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Chapter 6—Performance Management and Appraisal
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. _____ is a series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance it needs
from its employees.
a. Performance management
b. Performance appraisal
c. Performance planning
d. Performance improvement
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: The Nature of Performance Management
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 118
3. Which of the following statements is true of organizations that practice the entitlement approach?
a. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are based on individual
performance differences.
b. Employee rewards vary significantly from person to person and are not much based on
individual performance differences.
c. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not much based on individual
performance differences.
d. Employee rewards vary significantly from person to person and are based on individual
performance differences.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: The Nature of Performance Management
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 119
9. Which of the following is true of the administrative and developmental roles of performance
appraisals?
a. The rater plays the role of a judge in an administrative role and plays the role of a coach in
a developmental role.
b. The rater plays the role of a coach in an administrative role and plays the role of a judge in
a developmental role.
c. The rater plays the role of a coach in both the administrative role and the developmental
role of performance appraisals.
d. The rater plays the role of a judge in both the administrative role and the developmental
role of performance appraisals.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Performance Appraisals
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 123
12. _____ can help make a manager more responsive toward employees.
a. Rating of supervisors by subordinates
b. Self-rating
c. Peer rating
d. Rating of subordinates by supervisors
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Who Conducts Appraisals?
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 127
13. _____ is especially useful when supervisors do not have the opportunity to observe each employee’s
performance but other work group members do.
a. Outsider rating
b. Self-rating
c. Peer rating
d. Employees rating managers
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Who Conducts Appraisals?
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 128
14. Employees working in isolation or possessing unique skills may be particularly suited to _____.
a. outsider rating
b. self-rating
c. peer rating
d. multisource rating
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Who Conducts Appraisals?
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 128
15. A panel of division managers evaluating a supervisor’s potential for advancement in an organization is
an example of _____.
a. outsider rating
b. self-rating
c. peer rating
d. multisource rating
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Who Conducts Appraisals?
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 128–129
16. _____ recognizes that for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and crosses
departmental, organizational, and even national boundaries.
a. Outsider rating
b. Self-rating
c. Peer rating
d. 360-degree rating
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Who Conducts Appraisals?
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 129
17. The simplest methods for appraising performance are _____, which require a manager to mark an
employee’s level of performance on a specific form divided into categories of performance.
a. graphic rating scales
b. category scaling methods
c. comparative methods
d. narrative methods
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 130
18. The _____ allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum indicating low to high
levels of a particular characteristic.
a. graphic rating scale
b. category scaling method
c. comparative method
d. narrative method
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 130
19. Which of the following belongs to the descriptive category in graphic rating scales?
a. Decision making
b. Employee development
c. Quantity of work
d. Communication effectiveness
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 130
20. Which of the following belongs to the behavioral dimensions in graphic rating scales?
a. Attendance
b. Dependability
c. Quantity of work
d. Communication effectiveness
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 130
21. The use of _____ can cause rater error because the form might not accurately reflect the relative
importance of certain job characteristics, and some factors might need to be added to the ratings for
one employee, while others might need to be dropped.
a. graphic rating scales
b. category scaling methods
c. comparative methods
d. narrative methods
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 132
22. _____ require that managers directly evaluate the performance levels of their employees against one
another, and these evaluations can provide useful information for performance management.
a. Graphic rating scales
b. Category scaling methods
c. Comparative methods
d. Narrative methods
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 133
23.The _____ method lists the individuals being rated from highest to lowest based on their performance
levels and relative contributions.
a. ranking
b. critical incident
c. essay
d. forced distribution
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 133
25. _____ is a technique for distributing ratings that are generated with any of the other appraisal methods
and comparing the ratings of people in a work group.
a. Behavioral rating scales
b. Forced distribution
c. Essay method
d. Critical incident
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 133
26. If employers do not require a(n) _____, performance appraisal ratings often do not match the normal
distribution of a bell-shaped curve.
a. ranking method
b. critical incident
c. forced distribution
d. essay method
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension PAGE: 133
28. In the _____ method, the manager keeps a written record of both highly favorable and unfavorable
actions performed by an employee during the entire rating period.
a. forced distribution
b. ranking
c. essay
d. critical incident
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 134
29. The _____ method requires a manager to write a short write-up describing each employee’s
performance during the rating period.
