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The principle of encoding specificity states that effective information retrieval relies upon consistency of encoding and retrieval cues. The present study generalized this principle to a complex social interaction in order to investigate the relation between certain combinations of pre- and post-observational cues and their effects on information categorization, recognition accuracy, and judgment accuracy. It was hypothesized that two experimental factors, appraisal purpose and rating format categorization, would influence organization, retrieval, and judgment of performance information. Specifically, consistent encoding (purpose) and retrieval (format) cues were expected to result in the most efficient retrieval of information, and consequently in more accurate performance ratings. / Master of Science

The present study explored the use of a technique for validating individual raters of performance and its implications for the existence of a generalized "ability" in raters to make accurate assessments of others performance. Subjects were asked to record critical incidents of ratees' performance in two types of job situations-- 1) a videotaped presentation of managers interviewing problem employees, and 2) instructors teaching in actual college classrooms. Subjects also rated the performance of these managers and instructors. Scaled critical incidents were correlated with ratings to derive three kinds of accuracy scores. Two sets of these accuracy scores (the managerial "reliability" and "validity" estimates) were compared to determine if a method for inferring validity using many raters' observations were comparable to a method using only one rater's observations. The accuracy scores derived in two types of settings (i.e., reliability estimates derived from manager data and reliability estimates derived from instructor data) were compared to determine the generalizability of rating accuracy across situations. Unfortunately, little empirical support was provided for the equivalence of the two methods (i.e., "reliability" and "validity") or for the generalized ability notion. Possible reasons for the failure of the present study to support the hypotheses are discussed, with emphasis on the importance of considering the process of rating performance rather than the end products of such a process. / Ph. D.

Prior research has shown that frame-of-reference training increases the accuracy of performance appraisals more than rater error training (e.g. Hedge & Kavanaugh, 1988). Frame-of-reference training facilitates the learning of accurate performance standards (e.g. Athey & McIntyre, 1987), while rater error training results in the introduction of biased response sets (e.g. Bernardin & Fence, 1980). Bernardin and Buckley (1981) recommended that individuals who possessed an idiosyncratic rating style or aptitude would benefit especially from frame-of-reference training. However, no research to date has investigated the interaction of rating style and frame-of-reference training effects. The hypothesis of the present study was that rating accuracy and reliability would improve for idiosyncratic raters in frame-of-reference training, while the effective rating style of normative raters would not change. Further, rater error training should impair normative raters’ accuracy and reliability, while it should not affect the ineffective rating style of idiosyncratic raters. However, the results of this study failed to show the rating aptitude-training-time interaction with accuracy. Some support was found for a rating aptitude-training-time interaction with reliability as a result of rater error training. This study replicated previous findings that frame-of-reference training increased rating accuracy and reliability. Frame-of-reference training improved the Cronbach (1955) measures of differential elevation, stereotype accuracy, and differential accuracy. / Master of Science

For years, performance appraisal has posed serious problems for those in personnel-related fields; yet, most personnel professionals are unwilling to abandon the practice of formally evaluating job performance. Given this reluctance to discard performance appraisal, many organizations are faced with the task of choosing appraisal systems compatible with their idiosyncracies. This paper presents a model for use in the development of appraisal systems. The model proposes that the effectiveness of a given appraisal system can be predicted from employee attitudes toward parameters of this system, job analysis information, and characteristics of supervisors within the organization. This proposal was tested using job analysis information and attitude data from employees of the Geological Survey of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The appraisal system evaluated, Work Planning and Progress Review (WP&PR), was based upon goal-setting principles. Four studies