Since the beginning of the century, feedback interventions (FIs) produced negative-but largely ignored-effects on performance. A meta-analysis (607 effect sizes; 23,663 observations) suggests that FIs improved performance on average (d = .41) but that over '/3 of the FIs decreased performance. This finding cannot be explained by sampling error, feedback sign, or existing theories. The authors proposed a preliminary FI theory (FIT) and tested it with moderator analyses. The central assumption of FIT is that FIs change the locus of attention among 3 general and hierarchically organized levels of control: task learning, task motivation, and meta-tasks (including self-related) processes. The results suggest that FI effectiveness decreases as attention moves up the hierarchy closer to the self and away from the task. These findings are further moderated by task characteristics that are still poorly understood.To relate feedback directly to behavior is very confusing. Results are contradictory and seldom straight-forward.

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We review 100 years of research on performance appraisal and performance management, highlighting the articles published in JAP, but including significant work from other journals as well. We discuss trends in eight substantive areas: (1) scale formats, (2) criteria for evaluating ratings, (3) training, (4) reactions to appraisal, (5) purpose of rating, (6) rating sources, (7) demographic differences in ratings, and (8) cognitive processes, and discuss what we have learned from research in each area. We also focus on trends during the heyday of performance appraisal research in JAP (1970-2000), noting which were more productive and which potentially hampered progress. Our overall conclusion is that JAP's role in this literature has not been to propose models and new ideas, but has been primarily to test ideas and models proposed elsewhere. Nonetheless, we conclude that the papers published in JAP made important contribution to the filed by addressing many of the critical questions raised by others. We also suggest several areas for future research, especially research focusing on performance management. (PsycINFO Database Record

SummaryWe studied the impact of demographic diversity on individual attachment and firm unit performance in a relatively diverse organization. We implemented cross-level regression to study gender and race/ethnic categorical, relational, and organizational demography in a sample of 26 units part of a regional restaurant chain. At the individual level, we found that diversity climate (DC) moderates the impact of relational and categorical demography on affective organizational commitment, organizational identification, and intention to quit. At the organizational level, we found that DC moderates the impact of organizational diversity on firm productivity and return on profit. We discuss the importance of organizational DC as organizational context on individual attachment, and implications for firm effectiveness in diverse organizations.

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Executive OverviewPerformance feedback is an important part of many organizational interventions. Managers typically assume that providing employees with feedback about their performance makes it more likely that performance on the job will be improved. Despite the prevalence of feedback mechanisms in management interventions, however, feedback is nof always as effective as is typically assumed. In this article, we present specific conditions under which feedback might be less effective, or even harmful. We then discuss the implications of our results and model for designing of interventions aimed at improving performance, and focus more narrowly on 360'degree appraisal systems. After arguing that these systems typically have design characteristics that reduce effectiveness, we conclude with recommendations for improving their effectiveness. We also emphasize the need for systematic evaluations of feedback interventions.Everyone is interested in performance feedbackknowing how well he or she is performing some task. When employees do not receive feedback from their job, they will seek it on their own.' Feedback is also seen as an important source of motivating potential on the job and its presence has been proposed to lead to increased satisfaction and motivation.2 Furthermore, most decision-making models, and many motivational models, include a feedback loop to indicate that individuals learn from the outcomes of their decisions or behavior. Therefore, it would be safe to say that, for many scholars and practitioners in the field of management, the effectiveness of feedback for improving performance is essentially a given. We generally assume that outcomes such as job performance will improve as a result of feedback, especially when compared with the performance of employees who receive no such feedback. But actual data concerning the effectiveness of feedback is fairly limited. Furthermore, the models available for explaining how feedback works are rather narrow, and often cannot be reconciled with what we do know about feedback's effects. Given this dearth of information, it is possible that a poorly implemented feedback program could actu-ally hurt, rather than help performance. Therefore, it is critical that we study the effectiveness of feedback in order to better understand how well it works, and develop some models to help predict when feedback will have any effect on subsequent performance.A recent article we published^ Included a review of the literature on the effectiveness of feedback interventions, and a meta-analysis that we conducted of these data. The results indicated that, although feedback interventions were usually effective, in more than one-third of the cases feedback actually lowered subsequent performance. We also proposed a feedback intervention theory to help understand how feedback works, and tested some of the propositions of that theory. Those analyses allowed us to draw conclusions about some factors that are critical to feedback effectiveness. In the present article, we will discuss...

Performance appraisal has been the focus of considerable research for almost a century. Yet, this research has resulted in very few specific recommendations about designing and implementing appraisal and performance management systems whose goal is performance improvement. We believe that a reason for this is that appraisal research became too interested in measurement issues and not interested enough in ways to improve performance, although some recent trends in the area have begun moving the field in the right direction. We review these trends and their genesis, and propose a motivational framework as a means of integrating what we have learned and generating proposals for future research that focus on employee’s performance improvement.

SummaryA major challenge facing Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) is finding ways to increase the success rates of managers assigned overseas. Our paper draws upon social identity theory to develop a model that focuses on the role of host country nationals (HCNs) in determining the adjustment of expatriate managers. Specifically, our model proposes attributes of the expatriate and the HCN that can increase the salience of national identity and outgroup categorization of expatriates by the HCNs. We also suggest how outgroup categorization interacts with a number of situational factors to influence the role of HCNs as socializing agents for expatriate newcomers. Finally, we propose that the socializing behaviors HCNs may display or withhold from the expatriate will affect the adjustment of the expatriate. Our model highlights the oftenoverlooked partners in the expatriate adjustment process and emphasizes the need for MNEs to be cognizant of the social dynamics between HCNs and expatriates in the host location.