a. forced distribution
b. ranking
c. essay
d. critical incident
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 134
30. Which of the following is typically the first stage in implementing a guided self-appraisal system using
MBO?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Development of performance standards
c. Setting of objectives
d. Job review and agreement
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 134
31. Which of the following is typically the last stage in implementing a guided self-appraisal system using
MBO?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Development of performance standards
c. Setting of objectives
d. Job review and agreement
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 134
32. Josh, an HR manager at RoxCom LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system
using management by objectives in his organization. He has reviewed the job description and the key
activities that constitute the employee’s job. Which of the following is typically the next step for Josh?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Development of performance standards
c. Setting of objectives
d. Implementation of the standards
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Reflective Thinking TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Application PAGE: 134
33. Zara, an HR manager at Fluxin LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system
using management by objectives in her organization. She has developed specific standards for
performance. Which of the following is typically the next step for Zara?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Implementation of the performance standards
c. Setting of objectives
d. Job review and agreement
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Reflective Thinking TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Application PAGE: 134
34. Luke, an HR manager at Rexi LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system
using management by objectives in his organization. He has established objectives that are realistically
attainable. Which of the following is typically the next step for Luke?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Development of performance standards
c. Determining a satisfactory level of performance
d. Job review and agreement
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Reflective Thinking TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Application PAGE: 134
35. The _____ occurs when a rater gives greater weight to the latest events when appraising an
individual’s performance.
a. leniency error
b. recency effect
c. primacy effect
d. central tendency error
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
36. The _____ occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an
individual’s performance.
a. leniency error
b. recency effect
c. primacy effect
d. central tendency error
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
37. The _____ occurs when a rater gives all employees an average rating.
a. leniency error
b. recency effect
c. primacy effect
d. central tendency error
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
38. The _____ occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale.
a. leniency error
b. recency effect
c. primacy effect
d. central tendency error
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
39. The _____ occurs when a manager uses only the lower part of the scale to rate employees.
a. leniency error
b. recency effect
c. primacy effect
d. strictness error
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
40. The _____ occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of performance in
one area.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. contrast error
d. similar-to-me error
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
41. The _____ occurs when a low rating on one characteristic leads to an overall low rating.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. contrast error
d. similar-to-me error
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
42. The _____ is the tendency to rate people relative to one another rather than against performance
standards.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. contrast error
d. similar-to-me error
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
43. If the rater has seen only a small specimen of the person’s work, an appraisal may be subject to _____.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. contrast error
d. sampling error
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Training Managers and Employees in Performance
Appraisal
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 136
TRUE/FALSE
1. The performance management process starts by identifying the strategic goals an organization needs to
accomplish to remain competitive and profitable.
2. Performance appraisal is the entire series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the
performance it needs from its employees.
3. In the performance-driven organizational culture, employee rewards vary little from person to person
and are not much based on individual performance differences.
7. The number of cars sold by a car salesman is classified as a subjective measure of performance.
11. The developmental function of performance appraisals can identify areas in which the employee might
wish to grow.
12. An informal appraisal is used when a system is in place to report managerial impressions and
observations on employee performance and feature a regular time interval.
13. Peer and team ratings are especially useful only when supervisors have the opportunity to observe each
employee’s performance.
14. A disadvantage of the outsider rating approach is that outsiders may not know the important demands
within the work group or organization.
15. The major purpose of 360-degree feedback is to increase uniformity by soliciting like-minded views.
16. One concern of multisource rating is that those peers who rate poor-performing coworkers tend to
inflate the ratings so that the peers themselves can get higher overall evaluation results in return.
17. Companies must only use multisource feedback primarily as an administrative tool.
19. When creating a BARS system, identifying important job dimensions, which are the most important
performance factors in a job description, is done first.
20. With the ranking method, the ratings of employees’ performance are distributed along a bell-shaped
curve.
21. The forced distribution method lists the individuals being rated from highest to lowest based on their
performance levels and relative contributions.
22. In the critical incident method, the manager keeps a written record of both highly favorable and
unfavorable actions performed by an employee during the entire rating period.
23. Development of performance standards is typically the first stage of management by objectives.
24. The recency effect occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when
appraising an individual’s performance.
25. The leniency error occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale.
26. The contrast error occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of
performance in one area.
27. The halo effect is the tendency to rate people relative to one another rather than against performance
standards.
28. A major concern for managers in performance management is how to emphasize the positive aspects
of the employee’s performance while still discussing ways to make needed improvements.
