Discuss how a manager might make sure that the performance plan for each of her direct reports was driven by organizational strategy and the business plan. How can information systems support this goal?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The manager must first define what performance means in the case of a specific direct report. Ideally, this definition is based on a cascade of goals beginning with the organizational strategy and operating plan, with the immediate source being what the manager is expected to accomplish during the period and ending with the direct report’s expected part of that accomplishment. The manager must then move from the general to the specific, usually expressed in terms of desired outcomes. This constitutes the performance dimensions for the direct report.
Having performance criteria, performance measures, performance standards, and recent performance documentation in a single place allows managers to keep track of how each direct report is doing and what interventions need to be made to improve performance. Similarly, the direct report can view the same data and use it as a basis for deciding on areas where improvement is needed. Indeed, performance management software can be categorized as either preformatted appraisal systems, systems that allow the development of customized appraisals, or systems that diagnose performance problems.