No / This paper deals with the dilemma of managing performance using performance appraisal. The authors will evaluate the historical development of appraisals and argue that the critical area of line management development that was been identified as a critical success factor in appraisals has been ignored in the later literature evaluating the effectiveness of performance through appraisals. This paper will evaluate the aims and methods of appraisal, the difficulties encountered in the appraisal process. It also re-evaluates the lack of theoretical development in appraisal and moves from the psychological approaches of analysis to a more critical realisation of approaches before re-evaluating the challenge to remove subjectivity and bias in judgement of appraisal.