Effectiveness of Performance and Reward Management System in River Island Fashion Retailer

This research study explores the effectiveness of implementing a performance and reward management system in River Island fashion retailer to improve employee productivity. It discusses the factors considered in measuring employee performance, the benefits of implementing the system, and strategies for better implementation. The study aims to identify the effectiveness of the system and recommend ways to improve it. The research questions focus on the effectiveness of the system, factors considered in measuring performance, benefits of implementation, and strategies for performance and reward management. The study is significant as it can help fashion retailers improve employee performance and increase staff retention rate.

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL FORM
Please Type in the appropriate spaces. Boxes will expand as you type.
The provisional title of Your Dissertation.
REWARD AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN RIVER ISLAND
FASHION RETAILER.
An Exploratory study of the effectiveness of performance and reward management
system adopted by River Island for improving productivity of employees.
Describe the topic(s) or issue(s) you wish to investigate for your Dissertation.
These must relate to the subjects that comprise your program of study and must
indicate what your aims /objectives / research questionswill be.
INTRODUCTION
Performance and reward management is an ongoing process followed by companies in
order to make sure that a set of activities meet organization’s goals by focusing on
performance of employees. This research study is based on River Island that is well-
known high street fashion brand. It operates in a number of worldwide markets. This
research study is going to discuss effectiveness of implementing performance and
reward management system in this fashion retailer and ways in which this system can
make it beneficial. It will further discuss ways in which employees’ performance can be
improved by just implementing performance management system.Research
methodology also plays a vital role in research study as its elements such as data
collection, analysis helps scholars in completing study successfully.
The main problem that this study is going to address is staff turnover rate in
organization. By knowing effective ways of implementing performance management,
companies like river Island fashion retailer can manage performance of employees and
can retain them within business.
Aim:
The main aim behind conducting this research is: “To identify effectiveness of
performance and reward management system for improving productivity of employees”.
A study on River Island fashion retailer.
 To decide on the factors that what is required and need to be measured, what is
required to be tracked.

Objective:
 To assess the effectiveness of reward and performance management system on
employee performance within River Island?
 To identify factors River Island focuses on while measuring the performance of
its employees.
 To discuss benefits of implementing reward and performance management
system for River Island and its employees.
 To recommend strategies or ways for better implementation of performance and
reward management system?
Research Questions:
1. What is some effectiveness of reward and performance management system for
improving employees’ performance?
2. Which factors need to be considered by River Island retailer while measuring
employees’ performance?
3. Which benefits does River Island can take by implementing reward and
performance management?
4. Which strategies should be used by river Island for performance and reward
management?
Rationale and significance
The main reason of selecting this topic is to help fashion retailers in improving
performance of employees and maintaining discipline by managing and measuring
performance or employees. By conducting study on this topic, fashion retailers can
increase staff retention rate that can improve their image in the market. It is one of my
interesting topics as I wanted to know some better ways by which employers can
improve overall performance of employees.
It was the my interesting topic on which I wanted to conduct a study and this topic has
wider scope as it can help students at academic level in knowing importance of
managing performance.
Literature Review
Theme 1: What is reward and performance management system and reasons of using
In regard to performance management and rewards system Franco‐Santos and Otley,
(2018) stated that these are systems that helps companies in measuring and developing
performance of employees within organization. It helps companies in making a balance
and alignment of performance with strategic goals. In addition, it is also stated that

performance management systems serve as an important feeder to human resources in
order to develop their performance. These systems provide detailed information to
employees that can help them out in improving performance and decreasing errors.
Training is known as one of the best way of improving and managing performance.
Quadri, (2019) contradicted and said that reward and performance management system
refers a set of mechanism for distributing intangible and tangible returns as an important
part of employment relationship. Long term incentives, allowances, income protection
are some types of rewards that are being provided to employees in order to motivate them
and retaining within business for the long run. SO, the overall reason of making use of
these systems within business is to motivate employees towards meeting goals of
company and improving performance.
Theme 2:Factors that need to be considered during the reward and performance
management in an organization
There are numbers of factors that are being considered while measuring performance of
employees and providing rewards to employees. In regard to factorsFischer, Malycha and
Schafmann, (2019) stated that communication skills, time management and some soft
skills are being considered while providing rewards to employees. Employees’
performance is being measured by evaluating their skills of communicating with others
and knowing whether employees possess ability of adapting new things, ability to
complete all projects in a timely manner and others.
Pham, Tučkováand Jabbour, (2019) argued and said that all these skills are being
considered while recruitment and selection but for providing rewards and managing
performance, employees’ previous performance is being compared with current
performance. With the number of satisfied customers, feedbacks of customers,
productivity of company, revenue and sales rate, performance is being measured. So, for
managing performance and providing rewards, customers’ feedbacks are being
considered as they mention name of employees who have provided them services and as
per the type of feedbacks, performance of employees are being measured. When
employees get rewards and are being managed as per their performance then it boosts
their confidence and other employees also strive hard for getting rewards.
Theme 3: Effectiveness of implementing performance and reward management systems
Performance management and rewards systems play a vital role and there are numbers of
advantages of implementing them. According to the Centobelli,Cerchioneand Esposito,

