Performance Appraisal and Employee Motivation at Waitrose

This research proposal examines the effectiveness of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation, focusing on Waitrose as a case study. The study includes a detailed business context, exploring the importance of employee motivation for organizational success and the role of performance appraisal techniques. The research aims to identify different types of performance appraisal systems, analyze their effectiveness on employee motivation, and determine the importance of motivated staff for Waitrose's overall performance. The methodology involves qualitative research using questionnaires to gather data from 50 managers, with ethical considerations for data collection and participant anonymity. The proposal includes a literature review covering various appraisal systems, their effectiveness, and the significance of motivated staff, along with a planning Gantt chart and a section on professional and career development skills. The research utilizes primary data collection through questionnaires and addresses ethical considerations related to data collection and participant anonymity, ensuring the research causes no harm. The proposal also highlights the researcher's targets for developing professional and career development skills.

Research Proposal –
The Independent
Project
Research proposal (LO 2 & 6)

Research Proposal – The Independent Project
Student Number...................................................................................
Student Name...................................................................................
1. Title
To study the effectiveness of performance appraisal system on employee motivation.
A study on Waitrose.
2. Business Context
Background
Over the years, it has become vital for business organisations to motivate their employees
so that to gain competitive advantages, because rivalry is increasing day by day. In order to build
up the same, there are various performance appraisal related systems that are available in the
business environment that can be utilised by business organisation (Ogunyomiand Bruning,
2016). Here, human resource management of Waitrose was dealing with the same issue that
declined that overall performance level of company. Here, it has become vital for the company to
adopt the number of performance appraisal techniques have over time been devised to help
establish employee‘s performance.
Explain and justify the topic
In past few decades, motivation is said to be one of the crucial element that has helped
many multinational and national business organisations to deal with number of strategies.
Basically, it is said that many of the individuals within the business organisation like Waitrose
specifically deals with less motivation and here, it is said that many business organisations has
adopted number of performance appraisal system and because of this, they have gained
competitive advantages (Psomas and Antony, 2015).
Rationale
In the contemporary times, the use of performance appraisals has been extended beyond
the rating of the employee‘s performance to aspects such as motivation. The rationale behind
conducting this investigation is that it aids in enhance the skills and core competencies of a
researcher so that it can conduct an investigation significantly. It is related to the performance

appraisal and how it impact on performance employees. This is helpful in enhance the profit and
retain employees for long period of time at workplace. It helps in enhance in conceptual
knowledge and able to conduct the investigation in future (Závadský, Hitka and Potkány, 2015).
Conceptual framework meaning
It refers to the analytical tool with different types of contexts and variations. It is
applicable on several categories of work, wherein, overall picture of work can be needed. It is
mainly used to develop several kind of conceptual ideas and thoughts to get strong concept of
conceptual schemes within firm. Therefore, it is necessary for firm to make this sort of strategies
in order to achieve targeted goals in a perfect mode. Whereas, strong framework can be
applicable in several categories of working concept in a particular way.
3. Research/Project question and Objectives
Research Aim : “To identify the effectiveness of performance appraisal system on employee
motivation”. A study on Waitrose.
Research objectives:
Research objective 1: To identify different types of performance appraisal system.
Research objective 2: To analysis the effectiveness of performance appraisal system for
employee motivation.
Research objective 3: To determine importance of motivated staff for overall performance of
Waitrose.
Research questions:
 What are the different types of performance appraisal system ?
 What is the effectiveness of performance appraisal system for employee motivation ?
 What can be considered as importance of motivated staff for overall performance of
Waitrose ?
4. Literature Review
Different types of performance appraisal system
According to Kiruja, and Mukuru, (2018), performance in present time, can be defined as
elements that can be applied like skills, knowledge along with the abilities of an individual that
could effectively help an individual to perform a task. Management of a business organisation,
consists with favour of different performance appraisal related techniques but still, it is required

to have the knowledge of various performance appraisal techniques so that it may get to choose
the best possible option in the time of need. In present time, there are number of performance
appraisal system that can be utilised are given underneath:
 The 360-Degree Appraisal
 General Performance Appraisal
 Technological/Administrative Performance Appraisal
 Manager Performance Appraisal
 Employee Self-Assessment
 Project Evaluation Review Sales Performance Appraisal
As per the above literature review I have learned that this is very helpful for me to learn
so many new concepts by which I can applied so many knowledgable skills in a porper manner.
Effectiveness of performance appraisal system for employee motivation
Considering the information given by Lee, Back and Chan, (2015), there are number of
performance appraisal system that can effectively be utilised in relation to hit the targets. Here,
360 degree appraisal system can be utilised, where the effectiveness of 360 degree appraisal
systems, several issues have been identified in literature that prevents the effectiveness of such
systems. Espinilla et al., (2013) for instance notes that the use of a single type of expression
domain such as numerical or linguistic in 360 degree systems limits the ability to gather the
richness of information that reviewers provide.
According to this review I am able to make my performance great in front of everyone
also able to target my goals through focusing on different types of systems and issues.
Importance of motivated staff for overall performance of Waitrose
According to Mohrmanand Lawler, (2017), for every single business company it it said
that motivated staff is much more important so that to gain competitive advancements. Including
this, if it is talked about Waitrose, then the overall performance level could effectively be
improvised through hiring number of motivated staff. Or develop number of appraisal systems
for existing employees that are feeling less motivates. Through this, company would directly
gain competitive advantages and it could also enhance the performance level as well of the
company.