explored the relationships described above. Study 1 examined the relationships between the quality of standards generated in WP&PR, attitudes toward parameters of this system, and the objectivity with which jobs could be measured. Study 2 questioned whether or not attitudes toward appraisal were the result of the existing appraisal system's effectiveness. Study 3 explored the relationship between attitudes toward appraisal and supervisory style as measured by the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ), and Study 4 examined the relationship between supervisory style and the quality of performance standards generated in WP&PR. The model for selecting appraisal parameters was only partially supported by the data. Attitudes toward WP&PR were not significantly related to standards' quality or job objectivity. Job objectivity was, however, predictive of the quality of performance standards. change was unrelated to standards' In addition, attitude quality. Supervisory style was found to be related to attitudes toward an immediate supervisor as the source of appraisal; however, it was not related to standards' quality. Exploratory analyses using self-report measures of system effectiveness resulted in greater support of the model. Problems with criteria for measuring appraisal effectiveness and directions for future research / Doctor of Philosophy

by Chun Yerk-Lan Evelyn. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-136). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.ix / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.x / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.xii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Objective of Study --- p.1 / Scope of Study --- p.2 / Company Background --- p.2 / Maersk Hong Kong Limited --- p.2 / Printed Circuits International (Hong Kong) Limited --- p.3 / Data Source --- p.4 / Definition of Performance Appraisal --- p.4 / Purposes of Performance Appraisal --- p.5 / Controversial Issues Associated with Performance Appraisal --- p.6 / Types of Performance Appraisal Methods --- p.7 / Non-judgemental Performance Measures --- p.7 / Judgemental Performance Measures --- p.7 / Brief Review of Common Types of Performance Appraisal Methods --- p.8 / Chapter II. --- PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM -MAERSK HONG KONG LIMITED - --- p.9 / History of Performance Appraisal System --- p.9 / Procedures of the Performance Appraisal Exercise --- p.9 / The Appraisers and the Appraisees --- p.11 / Steps of the Appraisal Exercise --- p.11 / Uses of the Performance Appraisal --- p.12 / The Performance Appraisal Form - The Format --- p.13 / The Appraisal Process - The Rating Scale --- p.14 / The Type of Appraisal --- p.15 / Difficulties in Administering the Appraisal Exercise --- p.15 / The Central Tendency Effect --- p.16 / The Extreme Values Usage Pattern --- p.17 / The Percentage Distribution of Scores --- p.18 / Strictness and Leniency in Applying the Rating Scale --- p.18 / Relative Scoring Pattern of the Different Dimensions --- p.19 / Staff Reaction Towards the Performance Appraisal Exercise - Some Appraisers' Viewpoint --- p.20 / Chapter III. --- PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM -PRINTED CIRCUITS INTERNATIONAL (HONG KONG) LIMITED - --- p.23 / History of Performance Appraisal System --- p.23 / Procedures of the Performance Appraisal Exercise --- p.24 / The Appraisers and the Appraisees --- p.26 / Steps of the Appraisal Exercise --- p.26 / Uses of the Performance Appraisal --- p.27 / The Performance Appraisal Form - The Format --- p.27 / The Appraisal Process - The Rating Scale --- p.28 / The Type of Appraisal --- p.30 / Difficulties in Administering the Appraisal Exercise --- p.31 / The Central Tendency Effect --- p.31 / The Extreme Values Usage Pattern --- p.32 / The Percentage Distribution of Scores --- p.33 / Strictness and Leniency in Applying the Rating Scale --- p.34 / Relative Scoring Pattern of the Different Dimensions --- p.35 / Staff Reaction Towards the Performance Appraisal Exercise - Some Appraisers' Viewpoint --- p.35 / Chapter IV. --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.36 / Design of the Systems --- p.38 / Maersk Hong Kong Limited --- p.39 / Printed Circuits International (Hong Kong) Limited --- p.39 / Problems of the Performance Appraisal Practices --- p.40 / Job-Relatedness and Job Relevancy of Appraisal Criteria --- p.40 / Room for Subjective Judgement --- p.41 / Low Discriminatory Power --- p.41 / Quality of Performance Review Session --- p.42 / Recommendations --- p.42 / Limitations --- p.45 / TABLES --- p.47 / FIGURES --- p.73 / APPENDICES --- p.75 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.135

