CHAPTER ONE

1.0  BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

In any organization of all the activities in Human Resources Management (HRM) performance appraisal is arguably the most contentious and lest popular among those who are involved (Schullet and Raudalls, 1984). Assessment is the process by which data are collected and reviewed about an individual employees past and current work behaviour and performance. This allows appraisal which can be seen as an analysis of overall capabilities and potential, allowing a decision to be made in line with a purpose (John and Jeffry 1999). As the coming system indicates, performance appraisal has many facts. It is an exercise in observation and Judgement, it is a feedback process, and it is an organizational intervention. It is a measurement process as well as an intensely emotional process (Wayne 1992) performance appraisal and review is the formal, systematic assessment of how ell employees are performing their jobs in relation to established standards and the communication of that assessment to employees. (Wendell 1994). A performance appraisal is a review and discussion of an employee’s performance of assigned duties and responsibilities. The appraisal is based on results obtained by the employer in his/her job, not on the employee’s personality characteristics. The appraisal measures skills and accomplishments with reasonable accuracy and uniformity. It provides a way to help identify area for performance enhancement and to help promote professional growth it should not, however be considered the supervision’s only communication tool open lines of communication throughout the year help to make effective working relationships (Thomas 1987).

       Performance of an employee is evaluated (Generally by in terms of quality, quantity, cost, and time) typically by the corresponding manager or supervisor. A performance appraisal is a part of quilding and managing career development. It is the process of obtaining analyzing, and recording information about the relative worth of an employee to the organization. (Rerrence 2004).

As Barlow 1989 succinctly put it: “Institutionally elaborated system of management appraisal and development are significant thetoric’s in the apparatus of bureaucratic control”.