SHORT ANSWER
ANS:
Performance management is a series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the
performance it needs from its employees. At a minimum, a performance management system should
do the following:
ANS:
Some corporate cultures are based on an entitlement approach, meaning that adequate performance and
stability dominate the organization. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not
much based on individual performance differences. As a result, performance appraisal activities are
seen as having few ties to performance and being primarily a “bureaucratic exercise.”
At the other end of the spectrum is a performance-driven organizational culture focused on results and
contributions. In this context, performance evaluations link results to employee compensation and
development.
ANS:
Performance criteria vary from job to job, but common employee performance measures include the
following:
• Quantity of output
• Quality of output
• Timeliness of output
• Presence/attendance on the job
• Efficiency of work completed
• Effectiveness of work completed
ANS:
Performance standards define the expected levels of employee performance. Sometimes they are
labeled benchmarks, goals, or targets—depending on the approach taken. Realistic, measurable, clearly
understood performance standards benefit both organizations and employees.
ANS:
Organizations generally use performance appraisals in two potentially conflicting ways. One use is to
provide a measure of performance for consideration in making pay or other administrative decisions
about employees. This administrative role often creates stress for managers doing the appraisals and
the employees being evaluated because the rater is placed in the role of judge. The other use focuses
on the development of individuals. In this role, the manager acts more as a counselor and coach than as
a judge. The developmental performance appraisal emphasizes current training and development
needs, as well as planning employees’ future opportunities and career directions.
ANS:
Multi-source feedback recognizes that for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and
crosses departmental, organizational, and even national boundaries. Therefore, it is designed to capture
evaluations of the employee’s different roles from different raters to provide richer feedback during an
evaluation.
ANS:
Behaviorally anchored rating scales describe specific examples of job behaviors that are then measured
against a scale of performance levels.
ANS:
To be effective, a performance management system, including the performance appraisal processes,
should be:
• beneficial as a development tool;
• useful as an administrative tool;
• legal and job related;
• viewed as generally fair by employees;
• effective in documenting employee performance;
• clear about who are high, average, and low performers.
ESSAY
1. Describe performance-focused organizational cultures.
ANS:
Organizational cultures can vary on many dimensions, and one of these differences involves the degree
to which performance is emphasized. Some corporate cultures are based on an entitlement approach,
meaning that adequate performance and stability dominate the organization. Employee rewards vary
little from person to person and are not much based on individual performance differences. As a result,
performance appraisal activities are seen as having few ties to performance and being primarily a
“bureaucratic exercise.” At the other end of the spectrum is a performance-driven organizational
culture focused on results and contributions. However, a pay-for-performance approach can present
several challenges to organizations. Despite these issues, it appears that where possible, a
performance-based-pay culture is desirable. It is sometimes argued that companies are not doing
enough about poor performers, and that failure to deal with poor performance is unfair to those who
work hard.
ANS:
Managers can use three different types of information about employee performance. Trait-based
information identifies a character trait of the employee, such as attitude, initiative, or creativity, and
may or may not be job related. For example, conscientiousness is often found to be a trait that is an
important determinant of job performance. But traits tend to be ambiguous, and favoritism of raters
can affect how traits are viewed, so court decisions generally have held that trait-based performance
appraisals are too vague to use when making performance-based HR decisions such as promotions or
terminations. Also, focusing too much on trait characteristics such as “potential” can lead managers to
ignore important behaviors and outcomes. Behavior-based information focuses on specific behaviors
that lead to job success. For a waitperson, the behavior “menu up-selling” can be observed and used as
performance information. Additionally, an HR Director who institutes an “open-door policy” behaves
in a manner that likely increases communication with employees. Behavioral information can specify
the behaviors management wants to see. A potential problem arises when any of several behaviors can
lead to successful performance, and employees rely on different behaviors to complete work. For
example, one salesperson might successfully use one verbal persuasion strategy with customers, while
another salesperson might use another successfully because no one approach can be utilized effectively
by all individuals. Results-based information considers employee accomplishments. For jobs in which
measurement is easy and obvious, a results-based approach works well. For instance, a professor might
receive extra compensation for securing grants or publishing papers in certain academic journals, or a
salesperson in a retail outlet might receive extra commission pay based on how many products are
sold.
