The challenges of implementation/application of Performance Appraisal system in public enterprises in The Gambia.

The challenges of implementation/application of Performance Appraisal system in public enterprises in The Gambia.

Introduction

Dowling et al. (1999) state that international performance management is a strategic HRM process that enables the MNC to evaluate and continuously improve individual, subsidiary unit and corporate performance against clearly defined, pre-set objectives that are directly linked to international strategy. Performance appraisal is considered as one of several key elements of performance management. Cardy and Dobbins (1994) define performance appraisal as the process of identifying, observing, measuring and developing human resources in organisations.

Research Foucs and Objectives

The reseacrh focuses and discusses that international performance management is a strategic HRM process that enables the MNC to evaluate and continuously improve individual, subsidiary unit and corporate performance against clearly defined, pre-set objectives that are directly linked to international strategy

Access to Data and Ethical Considerations

For this study as already said the secondary research approach was utilised and all the relevant data was collected through books, journals and articles. Libraries including online databases were accessed to get the most relevant and updated literature. Some of the online databases that were used are: EBSCO, Emerald, Blackwell, etc.

Literature Review: The challenges of implementation/application of Performance Appraisal system in public enterprises in The Gambia

International performance appraisal has been a subject that attracts considerable attention from both academics and practitioners, as it is closely linked to MNCs' international performance. While the expatriate is on assignment, the individual performance must be appraised. Given the cost of an expatriate and the important role they perform it would be anticipated that MNCs monitor and record their performance rather rigorously (Brewster, 1988; Brewster and Scullion, 1997; Dowling et al., 1999). Moreover, an MNC appraises not only parent-country nationals (PCNs), but also host-country nationals (HCNs) and third-country nationals (TCNs). Provided the design of the international performance appraisal is appropriate, it tends to have a positive effect on company performance (Sparrow et al., 1994). Janssens (1994) argues that international performance appraisal is a way of controlling international managers' behaviour and international operations in general. International performance appraisal is an important process for influencing both the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations of employees and their attitudes towards companies, that is, increasing employees perceptions and understanding of job tasks and subsequently their job satisfaction. A performance appraisal is also important to employees in material terms (Logger and Vinke, 1995, p. 261) and it guides managerial career development, future promotion decisions and compensation adjustments (Schuler et al., 2002).

In the following sections, this paper will discuss these three issues by drawing upon the existing literature and examining the empirical data in the Gambian context.

Logger and Vinke (1995) propose more detailed criteria of appraisal and state that a combination of criteria may be used, depending on the employee's job description, and detailed criteria are sometimes less strictly applied. While the performance appraisals of expatriates who are assigned for special technical projects and short-term stays tend to be operational and task-focused, evaluations of ...