Critique Of Research Methodology

Running head: CRITIQUE OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1
Critique of Research Methodology
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CRITIQUE OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2
Critique of Research Methodology
How effective are performance appraisals and incentives on employees’ motivation?
For an organisation to survive and grow, it must evaluate the performance of employees
and their continuous development. Management is usually obliged to make sure workers are
properly motivated to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives. For managers to motivate
the workforce, they have to implement performance appraisal systems and incentives that they
can use to appreciate best-performing employees and distinguish between poor, average, and
good of employees. However, some researchers find performance appraisals and incentives to be
over-emphasized since sometimes they do not achieve the intended goals. According to (Grubb,
2017), for example, when an employee becomes focused on the appraisals and incentives instead
of performing the tasks, their interest in the task itself can reduce. The primary purpose of this
essay is to critically evaluate the methodology that will be used to conduct a study to establish
the relationship between performance appraisals/incentives on employees’ motivation.
This study will employ ex-post-facto survey design to examine how the independent
variable (performance appraisals and incentives) affects the dependent variable (employees’
motivation). A sample of 2100 employees from the case study organisation, Royal Prince Alfred
Hospital, will be randomly selected from a list of 4000 staff members who work for this
organisation. To collect data from the participants, questionnaires on performance appraisals and
motivation will be prepared and validated. The data collection instrument will consist of 30 items
and it will measure 7 dimensions that are, motivation, goals setting, knowledge of performance
appraisals and incentives, performance appreciation, rewards, HR practices, and performance
feedbacks. The scale will employ five (5) point Likert Scale that shall range from 1=strongly
agree to 5=strongly disagree. The Scale’s internal reliability will be determined by Guttman

CRITIQUE OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3
Split-half coefficient and Cronbach’s Alpha method. For the entire Scale, Guttman Split half
method α = 0.781 and Cronbach’s alpha α = 0.836. The collected data will be analysed by use of
Multiple Regression Analysis, frequencies, and percentages.
The methodology selected for this study will most probably address the research question
and enable the researcher to comprehend whether performance appraisals and incentives are
essential employee motivation tools. However, there is also a possibility that this methodology
will be impractical and/or unsuitable for answering the research question. In order to establish
whether it will bring out reliable study results, it is vital to evaluate it critically looking at it from
all dimensions and acknowledging views from different sources.
Grubb, (2007) states that an ex-post-facto survey design is a splendid design that a
researcher can use to examine the impact a variable (independent variable) has on another (the
dependent variable). According to him, this design can be applied to show a correlation where a
more rigorous experiment is not possible. In this case scenario, it is not possible to rigorously
experiment how employees at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital are appraised or incentivized, but
through ex-post-facto survey design, it is easy to establish whether those appraisals and
incentives actually motivate them. The researcher, as Sharma, (2019) points out, will be able to
focus on the effect and determine whether the two variables have a correlation. Nonetheless,
unlike an experimental research, the ex-post-facto survey design does not allow the researcher to
directly manipulate the independent variable (the cause) since he/she predicts the cause on the
basis of the dependent variable (the effect). This characteristic of ex-post-facto survey design is a
limitation and Sehic, (2017) points out, the researcher might not be able to provide a logical
explanation for the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. This
implies that the study might not bring out a reliable conclusion on whether performance