Kristin L. LloydHRD880-441

April 27, 2009

ME Kelly Services/The Regional Medical Center Purchasing Assistant

The Topic Participant in process before. Interesting-Curious Alternative to traditional (mgr.-sub.) Hierarchal Org. global market Why the hype?

Human relations movement of the 1950s and 1960s, when organizations attempted to improve organizational processes and communication through various form of what became known as organizational development

Popularity and utilization has been growing over the past few decades

Companies using the process: Exxon Shell Oil UPS AT&T Levi Strauss Catepillar

The objective of the 360-degree process is to identify areas for both organizational and individual improvement

Used for Developmental purposes

Individual Organization

Administrative/decision making Performance Promotions Allocation of scarce resources

The idea behind the 360-degree appraisal is relatively simple. an individual evaluates self receives feedback from other people such as managers, peers,

subordinates, and organizational members.

It is called 360-degrees because all of the feedback is coming from people who are positioned immediately around you, organizationally speaking they can be above, below, or beside you.

Clemson University Cooper Library

Online In person

Google Scholar

Not a lot of research on the conceptual aspects or underlying theory of appraisal system design within an organizational context.

Psychometrics and mechanics of PA Shortage of literature attempting to take the academic

understanding of it and make it practical advice. Most research have proven to only provide recommendations on

how to make the process for effective for the practitioner who are charged with developing, designing, implementing, administering and interpreting 360-dgree feedback programs

Advocacy of further research endeavors Major Authors (were listed in most, if not all the bibliographies I can across)

Antonioni, David Waldman, David London, Manuel Atwater, Leanne

Lots of collaboration on the subject of PA. Research shows increasing shift research away from

instrumentation/accuracy issues and moving more toward an understanding of user interaction to various facets of a performance management system

Anonymity is never discussed as a separate entity, like most aspects of a 360-degree PA, the concept is discussed as a whole.

Anonymity is associated with several different areas: Accountability (low) Increases participation Attributes to more ‘honest’ answers, but may not be more valid. Rating distortions

Popular reason folks wish to stay anonymous Fear of the process Retaliation by co-worker or manager because of low ratings.

Advocacy for training raters how to use instrument and complete forms

Research shows that the use of multiple sources increases the probability of obtaining a comprehensive picture of an employee's total contribution to the organization.

Quite often, the performance ratings of an individual from appraisers at different organizational levels do not agree highly with one another, as the appraisers see different aspects of an employee's behavior.

Managers want contributors to be identified (in case clarity is needed).However, contributors want to stay anonymous.

Researches don’t want users to rely too much on scaled data, however, they warn against written data making the contributors less anonymous, because details could identify the persons.

Ways to keep Anonymity computerized instruments Try not to use written data, but if used make sure

that it is rewritten by an outside source and “identifying” details are kept to a minimum

Use at least 3 contributors

Start earlier Take better notes Build bibliography along the way A lot time to go back to other heavy sited sources

Used several variations to find literature on the topic Couldn’t use degree symbol 360 degree feedback 360 degree appraisal 360 degree assessment

Alternate names for topic Upward appraisal Upward feedback Mutli-rater feedback (sometimes spelled as one word “mulitrater”)

Super Challenge for me

Studies on 360 appraisals tend to accentuate a position that organizations considering implementing 360-degree appraisals would do well to first define specific desired outcomes and then develop specific processes to accomplish those outcomes.

Moving toward practical advise and not just an academic understanding.

More research is needed Reaching more valid results Lessen lack of research on the conceptual aspects

or underlying theory of appraisal system design within an organizational context

Kristin L. Lloyd kllloyd@clemson.edu