ANS:
Three administrative uses of appraisal impact managers and employees the most: (1) determining pay
adjustments; (2) making job placement decisions on promotions, transfers, and demotions; and (3)
choosing employee disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment. A
performance appraisal system is often the link between employee job performance and the additional
pay and rewards that they can receive. Performance-based compensation affirms the idea that pay
raises are given for performance accomplishments rather than based on length of service (seniority), or
granted automatically to all employees at the same percentage levels. In pay-for-performance
compensation systems, managers have evaluated the performance of individuals and have made
compensation recommendations. If any part of the appraisal process fails, better-performing
employees may not receive larger pay increases, and the result is perceived inequity in compensation.
Many U.S. workers say that they see little connection between their performance and the size of their
pay increases due to flaws in performance appraisals. Consequently, many people argue that
performance appraisals and pay discussions should be done separately. Two major realities support
this view. One is that employees often focus more on the pay received than on the developmental
appraisal feedback. The other is that managers sometimes manipulate ratings to justify the pay they
wish to give individuals. As a result, many employees view the appraisal process as a game, because
compensation increases have been predetermined before the appraisal is completed. To address these
issues, managers can first conduct performance appraisals and discuss the results with employees, and
then several weeks later hold a shorter meeting to discuss pay issues. For example, one company
created different performance appraisal and compensation forms that are considered separately at
different times. By adopting such an approach, the results of the performance appraisal can be
considered before the amount of the pay adjustment is determined. Also, the performance appraisal
discussions between managers and employees can focus on issues for improvement—not just pay
raises.
ANS:
For employees, a performance appraisal can be a primary source of information and feedback. By
identifying employee strengths, weaknesses, potentials, and training needs through performance
appraisal feedback, supervisors can inform employees about their progress, discuss areas in which
additional training may be beneficial, and outline future developmental plans. It is clear that
employees do not always know where and how to perform better, and managers should not expect
improvement if they are unwilling to provide developmental feedback. The purpose of giving feedback
on performance is both to reinforce satisfactory employee performance and to address performance
deficiencies. The developmental function of performance appraisal can also identify areas in which the
employee might wish to grow. For example, in a performance appraisal interview targeted exclusively
to development, an employee found out that the only factor keeping her from being considered for a
management job in her firm was the lack of a working knowledge of cost accounting. Her supervisor
suggested that she consider taking some night courses at the local college. The use of teams provides a
different set of circumstances for developmental appraisals. The manager may not see all of an
employee’s work, but the employee’s team members do. Team members can provide important
feedback. However, whether teams can handle administrative appraisals is still subject to debate;
clearly some cannot. When teams are allowed to design appraisal systems, they tend to “get rid of
judgment” and avoid differential rewards. Thus, group appraisal may be best suited to developmental
rather than administrative purposes.
ANS:
Supervisory rating of subordinates
The most widely used means of rating employees is based on the assumption that the immediate
supervisor is the person most qualified to evaluate an employee’s performance realistically and fairly.
To help provide accurate evaluations, some supervisors keep performance logs of employees’
accomplishments so that they can reference these notes when rating performance. For instance, a sales
manager might periodically observe a salesperson’s interactions with clients and make notes so that
constructive performance feedback can be provided at a later date.
Team/Peer Rating
Having employees and team members rate each other is another type of appraisal with the potential to
both help and hurt. Peer and team ratings are especially useful when supervisors do not have the
opportunity to observe each employee’s performance but other work group members do. For instance,
some of the advanced training programs in the U.S. military use peer ratings to provide candidates
more extensive feedback about their leadership qualities and accomplishments. Peer evaluations are
also common in collegiate schools of business where professors commonly require students to conduct
peer evaluations after the completion of group-based projects. One challenge of this approach is how
to obtain ratings with virtual or global teams, in which the individuals work primarily through
technology, not in person (i.e., an online college class). Another challenge is obtaining ratings from
and for individuals who are on many special project teams throughout the year. It is possible that any
performance appraisal, including team/peer ratings, can negatively affect teamwork and participative
management efforts. Although team members have good information on one another’s performance,
they may not choose to share it in the interest of sparing feelings; alternatively they may unfairly
attack other group members. Some organizations attempt to overcome such problems by using
anonymous appraisals and/or having a consultant or HR manager interpret team/peer ratings.
Self-Rating
Self-appraisal works in certain situations. As a self-development tool, it requires employees to think
about their strengths and weaknesses and set goals for improvement. Employees working in isolation
or possessing unique skills may be particularly suited to self-ratings because they are the only ones
qualified to rate themselves. Overall, the use of self-appraisals in organizations has increased. For
instance, one organization successfully incorporated self-ratings into a traditional rating approach that
did not generate enough dialogue and direction for individual development; reactions from both
workers and supervisors were favorable. However, employees may use quite different standards and
not rate themselves in the same manner as supervisors.
