Performance Management

Project Contents
Cover Sheet
Acknowledgement
Table of Contents
Executive Summary (1500 words)
Scenario
You are working for a Large High-tech manufacturing multinational company based in USA. You have factories in emerging countries (ECs)-China, India and South Korea. Your products are sold every over the world. Over the years you have also taken over many of electronics companies.
You are a new HR manager, and you have been tasked with reviewing the performance management processes with a view to ensuring standardization of quality across the globe. You have also been asked to look at how the company measures and monitors the performance of its Knowledge Workers, such as designers and managers and general workers (different categories of employees), and report back to the management at headquarters.
Introduction + Research Question/ Rationale + Aims and Objectives: (1000) words
The purpose of this section is to develop a clear aim to inform the answering of the broad(er) topic
question. In so doing a range of objectives will be established.

 There should be background and contextual discussion/information to establish the relevance and validity of the aim (e.g. how big a market is; characteristics of a particular country etc.). In some cases students may use a/or series of ‘hypotheses’ instead of ‘aims’.

 This section should present the reader with a clear picture of what the project is trying to achieve and how this is going to happen. There should be a recognition that this is not a ‘discrete’ section but that it also ‘introduces’ the subsequent sections of the project.

Literature Review (3000) words
Literature review structure:
1. Introduction to chapter (one paragraph)
2. Definition and explanation of key terms—define and critically analyse using key definitions from academics and practitioners
3. Historical evolution of the key terms—brief history of how this concept evolved in management
4. Key theories/models related to key terms—pick up few articles in your area and find out which theory/model is repeating
5. Empirical evidence—studies conducted in different context in your area
6. Summary of literature review (briefly- one paragraph)
Case studies Analysis (3500) words
1. Walker, R.M & Jiannan, W. 2010 Future Prospects for Performance Management in Chinese City Governments. Administration and Society Vol 42:34S
2. Ohemeng, FLK. 2009 Constraints in the Implementation of Performance Management Systems in Developing Countries: The Ghanaian Case. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management Vol 9: 109
3. Nankervis, A.R, Compton R.L 2006 Performance Management: Theory in Practice. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources Vol 44
4. De Waal, A. Hafisi, R. Rahbar, AH, Rowshan, S. 2010 Studying Performance Management in Iran using an Adapted Performance Management Analysis. Journal of Transnational Management Vol 15: 246-264
5. Khanna, T. and Rivkin, J. W. (2001) Estimating the performance effects of business groups in emerging markets. Strategic Management Journal Volume 22, Issue 1, pages 45–74
This section concerns the application of knowledge to chosen case study organisations or examples. In all cases these case studies/examples MUST be based on secondary information sources.

 The examples/cases should be carefully chosen to reflect both the overall topic area and the aim (i.e. the student’s choice should be justified).

 Case studies should be described clearly (some of which may
have occurred in the introductory background section).

 There should be clear links made between the examples /cases and the literature investigated. For example, where examples/cases are doing what the literature suggests, or where they are not, or partially. The similarity/differences should form the basis of a clear discussion.

 The discussion could occur in this section or in the next section. However, under normal circumstances case study analysis should not be incorporated into the literature review proper.
Discussion (2000 words)
This section should be pulling all the work thus far together and arrive at a response to the research question or topic as stated. Note, some of the discussion could well have occurred in the previous task when looking at the case/examples. It may be dealt with as a completely separate section. The project should have identified three key things by now:
 1) background/contextual information,
 2) knowledge derived from the literature review, and
 3) the results of the case/examples.
The ‘discussion’ should concern bringing all of this together and synthesising what has been found. Can reasons for differences between theory and practice be identified for example? To what extent is the context important (and perhaps not recognised, or identified, sufficiently within the literature)?
Conclusions (500 words)
The conclusion should likewise be looking specifically as to what extent the original aim has been satisfied – did the project achieve what itset out to achieve?
 References to the original objectives would support the argument. All of this should be based on the work evidenced in the project and should not rely on new ideas/information suddenly introduced at this stage.
Recommendations (500 words)
 Any recommendations should be clearly based on the discussion/conclusion. They should be
practical/applied in nature.
References
Appendixes