The Relational Orientation of the African and Performance Management Practices in Selected Institutions in Ghana

Abstract

It is unsatisfactory to find that in the literature on employee performance appraisal management, enough attention has not been paid to the important factors in the socio-cultural context of the society in which organizations concerned are sited. Employing both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, the study explored the influence of certain socio-cultural values on performance appraisal practices in selected institutions in Ghana. Thus, the paper assesses some of the often neglected sociocultural factors and how they serve to moderate employee performance appraisal management in work organisations. It specifically discusses the relational orientation of the African and how it influences performance appraisal practices in organisations. Our hope is to enhance the understanding of researchers and human resource management practitioners of the realities of performance appraisal management within specific sociocultural contexts. The results reveal that in spite of the existence of established formal systems of performance appraisal in the universities studied, most of the officials in charge of appraisal face the challenge of objectivity and fairness due to their relational orientation. Virtually all the factors that pose this challenge to the officials are socio-cultural in nature. The express desire to maintain a good relation with subordinates and colleagues makes officials compromise on fairness and objectivity in appraising their subordinates. According to the study results, some managers believe that it is prudent to overrate one’s cordial relation with colleagues and subordinates over a strict adherence to institutional provisions provided one does not break any serious rule.