Outsider Rating
People outside the immediate work group may be called in to conduct performance reviews. This
“field review” approach can include someone from the HR department as a reviewer, or completely
independent reviewers from outside the organization. Examples include a review team evaluating a
college president or a panel of division managers evaluating a supervisor’s potential for advancement
in the organization. A disadvantage of this approach is that outsiders may not know the important
demands within the work group or organization. The customers or clients of an organization are good
sources for outside appraisals. For sales and service jobs, customers may provide useful input on the
performance behaviors of employees. For instance, many hospitality organizations such as restaurants
and hotels use customer comments cards to gather feedback about the service provided by customer
contact personnel, and this information is commonly used for job development purposes.
ANS:
Multisource rating, or 360-degree feedback, has grown in popularity in organizations. Multisource
feedback recognizes that for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and crosses
departmental, organizational, and even national boundaries. Therefore, information needs to be
collected from many sources to adequately and fairly evaluate an incumbent’s performance in one of
these jobs. The major purpose of 360-degree feedback is not to increase uniformity by soliciting like-
minded views. Instead, it is designed to capture evaluations of the employee’s different roles to
provide richer feedback during an evaluation. For example, an HR manager for an insurance firm deals
with seven regional sales managers, HR administrators in five claims centers, and various corporate
executives in finance, legal, and information technology. The Vice President of HR uses 360-degree
feedback to gather data on all facets of the HR manager’s job before completing a performance
appraisal on the individual. Similar examples can be cited in numerous managerial, professional,
technical, operational, and administrative jobs. Significant administrative time and paperwork are
required to request, obtain, and summarize feedback from multiple raters. Using electronic systems for
the information can greatly reduce the administrative demands of multisource ratings and increase the
effectiveness (i.e., privacy and expediency) of the process.
As originally designed and used, multisource feedback focuses on the use of appraisals for the
development of individuals. Conflict resolution skills, decision-making abilities, team effectiveness,
communication skills, managerial styles, and technical capabilities are just some of the developmental
areas that can be examined.
The popularity of 360-degree feedback systems has led to the results being used for compensation,
promotion, termination, and other administrative decisions. When using 360-degree feedback for
administrative purposes, managers must anticipate the potential problems. Differences among raters
can present a challenge, especially when using 360-degree ratings for discipline or pay decisions. Bias
can just as easily be rooted in customers, subordinates, and peers as in a boss, and the lack of
accountability of those sources can affect the ratings. “Inflation” of ratings is common when the
sources know that their input will affect someone’s pay or career. Also, issues of confidentiality and
anonymity have led to lawsuits. Even though multisource approaches offer possible solutions to some
of the well-documented dissatisfaction associated with performance appraisals, a number of other
questions have arisen as multisource appraisals have become more common.
Research on multisource/360-degree feedback has revealed both positives and negatives. More
variability than expected may be seen in the ratings given by the different sources. Thus, supervisor
ratings may need to carry more weight than peer or subordinate input to resolve the differences. One
concern is that those peers who rate poor-performing coworkers tend to inflate the ratings so that the
peers themselves can get higher overall evaluation results in return. Also, some wonder whether
multisource appraisals really create sufficiently better decisions to offset the additional time and
investment required. These issues appear to be less threatening when the 360-degree feedback is used
only for development, so companies should consider using multisource feedback primarily as a
developmental tool to enhance future job performance while minimizing the use of multisource
appraisals as an administrative tool.
ANS:
The graphic rating scale allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum
indicating low to high levels of a particular characteristic. Because of the straightforwardness of the
process, graphic rating scales are common in performance evaluations. Three aspects of performance
are appraised using graphic rating scales: descriptive categories (such as quantity of work, attendance,
and dependability), job duties (taken from the job description), and behavioral dimensions (such as
decision making, employee development, and communication effectiveness). Each of these types can
be used for different jobs. How well employees meet established standards is often expressed either
numerically (e.g., 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) or verbally (e.g., “outstanding,” “meets standards,” “below standards”).
