Is the performance appraisal enough to guarantee better employee performance - Essay Example

? Is the performance appraisal enough to guarantee better employee performance? Dissertation Methodology Inserts His/Her Inserts Instructor’s name Table of Contents 1. Aims 3 2. Objectives 3 3. Research Problem/ Research Questions 3-4 4. Research Design 4 4.1 Research Method 4-6 4.2 Sampling 6 4.3 Problems in Research/ Ethics 7 4.4 Data gathering and analysis 7-8 4.5 Evaluation 8 References Appendix 1. Aims of the Research: The aim of this research is to identify, describe, and critically analyze the factors, other than the traditional performance appraisal, responsible for employee performance in organizations and to conclude whether or not performance appraisal is a significant factor responsible for employee performance in organizations. 2. Objectives of the Research: This proposed study maintains three distinct objectives: 1. What are the current performance appraisal tools in use by most contemporary organisations designed to foster improved human capital development and motivation? 2. What are alternative methodologies for improving performance unrelated to the performance appraisal? 3. What factors, internally, create higher levels of worker motivation either associated with or outside of the performance appraisal template? 3. Research Problem and Research Questions: The problem in question is to investigate the significance of performance appraisal in guaranteeing improved employee performance by analyzing, in critical depth, the case studies of contemporary organizations as measured by the Balanced Scorecard, Investors in People (IiP) indices and the Employee Engagement Index. This specific research questions that will be answered are: 1) Are employees aware of the need for methods other than performance appraisal to gauge employee performance? 2) How convinced are managers about the need for methods other than performance appraisal to gauge employee performance? 3) What are the drawbacks of using performance appraisal as the only tool for gauging employee performance? 4) What alternative methods are available to the organization for ensuring improved employee performance? 5) What is the cost of each alternative? 6) Do the employees favor the implementation of the chosen alternatives? 7) Does management favor the implementation of the chosen alternatives? 8) What will be the impact of each alternative on employee performance? 4. Research Design 4.1 Research Method: The research is both descriptive and causal in nature. In the descriptive part, the research will identity the findings of previous researchers regarding the effectiveness of performance appraisal in guaranteeing employee performance. After the descriptive analysis, the research will establish a link between the how strongly related performance appraisal is with employee performance and what other factors might be possible causes of employee performance. Both the primary and secondary sources will be used which are detailed as follows: Secondary Sources: The purpose of the desk research portion of the study is to gain hard data on pre-existing performance appraisal templates and their known outcomes, in real-life business environments, to gain an understanding of how the process is implemented and how employees have historically responded to these methodologies. Additionally, this secondary research effort will improve understanding of what drives motivational responses in modern worker populations, based on performance criteria laid out by real-life organisations. During the course of the research, alternative methodologies other than the performance appraisal, designed to build better human capital, will be explored. It will act as the foundational knowledge necessary to approach fulfilment of the study’s objectives and build an appropriate primary research design strategy (Nargundkar, 2003). The procedure will entail consultation with appropriate journals and textbooks that describe performance-related phenomenon in the organisational environment (Smith, 2008). Additionally, reputable website content will be consulted as provided by university leadership across the globe and case study representations of motivational theory and the use of performance appraisals as a means of fostering improved organisational and worker efficiency. Case studies of various organizations in London shall be used for initial exploratory findings. Results from a study conducted by students of University of Cranfield regarding the IiP (Bourne & Franco-Santos, 2010) shall also be used. Findings from this secondary research effort will be compiled to create the research tools needed for fulfilment of the primary research portion of this study. Hard data uncovered in this process, either in the form of statistics or case studies, will be presented in the study’s literature review as foundational knowledge. Primary Sources: Primary data can be seen as a reliable set of data because its source is validated as it was done by the researcher herself (Bryman & Bell, 2007). The primary data for this research shall be collected using surveys (questionnaires and interviews) and focus groups (of 6-8 respondents each). The focus groups shall be conducted first in order to provide important insights that help frame questions in the questionnaire for the survey (Krueger & Casey, 2009). There shall be two focus groups: one of the managers and the other of employees. Respondents will be given a questionnaire template consisting of closed-ended questions related to attitude, motivation, manager/worker relationships, and incentives. Questionnaires shall be both self administered and otherwise. The first