Why does performance management not perform?
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
ISSN: 1741-0401
Article publication date: 9 April 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ask why poor performance management practices persist in Portugal, in the middle of claims to increase productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
An inductive micro-practice analysis is used to understand barriers to management practice that do not require massive institutional changes.
Findings
The practice of performance management in Portugal typically displays three weaknesses: (1) insufficient planning (2) process and integrity issues, and (3) a non-meritocratic logic.
Research limitations/implications
The paper discusses the important topic of persistence of bad practices, showing how institutionalized patterns might be difficult to eradicate even they are suboptimal.
Practical implications
The authors identity key issues in the functioning of performance management, therefore helping managers in developing remedies to improve the quality of their practice.
Originality/value
The paper explains the persistence of bad management practice whose continuity hinders not only organizations’ effectiveness but also that of their members.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia under the project Ref. UID/ECO/00124/2013 and by POR Lisboa under the project LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007722.
Citation
Cunha, M.P.e., Vieira, D.V., Rego, A. and Clegg, S. (2018), "Why does performance management not perform?", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 67 No. 4, pp. 673-692. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-11-2016-0243
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited