Total quality management and performance appraisal: an experimental study of process versus results and group versus individual approaches

This study investigated the e€ect of a process versus a results focus as well as a group versus individual-based approach to performance appraisals. Four experimental conditions were investigated, with dependent variables of appraisal satisfaction, perceived accuracy of the performance appraisal, expectations of performance improvement, and actual performance. The results showed that a process focus appraisal had a more positive impact than an exclusively results-oriented appraisal on ratee appraisal satisfaction, perceived appraisal accuracy, and expectations of performance improvement. Subjects receiving process appraisal feedback also showed a greater improvement in actual performance during a subsequent trial compared to subjects that did not receive process feedback. No di€erences were found between the groupand the individual-based performance appraisal conditions. Implications of these ®ndings for appraisal processes in general, and total quality initiatives in particular, are discussed. Copyright # 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.