half of the questionnaire shall be directly related to the topic and the other half shall include questions on demographics of the employees such as age, gender, income level. A 15- 20 question survey will be designed with a simple 1-10 ranking scale related to performance, motivation and attitude regarding manager/worker relationships; however, ratio scales shall be used in obtaining personal information such as age, income level and tenure with the organization. “Ranking scales provide researchers with signs and symbols that mean something rather than fractionalizing or limiting human capacity” (Schindler & Cooper, 2006). Interviews shall be conducted via the telephone and email with managers and employees of reputed organizations in the London (including those recognized by the Investors in People (IiP). Both quantitative and qualitative techniques shall be used; however, due to nature of the research (behavioral) the qualitative research shall be used extensively. 4.2 Sampling: For qualitative analysis the sample will consist of approximately 40 workers and managers from several different industries to gain a cross-section of attitudes and methodologies related to employee performance. For quantitative purposes, the population will consist of 30 – 40 workers in the same industries, different than the sample chosen for the qualitative portion of the study. Industries chosen for the purpose of sampling shall include financial services, food processing and engineering. This will give more data regarding worker attitudes related to performance and internal political structures. Non probability sampling will be used since the intention is to survey a particular segment of the population; that is, employees and managers working for organizations. Stratified sampling will be used by dividing employees into strata or clusters of organizations; that is, the total number of units on the random number table shall be divided by the respective sample sizes for obtaining the number of employees to be selected from each cluster (Sarndal et al., 2003). 4.3 Problems in Research/ Ethics: During the research it will ensured that there are no ethical issues. There shall always be an informed consent while primary research is conducted; it will be ensured that no sensitive information is extracted from the interviewees and survey-takers. A statement of confidentiality shall be given in each questionnaire so that respondents are encouraged to give the correct responses rather than those that are socially desirable. There may be response bias coming from employees who do not want to expose their true views as well as managers who resist leaking sensitive information. For this purpose, it shall be ensured that questions are not loaded and are kept as simple and straightforward as possible. All the research material that has been taken through secondary sources shall be cited properly though the Harvard referencing style. I also understand that plagiarism is illegal; therefore, it shall be ensured that all work is properly cited and that due credit is given. 4.4 Data gathering and analysis: Gathering of primary data shall take a maximum of two weeks whereas gathering of secondary data would be a continuous process throughout the research. Simple statistical analysis shall be made owing to the behavioral nature of data. Since this is more of a behavioral research than otherwise, the statistical analysis shall include mean, median, mode, standard deviation, histograms, correlation and simple regression analysis. Computer tabulation shall be used to enhance accuracy of input and output. The data from both portions of the study will be compared to the knowledge in the literature review to compare or contrast approaches and methodologies. Data shall be reported in charted format, such as pie or line graphs, with mean analysis represented in similar chart format as associated with each question listed on the quantitative survey and qualitative questionnaire. Discussion of results will be based on analysis of secondary data and other findings both hypothesized and unexpected from the chosen sample groups. 4.5 Evaluation The Gantt chart for the activities of the research is given in Appendix 1. The research design is expected to achieve the research aims and objectives stated at the beginning of this chapter. The research shall begin after approval of initial submissions including the proposal and the research methodology. References: Bourne, P.M. & Franco-Santos, D.M., 2010. Investors in People, Managerial Capabilities and Performance. Research Thesis. Cranfield: University of Cranfield Cranfield School of Management. Bryman, A. & Bell, E., 2007. Business Research Methods. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Krueger, R.A. & Casey, M.A., 2009. Focus groups: a practical guide for applied research. New Jersey: Sage Publications. Nargundkar, R., 2003. Marketing Research-Text & Cases. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw-Hill. Sarndal, C.-E., Swensson, B. & Wretman, J., 2003. Model assisted survey sampling. New York: Springer-Verlag Inc. Schindler, P.S. & Cooper, D.R., 2006. Marketing Research. New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw-Hill. Smith, E., 2008. Using Secondary Data in Educational and Social Research. New Jersey: Open University Press. Task Id Task Name Week 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Wk 15 Wk 16 Wk 17 Wk 18 Wk 19 Wk 20 Wk 21 Wk 22 Wk 23 Wk 24 I Research Planning II Library Research III Planning for primary research IV Gathering of primary data V Analyses of primary data VI Draft copy of dissertation VII Final Dissertation submission Appendix 1 Key Tasks: Milestone: Read More