(2018) performance and rewards management system improves productivity of
companies. When employees’ performance is being measured or evaluated and they are
being provided rewards accordingly then it makes them feel valued. Motivated and
valued employees perform their roles and functions with more concentration that leads
qualitative services. When customers get qualitative products then they stay with
company that improves image of company and increase productivity.
Magpiliand Pazos, (2018) argued above view and said that according to them by
implementing performance and reward management systems, companies can take
competitive advantages and can increase staff retention rate. With improved
performance management systems, employers can motivate employees towards
meeting their professional goals and striving hard for taking promotional and other
opportunities. Motivated employees stay loyal with companies and they support their
companies in taking competitive advantages by producing qualitative products and
services. Quality is one of the main key of success of companies. For taking promotional
and other opportunities employees bring innovative ideas and by providing unique and
attractive services that help their company in becoming the market leader.
Research Methodology
Research type: Research type refers a form in which data are being gathered by researcher
in order to accomplish goals.Qualitative and quantitative are 2 main types of research in
which data are being gathered in different forms. As per the qualitative, non-numerical data
are being gathered and as per the quantitative, numerical data are being collected. For this
study, qualitative or non-numerical data will be collected.
Research approach: A plan with some steps of gathering and analysis data is known as
research approach. Research approach is all related with theories. When researcher
generate a new theory related to the research topic for gathering and analyzing data then it
is known as inductive research approach (Zeidan, Van Holt and Whelan, 2020). When
researcher develops an existing theory and analyze data hypothetically then it is known as
deductive research approach. For this study, inductive approach will be used because of its
relevancy with qualitative research.
Data collection: There are 2 types of data collection such as first hand or primary and
secondary. In primary type, data are being gathered for the first time by conducting
questionnaire, interview and others (Kalu,Unachukwuand Ibiam, 2019). In secondary type,
informationis being collected that have been published before via google scholar, articles
and others. Researcher does not have access of company that is why researcher will collect

secondary data.
Data analysis: After selecting the main research type and data collection, scholar select
appropriate data analysis tools. If researcher conduct qualitative research or collect non-
numerical data, then qualitative data analysis tools are being used. For numerical or
quantitative research, quantitative data analysis tools are being used. For this study, scholar
will analyze data with thematic or qualitative data analysis tool.
Ethical consideration: Ethics that are known as moral principles also play a vital role in
research study. Ethics helps scholars in making their study effective by knowing the
difference between the right conduct and the wrong conduct (Cascio and Racine, 2018). By
knowing this difference, research can be improved and it can help scholar in improving
their image. Some ethics that will be considered by scholar while conducting this study
include:
 To gather secondary data that have published within 5 years for positive outcomes.
 To maintain confidentiality by not sharing any information with other researchers
and companies.
 To perform all functions with effectiveness.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from above research study is performance and rewards
management systems play a vital role as it helps employers in improving their
performance. It has further discussed some advantages that retailers can have by
implementing both these systems and ways by which they can make themselves
competitive in the market. It has also discussed effectiveness of collecting secondary data
rather collecting primary and situations when researcher collects secondary type of data.
For better implementation and measuring performance of employees, employers need to
consider some factors and all these factorshave been discussed in this study.
REFERENCES
Books and journals
Cascio, M.A. and Racine, E., 2018. Person-oriented research ethics: integrating relational

and everyday ethics in research. Accountability in research. 25(3). pp.170-197.
Centobelli, P., Cerchione, R. and Esposito, E., 2018. Aligning enterprise knowledge and
knowledge management systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness
performance: A three-dimensional Fuzzy-based decision support system. Expert
Systems with Applications. 91. pp.107-126.
Fischer, C., Malycha, C.P. and Schafmann, E., 2019. The influence of intrinsic motivation
and synergistic extrinsic motivators on creativity and innovation. Frontiers in
psychology. 10. p.137.
Franco‐Santos, M. and Otley, D., 2018. Reviewing and theorizing the unintended
consequences of performance management systems. International Journal of
Management Reviews. 20(3). pp.696-730.
Kalu, A.O.U., Unachukwu, L.C. and Ibiam, O., 2019. Accessing secondary data: A literature
review.
Magpili, N.C. and Pazos, P., 2018. Self-managing team performance: A systematic review
of multilevel input factors. Small Group Research. 49(1). pp.3-33.
Pham, N.T., Tučková, Z. and Jabbour, C.J.C., 2019. Greening the hospitality industry: How
do green human resource management practices influence organizational
citizenship behavior in hotels? A mixed-methods study. Tourism Management. 72.
pp.386-399.
Quadri, A.A., 2019. Employees perception on effective reward system and motivating
incentives to enhance performance in Irish owned restaurants: A case study of
reward management system in Comet Restaurant Dublin (Doctoral dissertation,
Dublin Business School).
Zeidan, R., Van Holt, T. and Whelan, T., 2020. Existence inductive theory building to study
coordination failures in sustainable beef production. Journal of Cleaner
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