Business Management -- Performance Appraisal Essay

While the supervisor still maintains the role of performance appraiser and evaluator, the more modern role also allows the supervisor to solicit input directly from the subordinate (Daft, 2005; Russell-Whalling, 2008).

In that regard, some of the most important information relates to the subordinate's perspective of the possible factors that may contribute to less-than-optimal performance (Russell-Whalling, 2008). Furthermore, the modern approach to personnel and performance management also recognizes that the most effective systems also include elements of bottom-up evaluations in addition to the traditional top-down evaluations (Daft, 2005; Russell-Whalling, 2008). Naturally, bottom-up evaluations are more informal than top-down evaluations (Daft, 2005), but they often provide important information that enables supervisors recognize their own limitations and shortcomings in addition to allowing subordinates to supply valuable information pertaining to what they know about their own learning styles (Daft, 2005).

The traditional performance appraisal and personnel management approach serves the purpose of evaluating performance and ranking employees with respect to one another. However, it provides considerably less benefit in terms of enabling supervisors and organizations to get the most out of their employees. Ultimately, the modern approach incorporates all of the traditional goals of basic performance appraisal within a framework that also promotes the maximum professional development of the individual employee as well.

References

Daft, R. (2005). Management 7th Edition. Mason: Thomson…