governance and management by values have become vital for organisations in South Africa. Recent allegations of corruption, corporate failures and the abuse of leadership power highlight the need for solid moral and ethical foundations. A set of shared values in an organisation may prove to be a significant competitive advantage. The competence of employees as reflected through the evaluation of their individual job goals has been widely measured for many years. Currently, limited information is available on the measurement and evaluation of the conformance of employees to corporate values. This study explores the conformance of individual members to core values as part of a regular, systematic performance measurement system. Introducing such a system may assist in enforcing accountability for individual ethical behaviour. Literature on the topic advises that the core values of an organisation should be carefully and correctly identified before individual conformance to the values can be measured. Managing by values entails that preferred behaviours should be entrenched in all codes, policies, and procedures of an organisation, including the performance measurement system. A 360-degree evaluation is considered the most appropriate method to evaluate individual conformance to corporate values. Information gathered from the model development part of this study indicates the following: 360-Degree evaluation of values conformance may be incorporated into any existing performance measurement system that conforms to the criteria established in this study. A performance/values template used for the evaluation of job performance and values conformance results effectively differentiates employees into categories. The model developed in this study was effectively implemented and tested in an organisation. It is expected that the implementation of the model will enhance the performance of individuals and ultimately facilitate the creation of a motivating climate within the organisation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.