Performance Management Theory
-------------------------------------------------
Reginald Ugaddan
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
HRD Review Paper: “Performance Management Theory: A Look from the Performer’s Perspective with Implications for HRD” by Thomas W. Buchner, University of Minnesota (Published in Human Resource Development International, Vol. 10, No. 1, 59-73, March 2007)
This article is a conceptual paper that looks into the construct of performance management and challenged and discussed it along two lines: to what degree does theoretical support for performance management exist as it is applied in organizations; and from the performer’s standpoint, how performance management might be improved.
The succeeding sections of this paper will show some relevant motivation theories by exploring their strength of connections to applied performance management system. Lastly, the implications for HRD will be presented.
Brief Summary of the Article The concept of performance management has gained strong attention to improve results in the midst of challenging economic conditions. Many organizations instead of waiting for external improvements such as market growth and technological advances, they looked into their internal capabilities for performance and productivity gains. Performance management has been defined as management’s systematic application of processes aimed at optimizing performance in an organization (Warren, 1982). There is an emphasis on process that somewhat carries a negative connotation in the performer’s perspective – something done to people. While a more progressive definition was given by Weiss and Hartle (1997): ‘A process for establishing a shared understanding about what is to be achieved, and how it is to be achieved, and an approach to managing people that increases the probability of achieving success’ (p. 3), this definition continues to represent a top-down orientation.
Reginald Ugaddan
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
HRD Review Paper: “Performance Management Theory: A Look from the Performer’s Perspective with Implications for HRD” by Thomas W. Buchner, University of Minnesota (Published in Human Resource Development International, Vol. 10, No. 1, 59-73, March 2007)
This article is a conceptual paper that looks into the construct of performance management and challenged and discussed it along two lines: to what degree does theoretical support for performance management exist as it is applied in organizations; and from the performer’s standpoint, how performance management might be improved.
The succeeding sections of this paper will show some relevant motivation theories by exploring their strength of connections to applied performance management system. Lastly, the implications for HRD will be presented.
Brief Summary of the Article The concept of performance management has gained strong attention to improve results in the midst of challenging economic conditions. Many organizations instead of waiting for external improvements such as market growth and technological advances, they looked into their internal capabilities for performance and productivity gains. Performance management has been defined as management’s systematic application of processes aimed at optimizing performance in an organization (Warren, 1982). There is an emphasis on process that somewhat carries a negative connotation in the performer’s perspective – something done to people. While a more progressive definition was given by Weiss and Hartle (1997): ‘A process for establishing a shared understanding about what is to be achieved, and how it is to be achieved, and an approach to managing people that increases the probability of achieving success’ (p. 3), this definition continues to represent a top-down orientation.