M. Tech. Business Administration / Study of available literature has revealed that performance appraisal is often very subjective. A general concern regarding the implementation of performance appraisal by line managers is that there is a serious lack of required expertise and knowledge to decide on the performance appraisal criteria accurately. Studies on perceived fairness or organisational justice have shown that these factors strongly affect the attitude of employees, for example: job satisfaction; turnover intentions; organisational commitment; and workplace behaviour, such as absenteeism and organisational citizenship behaviour. As such, this study assessed the perceptions of employees within the Department of Labour Head Office on performance appraisal. The intention was to identify gaps in the current appraisal system and to propose strategies that can be employed in order to maximise and harmonise performance appraisal in the Department of Labour Head Office.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While the current trend among a number of organisations is to integrate performance appraisal with performance management systems or even 'replace' it with performance management systems, it is still an extremely highly utilised process. The probable reason for this, is that the major use of performance appraisal is as a management tool whereby the quality of personnel decisions can be enhanced when an effective system is in place. Ideally the use of a formal process, focused on objective, job orientated criteria, will empower management to make meaningful decisions which will not only be to the benefit of individual workers but will contribute to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation. Apart from the fact that it is used as a management tool, other major objectives of performance appraisal are to determine the administrative and developmental needs of individuals in the interests of their own progress and development as well as that of the organisation. There are therefore, two fundamental parties involved in appraisal, being the appraisee and the appraiser and it is inevitable that the approach to, or the perception of the subject should be different in some, or many ways. Aspects such as utility, fairness, ethics, motivation, accuracy, validity, rating errors, effectiveness and feedback, should therefore be examined in more detail in order to determine where specific problem areas may lie. Serious perceptual differences concerning the process will surely create obstacles and eventually lead to an inefficient system. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which differing perceptions playa role in the acceptance or rejection of the appraisal system in general terms and specifically in terms of the aspects mentioned above, from the point of view of subordinates and supervisors. The diagnostic instrument used in this study was adapted from those of Mount (1983) (named the Leadership Analysis Questionnaire) and Ie Roux (1989) to include aspects which are more in line with features of the performance appraisal system unique to the participating organisation. Two different forms of questionnaires were used in this study. One was designed for completion by subordinates and the other by supervisors. These two groups were further subdivided into two groups referred to as achievers and nonachievers. The overall response to the questionnaires was very satisfactory in that 431 of the 600 questionnaires were returned (almost 72%) of which 44 were not usable. Of the 186 supervisors' responses which could be used for statistical analysis, 80 were categorised as achievers and of the 201 subordinates' responses which could be used for statistical analysis, 38 were categorised as achievers. The research revealed statistically significant differences in perception between different computations of all groups in respect of fairness, ethics, accuracy, rater error and administrative aspects. It is recommended that future research should be directed at the underlying reasons for perceptual differences between supervisors and subordinates, regarding the factors mentioned above, with the aim of improving communication and relationships. Another area would be to investigate the feasibility of organisations incorporating performance appraisal into a more integrated performance management system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoewel talle organisasies tans daartoe neig om prestasie-beoordeling by prestasiebestuur in te skakel of om dit selfs daardeur te vervang, is dit steeds 'n hoogs aangeskrewe proses. Die waarskynlikste rede hiervoor is dat prestasie-beoordeling hoofsaaklik dien as bestuurshulp ten opsigte van die verbetering van personeelbesluite waar 'n doeltreffende stelsel reeds bestaan. Die ideaal is dat die gebruik van 'n formele proses met objektiewe, werkgeoriënteerde kriteria as uitgangspunt, bestuur bemagtig om sinvolle besluite te neem wat nie net tot voordeel van die werker as individu strek nie, maar ook tot die algehele doeltreffendheid van die organisasie. Benewens prestasie-beoordeling se bestuurshulpfunksie, is 'n ander belangrike mikpunt daarvan om die