ABSTRACT
Performance management has emerged from the 1990s onwards as an approach not only to HR policies but to running the business as a whole. For many organisations, the term ‘performance management’ is synonymous with performance appraisal, or with performance-related pay (PRP). But performance management is much more than either or both of these. There is no single, universally accepted definition; indeed, it is perhaps better to think of it more as a philosophy than as a clearly defined process or set of policies. The most prevalent notion of performance management is that of creating a shared vision of the purpose and aims of the organisation, helping each individual employee to understand and recognise their part in contributing to them, and thereby managing and enhancing the performance of both individuals and the organisation (Williams, 2002).
