TABLE
OF CONTENT
CERTIFICATION
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER
1
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.4
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.6
STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
1.7
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
I.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The
long term success of an organization is related to its ability to measure how
well its employees perform within a predetermined period, and how effectively, it
uses that information to ensure that performance meets set standards, and also
improves over time (Fisher, Schoenfeldt and Shaw, 2003).
Grote
(2000) refers to this process as performance management, and describes it as a
handy umbrella term for all organizational activities involved in managing
people on the job. Performance management helps to direct and motivate
employees to maximize their efforts on behalf of the organisation; it is thus
an essential instrument for an organization to meet its strategic objectives
(Werner, Schuler, and Jackson, 2012).
Performance
appraisal (PA) is that part of the performance management process in which an
employee’s contribution to the organization, during a specific period is
assessed.
According
to Mullins (2002), the underlying objective of PA, is to improve the
performance of the individual employee, thereby leading to improvement in the
performance of the organization as a whole. PA is one of the ranges of tools
that can be used to manage performance effectively, in that it provides data
which feeds into other elements of the performance management process.
As
noted by Mathis and Jackson (2008), a PA system is often the link between
additional pay and rewards that employees receive, and their job performance.
PA can improve motivation and performance, but
if used inappropriately, it can have disastrous effects (Fisher et al,
2003). For PA to be effective, it must of necessity be anchored on the
performance criteria that have been outlined for the job. Riggio (2003)
describes performance criteria as the means for determining successful or
unsuccessful job performance. They are one of the products of a detailed job analysis.
Performance criteria spell out the specific elements of a job and make it
easier to develop the means of assessing levels of successful or unsuccessful
job performance. It can thus be inferred that an appraisal system not hinged on
this all important criteria, can neither be appropriate nor fair, particularly
to the employee, whose performance is being evaluated. In fact, some key points
in the arguments of those opposed to performance appraisal is that, most of the
time, wrong things are rated and the wrong methods used (Deming, 1986;
Gilliland and Langdon, 1998).
Situations
arise whereby only some selected job elements are evaluated or given preference
or higher points above other job elements in which the employee was equally
engaged during the review period. This calls to
question
the fairness of the appraisal system and its ability to effectively produce the
desired outcomes. Mickerney (1995) underscored the intricacy of PA by
describing it as a difficult and complex activity which is often not performed
well by many organizations. The end result of this is that it produces exactly
the opposite effect to those intended (Coleman, 1995).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In
Nigeria today, the general state of poverty makes economic reward a very important
reason why people go out to work, thereby making money to rank highly as a
critical motivator (Muo, 2007).This situation has made it imperative for
Nigerian workers to pay particular attention to human resource (HR) practices
which have direct bearing on their financial rewards and social status. One of
such HR activities is performance appraisal (PA), which is the focus of this
study.
A
major outcome of PA is promotion and its attendant increase in financial
benefits plus enhanced professional and social status (Tessema and Soeters,
2006; Shahzad, Bashir and Ramay, 2008). Performance appraisal outcomes tend to
have high motivational impact and are a major determinant of employee
performance.
It
must be emphasized that an effective performance appraisal system is one that
takes cognizance of all the components of an employee’s job performance, and
does not focus on selected ones.
If used effectively, PA can improve motivation
and performance, but if used inappropriately, it can have disastrous effects
(Fisher et al, 2003). For PA to be effective, it must of necessity be
anchored on the performance criteria that have been outlined for the job which
in many case is overlooked. Riggio (2003) describes performance criteria as the
means for determining successful or unsuccessful job performance. They are one
of the products of a detailed job analysis. Performance criteria spell out the
specific elements of a job and make it easier to develop the means of assessing
levels of successful or unsuccessful job performance. It can thus be inferred
that an appraisal system not hinged on this all important criteria, can neither
be appropriate nor fair, particularly to the employee, whose performance is
being evaluated. In fact, some key points in the arguments of those opposed to
performance appraisal is that, most of the time, wrong things are rated and the
wrong methods used (Deming, 1986; Gilliland and Langdon, 1998).