administratiewe en ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van individue te help bepaal - nie net in die belang van hul eie vordering en ontwikkeling nie, maar ook in die belang van die organisasie s'n. Daarom is daar basies twee partye betrokke by prestasie-beoordeling, naamlik die beoordelaar en diegene wat beoordeel word. Dit is dus onvermydelik dat die benadering tot of waarneming van die onderwerp in 'n paar en dikwels selfs in talle opsigte sal verskil. Dit is dus belangrik dat aspekte soos bruikbaarheid, regverdigheid, etiek, motivering, akkuraatheid, geldigheid, beoordelingsfoute, doeltreffendheid en terugvoering in groter besonderhede ondersoek word om vas te stel waar probleemareas moontlik mag voorkom. Ernstige perseptuele verskille wat die proses betref, kan stuikelblokke veroorsaak en aanleiding gee tot 'n ondoeltreffende stelsel. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel in watter mate verskillende persepsies kan bydra tot die aanvaarding of verwerping van die beoordelingstelseloor die algemeen en in die besonder ten opsigte van bogenoemde aspekte soos beskou vanuit beide die toesighouer en die ondergeskikte se oogpunt. Die diagnostiese meetinstrument wat gebruik is, is 'n aanpassing van Mount (1983) se "Leadership Analysis Questionnaire" en dié van Le Roux (1989) en sluit aspekte in wat in 'n groter mate tred hou met die eienskappe van die beoordelingstelsel eie aan die deelnemende organisasie s'n. Twee verskillende vraelyste is gebruik vir toesighouers en onder-geskiktes. 'n Bykomende verdeling is gemaak tussen presteerders en niepresteerders. Die reaksie op die vraelyste was, op die keper beskou, baie bevredigend, aangesien 431 van die 600 vraelyste terugontvang is - bykans 72%. Hiervan was 44 onbruikbaar. Van die 186 toesighouersvraelyste wat gebruik kon word vir statistiese ontleding, is 80 as dié van presteerdes geklassifiseer, en van die 2010ndergeskiktes se vraelyste 38. Die ondersoek het in sy berekeninge statistiese beduidende verskille uitgewys ten opsigte van die verskillende groepe se persepsies van regverdigheid, etiek, akkuraatheid, beoordelingsfoute en administratiewe aspekte. Daar word aanbeveel dat toekomstige navorsing gerig word op die onderliggende,redes vir die perseptuele verskille tussen toesighouers en ondergeskiktes, met inagneming van bogenoemde faktore en met die mikpunt die verbetering van kommunikasie en verhoudinge. Nog navorsing sou ook gedoen kon word om te bepaal hoe uitvoerbaar dit vir 'n organisasie sou wees om prestasie-beoordeling in te skakel by 'n stelsel wat prestasiebestuurgerig is.

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2016 / The overall aim of the study was to evaluate how Social Work Supervision affects job performance in the Department of Social Development, Polokwane Sub-District. The objectives of the study were to explore how supervision is rendered in the Department of Social Development in the Polokwane sub-district; to investigate the impact of supervision on Social Workers’ job performance and to make recommendations from the findings to the Department of Social Development in the Polokwane sub-district regarding how supervision can be improved to enhance service delivery. The study was qualitative research and researcher used descriptive research design. The data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interview from six (6) cluster supervisors and twelve (12) Social Workers who are employed by the Department of Social Development, Polokwane Sub-District. The sample consisted of cluster supervisors who had more than three months experience of providing supervision in the Department of Social Development, Polokwane Sub-District and no acting cluster supervisor was selected to participate in the study. The Social Workers had more than three months of working experience at Department of Social Development, Polokwane Sub-District. These Social Workers were not on internship programme. The researcher used thematic data analysis. The findings of this study confirmed that supervision which is rendered in the Department of Social Development, Polokwane Sub-District is conducted by supervisors who did not receive training during their academic years and after being qualified Social Workers; supervisors conduct this critical role because of their years of experience as Social Workers. Secondly Supervision sessions which are conducted by effective supervisors who have good supervisory skills have a positive impact on the job performance of Social Workers, as compare to ineffective supervisors without good supervisory skills and thirdly none adherence to structured supervision under poor working conditions without resources with high caseloads and unfair remuneration leads to burnout, and consequently contributing towards Social Workers having the intention to leave the Department of Social Development. Key words: Cluster supervisors, Social Workers, Job performance and supervision