Organizational change efforts can bring about a range of outcomes: some intended, such as organizational survival and profitability, and some unintended, such as heightened levels of organizational change cynicism (OCC) among employees. This article focuses on processes for managing OCC: we examine the role of information sharing and involvement in decision making as ways to lessen employee reports of OCC. While both of these strategies have the potential to be effective, they rest on a significant assumption—namely, that employees will enthusiastically embrace any opportunities to become involved. In this research, we investigate this assumption through an analysis of the relationship between an employee's willingness to become involved (”active orientation”) on employee reports of their OCC. We find, using data from 1,214 public‐sector employees, that an active orientation toward involvement plays a significant role as a moderator in reducing employee reports of OCC. The findings suggest that HR practitioners concerned about OCC should encourage their line managers to adopt a participatory style of management (information sharing, involvement in decision making), especially in those workplaces where employees are more likely to embrace the opportunities for involvement. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of low quality performance appraisals (PA) on three human resource management outcomes (job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to quit). Design/methodology/approach-Using data from 2,336 public sector employees clusters of PA experiences (low, mixed and high) were identified. Regression analysis was then employed to examine the relationship between low quality PA experiences and job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to quit. Findings-Employees with low quality PA experiences (relative to those with mixed and high quality PA experiences) were more likely to be dissatisfied with their job, be less committed to the organisation and more likely to be contemplating leaving the organisation. Research limitations/implications-The data were collected in a large public sector research organisation where the results of the appraisal were linked to pay increments. Further research is needed to determine the applicability of the results to private sector employees. Practical implications-The quality of the PA experience varies and a low quality experience results in lower job satisfaction and organisational commitment and higher quit intentions. The challenge for human resource (HR) practitioners is to decide whether the allocation of additional resources to ensure that all employees have a uniformly high quality PA experience is a worthwhile investment. Originality/value-Research has tended to focus on the relationship between a single feature of a PA process and HR outcomes. Organisations need to acknowledge the importance of the overall PA experience when evaluating its consequences for HRM outcomes.

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Using establishment data from the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey, this paper estimates the determinants of performance appraisal systems. The results indicate that performance appraisal is associated with workers having shorter expected tenure and greater influence over productivity. We argue these results reflect those circumstances in which the net benefits of performance appraisal are likely to be greatest. The results also show that complementary human resource management practices, such as formal training and incentive pay, are associated with an increased likelihood of performance appraisal, but that union density is associated with a reduced likelihood of performance appraisal. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd/London School of Economics 2005.

Our research not only addresses the strategic purposes of expatriate assignments within multinational corporations but, unlike most earlier studies, extends the investigation to include their path-dependent outcomes. Adopting a knowledge transfer perspective we first re-define the principal assignment purpose categories of Edström and Galbraith (1977a) as business applications, organization applications and expatriate learning. These purpose categories are then conceptually related in terms of a four-part typological matrix based on individual-level knowledge-flow direction and role focus. Following a review of prior assignment purpose studies we posit that strategic expatriate assignment purposes should be considered not in isolation but relative to their potential outcomes. Adopting a single-case research design with multi-method data collection, we demonstrate the emergent nature of strategic assignment outcomes. It is shown for our transnational case organization that knowledge acquisition or learning by expatriates is an underestimated strategic assignment outcome, more so than either business or organization-related knowledge applications.