PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, PROMOTION AND THE COURTS: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Twenty-three Title VII court cases were reviewed in order to determine the standards set by the courts in their assessment of performance appraisal systems when used as the basis for promotion decisions. The topics covered were adverse impact determination, the courts' adjudication strategy, and the evidence needed to justify the performance appraisal procedures. Among the major findings was the courts': (1) failure to adhere to the "applicant flow technique" of adverse impact determination, (2) interest in assessing performance appraisal systems regardless of their adverse impact, (3) ignorance regarding acceptable validation procedures, and (4) focus on objectivity in lieu of validity. The discussion offered suggestions to employers for developing a professionally sound and legally defensible appraisal system.     

TOWARD NARROWING THE RESEARCH-PRACTICE GAP IN PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Recently, performance appraisal researchers have adopted a cognitive approach to analyzing judgment processes in performance appraisal. While this approach allows researchers to tap a wealth of knowledge applicable to the appraisal context, this line of research is likely to widen the already existing gap between research and practice. We argue that coordination of the talents of researchers and practitioners is essential for narrowing the gap. Specifically, we suggest researchers focus their research on the best methods of ensuring use of relevant and valid data in appraisal, given organizational constraints. We also suggest practitioners focus on determining observable and measurable aspects of performance, and thus, specify appropriate appraisal content. We also note that cognitive process research has promise for increasing raters' ability to judge accurately, but that this approach does not necessarily address the rater's willingness to provide accurate ratings.     

A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO JOB CLASSIFICATION FOR PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PURPOSES

This paper illustrates a methodological approach to classifying jobs for the purpose of developing performance evaluation instruments. The approach was to administer a worker-oriented job inventory to 2,023 incumbents across several jobs and several levels of responsibility (rank) in the U. S. Coast Guard. The data from the job inventory were then analyzed using Tucker's Three-Mode Factor Analysis. Output from the three-mode factor analysis was used to identify combinations of jobs and ranks for which separate appraisal instruments could be developed. In addition, output from the three-mode factor analysis was used to suggest the content of the various appraisal instruments. Advantages, applications, and limitations of this approach are discussed.     

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF FEMALE PERFORMANCE,PERFORMANCE TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO AID WOMEN IN THE WORK-ROLE ENVIRONMENT1

The research dealing with female managerial performance has generally been plagued with empirically inconsistent results, anecdotal literature and an inability to develop generalizable theory. A prepositional analysis of the female performance literature is utilized in an effort to provide direction and focus. The paper concludes that methodological problems may be contributing to invalid conclusions concerning female performance, and efforts to improve performance. In addition, it is concluded that organizational initiates designed to aid women have not been significant.     

PREDICTING TEST PERFORMANCE: A CONTENT VALID APPROACH TO SCREENING APPLICANTS

This study examined the validity of a rationally developed biographical questionnaire for predicting content valid test performance for electrician applicants ( N = 221). Job analysis task statements were utilized as biographical items, and applicants were required to rate their previous work experience regarding each task. The utility of the questionnaire in screening applicant populations was shown to be both statistically and practically significant. EEOC implications are discussed.     

APPLICATION OF CONTENT VALIDITY METHODS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JOB-RELATED PERFORMANCE RATING CRITERION

This study demonstrated the use of quantitative content validity procedures in the development of a job-related behavioral rating scale criterion for entry-level psychiatric aides. Work behavior items were developed by staff from 6 state psychiatric hospitals, placed in a content validity questionnaire using the Lawshe format, and given to a representative sample of 38 aides and supervisors. Seventy-eight of 83 items were found to be significantly job-relevant using the computation procedures of both Lawshe and Aiken. After the significant items were grouped into 4 categories with high interjudge agreement and placed in a rating scale format, ratings were obtained on 72 psychiatric aides from 4 hospitals. Items in the 4 categories were found to be internally consistent using coefficient alpha. Significant but low concurrent validities were established for 2 verbal ability selection tests using the rating criterion. The validities found were interpreted to be especially significant when the factors of low selection ratio, restriction in range, and limited rater training were considered.     

EMPLOYEE REACTIONS TO PERFORMANCE STANDARDS: A REVIEW AND RESEARCH PROPOSITIONS

Although the use of evaluative performance standards is common in most organizations, research in our field has focused almost exclusively on selection standards (and predictor cut-off scores), rather than standards for subsequent performance. This review considers aspects of the performance standard-setting process that influence incumbents' job reactions, specifically in terms of motivated performance and job satisfaction. We draw upon the following literatures to specify future research needs and directions: goal setting, feedback and framing, performance expectations, job satisfaction, and utility analysis. The result is an outline of research propositions concerning the acceptance of performance standards, the content of performance standards, the communication of standards, and the difficulty levels of those standards.     

REACTION OF EMPLOYEES TO PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INTERVIEWS AS A FUNCTION OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN RATING SCALE DEVELOPMENT

A substantial amount of research has been conducted on the performance appraisal feedback interview. The purpose of the present field study was to see whether employee involvement in the development of rating scales used in the feedback interview affected ratees' perceptions of the interview. Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) were developed for five job families in a midwestem hospital. A participation group consisted of employees from each of the job families who were involved in all phases of BARS construction. A nonparticipation group involved an equal number of employees from each of the job families who were not involved in the BARS development. The results showed that participation in BARS construction led to favorable perceptions regarding the performance appraisal interview process as well as positive outcomes.     

THE IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL METHODS ON AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT CASES

This study investigated the impact of personal and organizational factors and performance appraisal methods on 53 Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) federal court cases. Discriminant analysis suggested that the employer was most likely to be the successful party when the employee was younger, particularly between 40-49 years old. Appraisal system characteristics which in previous studies were found to be significantly related to case outcome, were not reported in these case decisions. Traditional legal case analysis was used to explore the relationship of performance appraisal methods and the personnel action giving rise to the complaint.     

INTERPERSONAL AFFECT AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: A FIELD STUDY

Interpersonal affect has been found, in prior laboratory research, to be related to ratings of job performance. Such findings have been taken to mean that affect creates bias in ratings. The present study was conducted to determine if this relationship would hold up in a field setting. The present study was also designed to examine how structured diary-keeping, and the nature of the appraisal instrument, might be related to affect-appraisal relationships. The results for 85 raters, and 404 ratees, suggested that affect was significantly related to all ratings, but more strongly related to trait-like ratings than task/outcome-like ratings, and that having raters keep performance diaries actually increased the strength of the relationship between affect and ratings. We concluded that affect may not be a biasing influence on ratings, but may be a result of better subordinate performance. Results from an analysis of the diary content supported this conclusion. Implications for the role of affect on ratings and the nature of the relationship between past performance and interpersonal affect in field settings are discussed.