This is very effective and attractive review which would help me to motivate my all over
staff members through focusing on their actual performance in an effective manner. Therefore, it
is always considered as a important aspect of firm to achieve goals.
5. Method of Inquiry
How will you go about looking for answers to your research question?
If it is talked about the investigator, then he has considered number of authentic sources
in order to deliver the answers to the developed research questions. Here, the valid data that has
been considered would lead to find different number of answers and may aid in pulling out
favourable outcomes as well.
Use primary or secondary research?
Under this research, investigator has considered primary research, as it will help
researcher to conduct the investigation with authenticity where researcher will use fresh data
only (Kim,and Holzer, 2016).
Use quantitative or qualitative research or mixed methods? What is your justification?
Particularly for this investigation, research has utilised qualitative investigating
methodology and here, reason behind using this method is that it directly helps in getting the
knowledge in relation to different perceptions of respondents along with number of individuals
as well that were directly linked to different employees that has been considered in the
investigation (Kearney, 2018).
What research instruments will you use – questionnaire, interviews, Focus groups,
Observation? How will you ensure the validity and reliability of these?
The questionnaire instrument will be use because it helps in collect information from
large number of population within less time period. The validity and reliability will be ensure by
collecting information from the valid or authentic resources and getting positive outcomes.
What will be the population frame? What will be your sampling strategy?
50 respondents are being considered under this investigation, where they are said to be
the managers because they are known about the ways to appraise the employees performance and
methods related to it. The random sampling strategy will be used through researcher to selecting
sample size because it does not bias among people and give equal chance.
6. Ethical Considerations
Ethical issues raised by your particular project and how you propose to handle them.

Over the years, for every single researcher ethics is being considered as one of the crucial
element while conducting the investigation (Inkinen, Kianto and Vanhala, 2015). In present
investigating research, ethical issue that researcher has gone through is directly linked with data
collection tools, as investigator was not pretty much sure about which data collection related tool
would directly pull out favourable outcome authentic sources and in honest manner. In order to
overcome from this issue, an investigator use some authentic sources and collect reliable
information for getting positive outcomes.
How will you ensure participant anonymity?
Giving the anonymity of the gathered data from members of research implies that
examiner doesn't deciding data of any individual subjects. On the off chance that the undertaking
the consent form where the people that are connected with investigation will only be taken into
consideration and here, the researcher would only be sharing the data of respondents with
specialist who pursue the anonymity in research and it make improvement in collaboration
(Ayers, 2015).
How will you ensure that your research does no harm?
This examination would not get into the opinions and sentiments of respondents since it
did not depend on any delicate theme that can emerge any issue or arrive at mischief to
individuals (Bellé, 2015).

7. Planning (Gantt Chart)
8. Professional and career development skills
What are your targets for developing professional and career development skills?
I have found that aptitudes are useful in directing any sort of task in an organisation
considering the effective and efficient way. While conducting the investigating research on the
chosen topic, me and my expertise has helped me out in meeting the different outcomes along
with the abilities as well that are directly connected to all the upgrades. Along with this, it will
be required by me to build up my correspondence and research aptitudes so I can effectively
become able to finish a particular research, which may add positive results. To build up the
correspondence aptitude I will improve my listening expertise and set aside some effort to
respond over number of feedbacks that will be given by my lecturers. In identified with
creating research ability, I utilize the scholar sources to gather data and take recommendations
from my investigation. All these elements would help me out in near future to hit my daily,
short and long term related targets in specified time frame. There are so many philosophy and

approaches are used in order to learn few concepts to achieve targeted goals and objectives in
an effective manner. Along with all these assorted approaches will help me to learn and
conduct research to achieve targeted goals.
ReferencesAyers, R.S., 2015. Aligning individual and organizational performance: Goal
alignment in federal government agency performance appraisal programs. Public
Personnel Management, 44(2), pp.169-191.
Bellé, N., 2015. Performance‐related pay and the crowding out of motivation in the public
sector: A randomized field experiment. Public Administration Review, 75(2), pp.230-
241.
Inkinen, H.T., Kianto, A. and Vanhala, M., 2015. Knowledge management practices and
innovation performance in Finland. Baltic Journal of Management, 10(4), pp.432-455.
Kearney, R., 2018. Public sector performance: management, motivation, and measurement.
Routledge.
Kim, T. and Holzer, M., 2016. Public employees and performance appraisal: A study of
antecedents to employees’ perception of the process. Review of Public Personnel
Administration, 36(1), pp.31-56.
Kiruja, E.K. and Mukuru, E., 2018. Effect of motivation on employee performance in public
middle level Technical Training Institutions in Kenya. IJAME.
Lee, J.S., Back, K.J. and Chan, E.S., 2015. Quality of work life and job satisfaction among
frontline hotel employees: A self-determination and need satisfaction theory
approach. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(5),
pp.768-789.
Mohrman, A.M. and Lawler, E.E., 2017. Motivation and performance-appraisal behavior.
In Performance measurement and theory (pp. 173-194). Routledge.
Ogunyomi, P. and Bruning, N.S., 2016. Human resource management and organizational
performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(6), pp.612-634.
Psomas, E. and Antony, J., 2015. The effectiveness of the ISO 9001 quality management
system and its influential critical factors in Greek manufacturing
companies. International Journal of Production Research, 53(7), pp.2089-2099.
Závadský, J., Hitka, M. and Potkány, M., 2015. Changes of employee motivation of Slovak

enterprises due to global economic crisis.