Therefore
the problem confronting this research is to appraise the effect of performance
appraisal techniques on employee motivation.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
I What is the nature of performance appraisal
technique
2
What is the nature of employee
motivation
3
What is the effect of performance
appraisal technique on employee motivation
4
What is the nature of performance
appraisal technique on employee motivation in the akwaibom state civil service.
1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
1
To determine the nature of performance
appraisal techniques
2
To determine the nature of employee motivation
3
To determine the effect of performance
appraisal technique on employee motivation
4
To determine the effect of performance
appraisal technique on employee motivation in the akwaibom state civil services
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
study shall provide a conceptual and analytical appraisal of performance appraisal technique and its
effect on employee motivation. It shall serve a veritable source of information
to managers and human resource professionals.
1.6 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
1 Ho
Performance appraisal is not
significant in akwaibom state civil service
Hi
Performanace appraisal is significant in akwaibom state civil service
2 HoEmployee motivation in akwaibom state civil service is low
Hi
Employee motivation in akwaibom state civil service is high
3 Ho
The effect of performance appraisal technique on employee motivation In
akwaibom state civil service is low
Hi The effect of performance appraisal
technique on employee motivation In akwaibom state civil service is high
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study focuses on the appraisal of performance appraisal technique on employee motivation with a case study
of the Akwa ibom state civil service.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
Performance
appraisal (PA) is that part of the performance management process in which an
employee’s contribution to the organization, during a specific period is
assessed. According to Mullins (2002), the underlying objective of PA, is to
improve the performance of the individual employee, thereby leading to
improvement in the performance of the organization as a whole. PA is one of the
ranges of tools that can be used to manage performance effectively, in that it
provides data which feeds into other elements of the performance management
process. As noted by Mathis and Jackson (2008), a PA system is often the link
between additional pay and rewards that employees receive, and their job
performance.
Motivation
Armstrong
(2012) defines motivation as the force that energizes, directs, and sustains
behaviour. It is concerned with the strength and direction of behavior, and the
factors that influence people to behave in certain ways. Mathis and Jackson
(2008) view motivation as the desire within a person that causes that person to
act in order to reach a goal. Robbin (2000), offered a specific work-related
definition of motivation as the willingness to exert high levels of effort
towards organizational goals, conditioned by the effort and ability to satisfy
some individual need. Roy (2001) defined work motivation as a process of
energizing employees to the work goals through a specific path.
Essay
appraisal method
In this technique, the assessor writes a brief
essay providing an assessment of the strengths, weaknesses and potential of the
subject. In order to do so objectively, it is necessary that the assessor knows
the subject well and should have interacted with them. Since the length and
contents of the essay vary between assessors, essay ratings are difficult to
compare. Again, this technique requires considerable time and thinking to write
something meaningful for all subordinates. The rater must be very observant in
order to 'get enough information to write on each employee. If the manager is a
weak writer, his employee may get weak rating.
Graphic
rating scale
A graphic scale assesses a person on the quality of
his or her work (such as; average; above average; outstanding; or
unsatisfactory). Assessment here could also be trait centred and cover
observable traits, such as reliability, adaptability, communication skills,
quantity and quality of work, job knowledge, cooperativeness, dependability,
initiative, industriousness, attitude, judgment etc. For managerial positions,
typical qualities include analytical ability, judgment, leadership, creative
ability, initiative, knowledge of work, and emotional ability etc. At the end
of the form, there is a section for general remarks and suggestions for future
actions. Although graphic scales seem simplistic in construction, they have
application in a wide variety of job responsibilities and are more consistent
and reliable in comparison with essay appraisal. The utility of this technique
can be enhanced by using it in conjunction with the essay appraisal technique.
This technique is very common in many organisations in Nigeria.
Field
review method
Since individual assessors differ in their
standards, they inadvertently introduce bias in their ratings. To overcome this
assessorrelated bias, essay and graphic rating techniques can be combined in a
systematic review process. In the field review method, a member of the Human
Resource Management (HRM) staff may meet a small group of assessors from the
supervisory units to discuss each rating, systematically identifying areas of
interassessor disagreement. It can then be a mechanism to help each assessor to
perceive the standards uniformly and thus match the other assessors. Although
field review assessment is considered valid and reliable; it is very time
consuming.
leaders.