MU0016 –Performance Management and Appraisal


Get fully solved SMU MBA Assignments 




Fall / August 2012
Master of Business Administration- MBA Semester 4
MU0016 –Performance Management and Appraisal- 4 Credits
(Book ID: B1337)
Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks)
Note: Each Question carries 10 marks. Answer all the questions.
Q1.State the components of a performance management system.
Answer : Performance management is a continuous process in this unit we will discuss the cycle of
performance management. A system is basically a set of interacting components. The components or parts of effective performance management system are:
Performance planning: This is the process of identifying employee objectives and setting job expectations and goals for each position in the company. Each department in the company usually has different expectations for its employees based on the requirements of the positions in the department. Clearly defined expectations and goals give employees the greatest opportunity for advancing in the company. During this process managers also discuss the review and feedback process of the performance management system.

Ongoing performance communication: A company is benefited by the performance management system only when there is a timely employee review and feedback system implemented in the program. Timely employee reviews and feedback sessions are dependent on the company's business operations and human resource guidelines. These review sessions will inform employees how well they are performing in their positions and what areas need to be corrected or improved. Most companies have an annual review process, although six-month reviews are often used. Performance appraisal meetings: The supervisor and the employee meet to discuss the employees performance during the appraisal period and to discuss potential goals for the upcoming appraisal period.

Performance rewards: This is an important part of the performance management system. The thought of earning rewards for their actions, whether financial rewards or another form of benefit motivates employees. Usually an employee's performance review is linked with the financial bonus or pay raise, which ensures that the company gets the best performance out of each employee. Other non-financial rewards such as extra time off, special company-paid vacations, gift certificates, gifts for years of service or recognition banquets may also be offered.

Performance diagnosis and coaching: Employees who do not meet the criteria standards to be eligible for performance rewards may need additional training or coaching by their superiors to improve their job skills. Performance reviews is the starting point for the additional training; subsequent performance reviews may be scheduled to check if the employee has improved from the time of the initial review. Performance management systems are ineffective if they only reward employees for good performance. The system also needs to include training or coaching processes to ensure that all company employees are able to improve their performance.


 Get fully solved SMU MBA Assignments 


Q2.What are the major errors that may occur during performance evaluation?            
Q3.Explain the traditional methods of performance appraisal in detail.
Q4.Explain career planning in detail.

Q5.Explain the ‘Plan-Do-Review-Revise’ cycle of performance management.


Q6.Mr.Samuel D’Costa is the HR executive at Evergreen Solutions Pvt.Ltd. He found that the performance of the marketing team has been decreasing over the past four months. Suggest measures that he can take up to improve the team performance of the marketing team.

 Get fully solved SMU MBA Assignments 

Fall / August 2012
Master of Business Administration- MBA Semester 4
MU0016 –Performance Management and Appraisal- 4 Credits
(Book ID: B1337)
Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks)
Note: Each Question carries 10 marks. Answer all the questions.
Q1.What are the aims of performance management?
Answer : One of the important objectives of performance management is identifying the strengths and weaknesses of employees and finding ways to overcome their shortcomings. This is done by evaluating employee output and the companys overall ability to meet the goals by having quarterly or annual audits. Often, after an evaluation, there will be widespread company meetings where managers and employees discuss concerns and solutions to problems.
Another objective is to discover where employees and the company are falling short. This is done by going through details such as profits earned, new clients acquired and the contribution of employees to make these things happen. Employees whose contribution are minimal or not up to the mark are counselled on how to improve performance.
The evaluation of an employees performance is based on their work output and the amount of time spent by them on the project. Although time spent in an office is not an accurate way of measuring performance, most companies still have the notion that better employees put in longer hours of work. A better way of measuring employee productivity would be to measure the output of work and the accuracy of work completed.
Overall evaluation of a company and its ability to set and reach goals is another important objective of performance management. Increasing revenue is the overall goal of any company. Other goals may be to acquire more or specific clients, develop new products or hire new talent. It is very easy to determine which of these goals have been met, because these are things that can be seen or calculated.
The inability of a company to meet the goals is mainly due to poor leadership, poor planning, poor implementation or poor employee performance. Economic factors also play a major role, but it is
better for companies to concentrate on factors that are within their control. The best way of
improving a companys overall output is motivating the employees and improving their performance.
To identify and remedy situations that hinder company performance is another important objective of performance management. This includes replacing underperforming employees, gaining new clients, developing new strategies for reaching the goals and discussing strategies that have worked in the past.
In order to meet the objectives of performance management and improve the overall performance
of a company, every employee must work with the team members to develop new techniques and implement changes.

The aims of performance management can be summarised into the following points.

o     The aims of performance management are:
o     To assist in the achievement of enhanced standards of work performance of an employee or
class of employees.
o     To assist employees to identify the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs efficiently.
o     To ensure that the employees work towards the defined goals.
o     To ensure that the employees receive regular feedback on performance.
o     To assist the employees to achieve personal growth through acquiring relevant knowledge and
skills and attitudes.
o     To evaluate the company and its ability to set and reach goals.
o     To identify and remedy situations that are hindering company performance.



Q2.What are the features of a Performance management framework?

Q3.Explain the two psychosomatic approaches of the reward system within an organisation.



Q4.State the four essential components of 360 degree appraisal.
Q5.What are the steps to be followed while building an ethical organisational culture?
Q6.The HR department of a software company reviewed the performance of the employees. The HR Manager wants to provide feedback of the performance review to the employees. Describe the factors that have to be looked into while providing performance review feedback.

Get fully solved SMU MBA Assignments 


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.