If two or more people are involved in the rating, they may find it difficult to agree on the exact level of
performance achieved relative to the standard in evaluating employee performance. Notice that each
level specifies performance standards or expectations to reduce variation in interpretations of the
standards by different supervisors and employees. Graphic rating scales in many forms are widely used
because they are easy to develop and provide a uniform set of criteria to evaluate the job performance
of different employees. However, the use of scales can cause rater error because the form might not
accurately reflect the relative importance of certain job characteristics, and some factors might need to
be added to the ratings for one employee, while others might need to be dropped. If they fit the person
and the job, the scales work well. However, if they fit poorly, managers and employees who must use
them frequently might complain about “the rating form.” A key point must be emphasized. Regardless
of the scales used, the focus should be on the job duties and responsibilities identified in job
descriptions. The closer the link between the scales and what people actually do, as identified in
current and complete job descriptions, the stronger the relationship between the ratings and the job, as
viewed by employees and managers. Also, should the performance appraisal results be challenged
legally, the closer performance appraisals measure what people actually do, the more likely employers
are to prevail in a lawsuit.
An additional drawback to graphic rating scales is that separate traits or factors are often
grouped, and the rater is given only one box to check. For example, dependability could refer
to meeting deadlines for reports, or it could refer to attendance and tardiness. If a supervisor
gives an employee a rating of 3, which aspect of dependability is being rated? One supervisor
might rate employees on meeting deadlines, while another rates employees on attendance.
Another drawback is that the descriptive words sometimes used in scales may have different
meanings to different raters. Terms such as “initiative” and “cooperation” are subject to many
interpretations, especially if used in conjunction with words such as “outstanding,” “average,”
and “poor.”
PTS: 1 DIF: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: Tools for Appraising Performance
KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge PAGE: 130–132
ANS:
Management by objectives (MBO) specifies the performance goals that an individual and manager
identify together. Goal setting has a long history of research in HR. Each manager sets objectives
derived from the overall goals and objectives of the organization; however, MBO should not be a
disguised means for a superior to dictate the objectives of individual managers or employees.
MBO Process: Implementing a guided self-appraisal system using MBO is a four-stage process. The
stages are as follows:
The MBO process seems to be most useful with managerial personnel and employees who have a
fairly wide range of flexibility and control over their jobs. When imposed on a rigid and autocratic
management system, MBO will often fail. Emphasizing penalties for not meeting objectives defeats
the development and participative nature of MBO.
ANS:
There are many possible sources of error in the performance appraisal process. One of the major
sources is the rater. Although completely eliminating errors is impossible, making raters aware of
potential errors and biases helps.
Varying Standards: When appraising employees, a manager should avoid applying different standards
and expectations to employees performing the same or similar jobs. Such problems often result from
the use of ambiguous criteria and subjective weightings by supervisors.
Recency and Primacy Effects: The recency effect occurs when a rater gives greater weight to recent
events when appraising an individual’s performance. Another time-related issue is the primacy effect,
which occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an
individual’s performance.
Central Tendency, Leniency, and Strictness Errors: Appraisers who rate all employees within a narrow
range in the middle of the scale (i.e., rate everyone as “average”) commit a central tendency error,
giving even outstanding and poor performers an “average” rating. The leniency error occurs when
ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale. The strictness error occurs when a manager
uses only the lower part of the scale to rate employees.
Rater Bias: When a rater’s values or prejudices distort the rating, rater bias results. Such bias may be
unconscious or quite intentional. For example, a manager’s dislike of certain ethnic groups may cause
distortion in appraisal information for some people. Use of age, religion, seniority, sex, appearance, or
other “classifications” may also skew appraisal ratings if the appraisal process is not properly
designed. A review of appraisal ratings by higher-level managers may help correct this problem.
Halo and Horns Effects: The halo effect occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria
because of performance in one area. The opposite is the horns effect, which occurs when a low rating
on one characteristic leads to an overall low rating.
Contrast Error: One problem is the contrast error, which is the tendency to rate people relative to one
another rather than against performance standards. Although it may be appropriate to compare people
at times, the performance rating usually should reflect comparison against performance standards, not
against other people.
Sampling Error: If the rater has seen only a small sample of the person’s work, an appraisal may be
subject to sampling error. Ideally, the work being rated should be a broad and representative sample of
all the work done by the employee.
ANS:
After completing appraisals, managers need to communicate results to give employees a clear
understanding of how they stand in the eyes of their immediate superiors and the organization.
Organizations commonly require managers to discuss appraisals with employees. The appraisal
feedback interview provides an opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings on both sides. The
appraisal interview presents both an opportunity and a challenge. It can be an emotional experience for
the manager and the employee because the manager must communicate both praise and constructive
criticism. A major concern for managers is how to emphasize the positive aspects of the employee’s
performance while still discussing ways to make needed improvements.
