Individual performance appraisal and appraisee reactions to workgroups : the mediating role of goal interdependence and the moderating role of procedural justice

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Personnel Review

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Volume

40

Issue

1

First Page

87

Last Page

105

Publisher

Emerald Publishing Limited

Keywords

Performance appraisal, Competitive strategy, Group work, Employee relations, China

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships of individual performance appraisal with appraisees' reactions towards their workgroups and the mechanisms underlying these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was conducted involving 185 full-time employees in China. Regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results showed that developmental and evaluative performance appraisals were related to appraisee reactions to the workgroup, both positive and negatives, respectively. As expected, these two relationships were mediated by perceived cooperative goals and competitive goals, respectively. Furthermore, procedural justice moderated the positive relationship between evaluative performance appraisal and perceived competitive goals in such a way that the relationship was stronger when perceived procedural justice of the performance appraisal was high. Originality/value – This is the first paper that links individual performance appraisal to group-oriented appraisee reactions. The mediating effects of goal interdependence can shed light on the mechanisms underlying these relationships. In addition, the paper extends the current literature on the interaction of outcome favorability with procedural justice by considering the role of procedural justice in accentuating the effect of evaluative performance appraisal on competitive goals within a group.

DOI

10.1108/00483481111095537

Print ISSN

00483486

E-ISSN

17586933

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chen, T., Wu, P., & Leung, K. (2011). Individual performance appraisal and appraisee reactions to workgroups: The mediating role of goal interdependence and the moderating role of procedural justice. Personnel Review, 40(1), 87-105. doi: 10.1108/00483481111095537

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