Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves xxiv-xviii). Also available in print.

M.B.A. / Many organisations have approached employee remuneration in new ways in recent years. Most of these new approaches are based on the principles of aligning a portion of individual or team remuneration to achievement against specific goals. Such systems are most commonly referred to as performance based remuneration systems. Alpha (Pty) Ltd has very recently introduced a performance based remuneration system aimed at individuals within the organisation. It is evident that there is no single system that can be applied across the infinite number of organisations globally, and that developing any ideal performance related system requires careful consideration of many variables. To develop and implement an effective system within any organisation, requires custom tailoring the system to best suit that organisation. This research paper aims to analyse what impact the introduction of an individual performance based remuneration system has had within the cement business unit of Alpha (Pty) Ltd, how the findings of the research compare to the theoretical reference on the subject, and whether there is room for improvement to the existing system.

This study is intended to analyze employee acceptance of an alternative reward system that reinforces continuous learning, teamwork, major expansion of individual capabilities, business knowledge application, and business unit (team) performance. This system is in contrast with traditional pay systems that reward seniority and individual performance determined by the subjective ratings of a direct supervisor, with pay increases based mainly on current job grade (and the availability of higher job grades within the company) and comparison with market value of the job. Individuals from three areas of a major electronics manufacturing company in the southwestern part of the United States served as subjects.

Interest in teacher effectiveness and merit pay has continued to be a high priority for major stakeholders in the field of education as well as the public. The focus of this research was to test the hypothesis that the implementation of a classroom bonus plan would improve the observable attributes and behaviors of teaching that have been determined to be effective in improving student learning. Specifically, the study was conducted to measure intentional teacher-student interactions, classroom quality, environment and organization as well as emotional and instructional support in Pre-K classrooms as measured by Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). During a summer Voluntary PreK program, six eligible classroom teams (teacher and teacher assistant) were randomly divided into either a bonus or non-bonus group. A pre- and post-CLASS was completed on each classroom team of participants to evaluate the quality of their instruction. The CLASS score assesses team versus individual participation, resulting in a compiled score based on the performance of all classroom staff members, i.e., teacher and teacher assistant. There was no statistical significance of the CLASS post-assessment score between the bonus and non-bonus group. However, two of the four bonus group participant teams achieved the targeted scores needed to receive a bonus. None of the non-bonus group achieved the targeted score. Additionally, pre- and post-assessment data for the entire student population of the Agency Summer VPK program was examined. There was no significance in student post-assessment scores between the three groups (bonus, non-bonus, and nonparticipants)

Merit pay refers to the awarding of differential amounts of financial rewards to deserving employees based on their individual performances as measured by Performance appraisal and Rating. The idea is that such a practice would act as a spur to all employees -- both deserving and undeserving-- to improve their productivity to earn the extra pay. The systemic effect would be enhanced organizational productivity and effectiveness. Although it has fallen in and out of favor over the years, as its long history in the public sector shows, interest in the concept endures. So has the controversy surrounding its efficacy or the lack thereof. This dissertation is an attempt to further our understanding of the potential of merit pay in the public sector. To this end, it makes a critical assessment of the efficacy or the lack thereof of merit pay programs in the public sector. This has been done by integrating the findings of thirty-six empirical studies that examined such programs. Twenty-nine of these studies elicited from employees their perceptions affected of how merit pay in their organizations has employee motivation, productivity, and organizational effectiveness. The remaining seven represent authors' (non-respondent) conclusions regarding the effect of merit pay on the above variables in the organizations they examined. Taking all in all, the findings of this study show that merit pay has not significantly enhanced employee motivation, productivity, or organizational effectiveness. In addition, virtually all of the shortcomings and organizational behavioral problems identified in the literature with regard to the implementation of merit pay were found to have plagued the merit pay programs examined in these empirical studies. These problems seem to be ubiquitous and endemic. However, the goal-setting aspect of the merit pay process was found to have led to improvement in employee performance. Two main recommendations are made. First, organizations should use goal-setting. It can yield beneficial results without the headaches of merit pay. Second, and more desirably, efforts at enduring motivation and productivity improvement should be directed toward promoting teamwork in the workplace and creating a culture that fosters commitment to organizational purposes and cooperation among persons and units within the organization. / Ph. D.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

