Missing links in performance appraisal: A conceptual study

Thousands of studies on Performance Appraisal (PA) exist in both the academic and practitioner literatures. The intended purpose of many of these works is somehow link PA to performance. The first section of this research aimed in comprehending the broad and complex mix of performance appraisal practices, issues, challenges and pitfalls. The missing links were identified using available literature, theory and practices in different countries, as well as across industries. On the basis of gaps identified, the later section of this paper highlighted that the effectiveness of performance appraisal can be enhanced by designing a performance appraisal system that fits the culture and strategy of the organization and also strongly supports a quality-driven management strategy through which many familiar pitfalls of appraisal programs can be avoided. The holistic approach was adopted to address the issue of missing links and to making PA more effective.