Page 217 - DMGT548_GLOBAL_HRM

Global HRM

Notes 11. Performance can be viewed as a combination of several variables such as motivation,
ability, working conditions, clarity of goals and ……….., and expectations.
12. ……….. plays an important role in determining the performance of the expatriate.

13. Performance management emphasises on formal monitoring and ……….. of progress.

11.4 Appraisal of HCN Employees

Performance appraisal in different nations can be interpreted as a signal of distrust or even an
insult.

Example: In Japan, it is important to avoid direct confrontation to “save face,” and this
custom affects the way in which the performance appraisal is conducted. A Japanese manager
cannot directly point out a work-related problem or error committed by a subordinate.
One way to overcome the dilemma of cultural adaptation is to use host-country nationals to
assist in devising a suitable system for appraising the local staff in the subsidiary and to advice
on the conduct of the appraisal.
Parent-company role conception is communicated to the HCN, but it crosses the cultural
boundary, as does feedback expressed as the HCN’s role behaviour. The HCN receives role
expectations and enacts role behaviours in his own cultural environment. For subsidiary staff
below the top-management level, one would expect the local behavioural norms of work
behaviour.
While some companies are developing information systems to assist in performance appraisal,
the widespread use of computer-generated data is hampered by the legal constraints imposed
by some host governments or by concerns about personal privacy.
There are various ways in which an expatriate appraisal can be effective:

1. Stipulate the assignments’ difficulty level.
2. Weight the evaluation more towards the on-site manager’s appraisal than the home-site
manager’s distant perceptions of the employee’s performance.

3. Modify the normal performance criteria used for that particular position to fit the overseas
position and characteristics of that particular locale.
4. If the home-site manager does the actual written appraisal, they may use a former expatriate
from the same overseas location to provide the background advice during the appraisal
process.
So, it is evident that the performance appraisal as a process is indeed very complex due to the
international environment apart from the cultural connotations.

Notes An international survey found that worker performance appraisals featured the
U.S. cultural concept of meritocracy, which emphasises fairness and a short-term orientation.
In other cultures, meritocracy is not commonly involved in performance appraisal, which
may emphasise other factors such as family ties, social status, and perceived loyalty to the
manager or the employing institution. On a comparative basis, Asians tend to share
intense loyalties to their work groups and employing institutions. Performance is directed

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