教師素質乃影響教育品質的重要因素，美國對中小學教師實施的表現本位付給計畫，用以提高教師專業素養，可作為我國改革師範教育的借鏡。本研究的目的有三：（一）探討美國功績付給計畫及生涯階梯計畫兩種表現本位付給計畫的背景、理論基礎及實施現況；（二）評析美國表現本位付給計畫的實施成效；（三）歸納研究發現，對我國教育提出建言。 　　本研究採取文獻分析法，蒐集資料，根據相關主題，欲兼顧橫向與縱向分析。 　　經過文獻分析之後，得出本研究的結論： 　　一、美國表現本位付給計畫乃師資改革的途徑。 　　二、表現本位付給計畫以教師表現的成績作為加給的依據，並具有一套評鑑系統來決定獎賞與否。 　　三、表現本位付給計畫面臨表現的定義、付給的作用、評鑑客觀性及財政負擔等問題。 　　四、兩種表現本位付給計畫中，生涯階梯計畫對教師職能分級，設有教學昇遷管道，安排較為完善，將成為美國表現本位付給計畫的主流。 　　根據研究結果，我國實施表現本位付給計畫，應採取下述措施： 　　一、在教育行政方面 　　　（一）制定表現本位付給計畫時，必須兼顧人事決策（考績）與輔導教師專業成長兩大目標。 　　　（二）深入研究並了解優良表現的內涵。 　　　（三）所安排之酬賞制度應能激發教師表現優良。 　　　（四）及早建立教師生涯階梯制度。 　　　（五）建立一套可信而有效的評鑑系統。 　　　（六）應設法贏得立法機構、教師及相關人員的支持與參與。 　　　（七）採取其他相關措施包括：準備足夠的經費、營造良好組織氣氛、改善教師工作生活的品質、建立教師換証制度、結合現行的教師實習制度及從地方到中央建立一套完備的進修制度。 　　二、學校方面 　　　（一）建立以學校為中心的教師進修制度。 　　　（二）成立校內評鑑委員會。 　　　（三）增加教師參與決定學校事務的機會。 / The performance-based pay plans that include merit pay plans and career ladder plans have emerged as one approach to improving the quality of teacher in America.Because of increasing criticism of educational standards and alleged decline in professional ability of teachers in our country, to base pay onteachers'performance in America is a solution of our educational problems.The three purposes of this study are (1) to investigate the history, relational theories and contents of performance-based pay plans , (2) to review theeffects of performance-based pay plans, and (3) to provide suggestions for ourteachers' education by the findings of this research.The literature analysis reveal that (1) Performance-based pay plans can improve the quality of teachers; (2) Performance-based pay plans have some problems including the difficults of a valid definition of performance, the issue of validity of using pay as a motivator, the complaints against evaluation systems, and high cost etc, ; (3)Career ladder plans which utilize the idea of career ladder that teacher canatuain higher pay and higher professional status will be the currently popular proposals of performance-based pay plans.The study yield a set of recommendations for the design of performance-based pay plans:(1) The purposes of plans are to make decisions about the retention, transfer, or dismissal of staff members and to help teachers about professional growth; (2) Good performance need be clearly studied and realized; (3) The reward system canmotivate teacher; (4) Teacher career ladders must be established; (5)The systemof evaluation is reliable and valid; (6)Legislature, teacher and others involvedsupport the plans; (7) The school-based in-service education system must be established; (8) Let teachers involve in making decisions about school; (9)other administrative policies are used.

This mixed-methods sequential explanatory study explored the causes of teachers' resistance to evaluation reform. Teachers in this study demonstrated both resistant and compliant behaviors in response to a particular evaluation policy, which also started a process for teachers to express concerns over the implementation of a new law governing teachers' careers. This research study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection and analysis, including surveys, interviews, and program documents. The responses, insights, and perspectives of 433 public school teachers provided the primary data in this study. The results indicated that the process by which the government of Peru implemented evaluation procedures negatively affected teachers' motivation toward compliance and thus impaired the success of the reform. This study also revealed that although teachers opposed evaluation, they agreed with the idea of an evaluation policy. Further, when given the opportunity to voice their opinions about evaluation procedures and the inclusion of merit pay plans into the career ladder, teachers cited overriding problems with the organizational structures in which they worked. The nullification of teachers' tenure and rights was the most important cause of teachers' resistance to evaluation-based pay plans; responses did not differ greatly between less and more experienced teachers. Finally, throughout this study it was clear that simply mandating change was not enough to successfully and effectively implement it or to achieve advances in teacher quality and student achievement. / text

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration