Performance Appraisal: A Critical Comparison of Two Research Papers

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Advanced
Critical Writing
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Introduction
Several techniques of performance appraisals are been extensively used in
organizations to analyze and evaluate employee's performance throughout each
organizational level. Recently, many public and private limited companies have employed
formal performance appraisals frameworks to evaluate individual effort based on opinions
and judgments made by peers, managers, subordinates, and supervisors including employees
themselves. Thereby, this paper proposes to examine and evaluate two critical research
papers on performance appraisal, Prowse & Prowse (2009) and Prasad (2015). This paper
will discuss key themes of both the papers and the issues addressed in them. Besides, this
paper will analyse the legitimacy in both the articles by making a critical comparison of the
articles from other research papers comprising similar topics. Despite all the comparison
made and issues identified, the critics suggest a comprehensive performance appraisal
process that can enable organizations with developed motivation, feedback, identification of
training and development that can potentially develop employee's satisfaction and wellbeing
besides justifying rewards.
Critical comparison
Performance appraisal systems (PA) is considered as one of the key tools in
organizations that have made use of appraisals very common in the human resources
management field. With regards to it, Prowse & Prowse (2009) estimated the use of formal
performance appraisal systems in the article “The dilemma of performance appraisal” and
finds that about 80-90% of organizations in the UK and USA use appraisals which is
gradually increasing each year. The authors perform a literature review on performance
appraisal and evaluates its historical development from management perspectives to link it
with current appraisals and performance management systems. The techniques used in the

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article critically analyze the increase seen in employees' job satisfaction and organizational
commitment, focussing majorly on UK and USA literature contribution on performance
appraisals and organizational performance. Prasad (2015), on the other hand, draws upon
current literature by making a comprehensive examination of the relationship between
motivation and job satisfaction gained through performance appraisal systems in his article “
Performance Appraisal: An Empirical Study to understand Job Satisfaction and Motivation
of personnel through the system”. To do the same, the author made a study of 115 individuals
belonging to diversified industries and finds a positive correlation between motivation and
job satisfaction through PA system in them.
In literature, various theories have been introduced that can help in comprehending
the relationship between PA and job satisfaction. Cognitive psychology research reveals that
challenging and measurable goals help in creating alignment between individuals' and
organizations' objectives which leads to higher motivational levels thereby impacting
employee work effort also. Moreover, Locke's Goal setting theory implies that very goal
accomplishment can be closely related to satisfaction within employees. Therefore,
Kampkötter (2014) claims that “Frequently, organizations link goal achievement to
remuneration systems such as performance-related pay" (p. 3). The evidenced-based claim by
the author can be compared to research made by (Prasad, 2015) where the author finds that
if employees want to improve their job performance, their PA system must hold a positive
objective and deliverable techniques. Accordingly, job satisfaction is believed to have
emerged from diversified factors such as PA, organizational characteristics, job features,
human resource processes and personal characteristics of employees. The research made
further suggests that employees' job satisfaction level is highly dependent on their goal
determinations. Remarkably, performance-oriented employees believe that working hard may
not always lead to enhanced performance rather working hard can lead to low competencies