Employees usually approach an appraisal interview with some concern. They may feel that discussions
about performance are both personal and important to their continued job success. At the same time,
they want to know how their managers feel about their performance. Managers who must complete
appraisals of their employees often resist the appraisal process. Many feel that their role requires them
to assist, encourage, coach, and counsel employees to improve their performance. However, being a
judge on the one hand and a coach and a counselor on the other hand may cause internal conflict.
Knowing that appraisals may affect employees’ future careers may also cause altered or biased ratings.
This problem is even more likely when managers know that they will have to communicate and defend
their ratings to the employees, their bosses, or HR specialists. Managers can simply make the
employee’s ratings positive and avoid unpleasantness. But avoidance helps no one. A manager owes
an employee a well-done appraisal, no matter how difficult an employee is, or how difficult the
conversation about performance might be. Likewise, employees being appraised may not necessarily
agree with the manager doing the appraising. However, in most cases, employees will view appraisals
done well as what they are meant to be—constructive feedback. Many employees want appraisals but
some may find it difficult to get honest feedback.
Regardless of the approach used, managers must understand the intended outcome of performance
management. When performance management is used to develop employees as resources, it usually
works. Done well, performance management can lead to higher employee motivation and satisfaction.
To be effective, a performance management system, including the performance appraisal processes,
should be:
Two other typical cases of irregular quartz twinning may also with
advantage be demonstrated. The first is a plate in which there are
repeated 60° V-shaped or 120° wedge-shaped intrusions of one
variety into a greater mass of the other variety. The border of the V
or 120° wedge is composed of a ribbon, the outer edges of which are
spectrum-coloured and the central line of which is formed by the
deep black band, which is separated on each side from the spectra by
a white strip. Some idea of the beauty of this quartz plate, which was
generously lent to the author by Prof. S. P. Thompson, as projected
on the screen under crossed Nicols, may be gathered from Fig. 91,
Plate XIX., the upper homogeneous part of the plate being coloured a
brilliant green, and the lower part red.
The second is an irregular interpenetration of one variety into the
other, in repeated V-shapes occupying the lower half of the image of
the plate as seen on the screen in the dark field of the projection
polariscope, like a range of sharp mountain peaks, the black bands
being so rapidly repeated as to be nearly continuous. These darker
portions thus appear to form the bulk of the mountains, while the
upper untwinned half of the crystal shows a clear and even sky blue;
to make the resemblance to a range of Alpine mountains even more
complete, the wavy line of demarcation between the twinned and
non-twinned portions of the plate is bordered by a white ribbon, of
varying width, giving the appearance of a snow-cap to each peak,
which shows up clearly against the blue sky. It will be obvious that
this quartz plate affords an altogether very beautiful series of
phenomena in parallel polarised light on the screen, for the colours
change with every movement of the analysing Nicol from the crossed
position, the appearance for which has just been described. Fig. 92,
Plate XIX., gives only the faintest idea of the beauty of the screen
picture afforded by this section-plate. The effect chosen as best for
photographic reproduction purposes is one afforded when the
analysing Nicol is rotated somewhat away from the crossed position
with respect to the polariser.
And now we arrive finally at amethyst quartz, three very beautiful
hexagonal plates of which—cut perpendicularly to the optic axis as
usual for quartzes intended to display optical activity, from an
apparently single hexagonal prism in each case—will be taken as
typifying the phenomena exhibited by this especially interesting
variety of quartz on the screen in parallel polarised light. The smaller
one affords a screen picture, with Nicols not quite crossed, such as is
portrayed in Fig. 93, Plate XX. We observe that the area of the
hexagon is roughly divisible into six 60°-sectors, and that alternate
ones are uniformly coloured, indicating that they belong to wholly
right-handed or left-handed quartz; whereas the other alternate
sectors are most beautifully marked, as if by line shading parallel or
inclined at 30° to the edges of the hexagon, by a considerable
number of equally spaced dark or slate coloured bands, close
together but separated by white bands, with a trace of spectrum
colours along the middle of the latter. If we rotate the analysing Nicol
somewhat we can readily find a position, which is not always that of
crossed Nicols, for which these parallel bands of laminar twinning
are most clearly defined, as shown in the illustration, the colours of
the other sectors ever changing during the rotation.
PLATE XX.