Visit https://testbankdeal.com to download the full version and
browse more test banks or solution manuals
Managing Human Resources 16th Edition Snell
Solutions Manual
_____ Press the link below to begin your download _____
https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-
resources-16th-edition-snell-solutions-manual/
Access testbankdeal.com now to download high-quality
test banks or solution manuals
Here are some recommended products for you. Click the link to
download, or explore more at testbankdeal.com
Managing Human Resources 16th Edition Snell Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources-16th-
edition-snell-test-bank/
Managing Human Resources 17th Edition Snell Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources-17th-
edition-snell-test-bank/
Managing Human Resources canadian 7th Edition Belcourt
Solutions Manual
https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources-
canadian-7th-edition-belcourt-solutions-manual/
EKG Plain and Simple 4th Edition Ellis Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/ekg-plain-and-simple-4th-edition-
ellis-test-bank/
Economics 2nd Edition Karlan Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/economics-2nd-edition-karlan-test-
bank/
Financial Accounting The Impact on Decision Makers 9th
Edition Porter Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-the-impact-on-
decision-makers-9th-edition-porter-test-bank/
How Children Develop Canadian 5th Edition Siegler Test
Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/how-children-develop-canadian-5th-
edition-siegler-test-bank/
Respiratory Care Anatomy and Physiology 3rd Edition
Beachey Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/respiratory-care-anatomy-and-
physiology-3rd-edition-beachey-test-bank/
History Of Mathematics Brief Version 1st Edition Katz
Solutions Manual
https://testbankdeal.com/product/history-of-mathematics-brief-
version-1st-edition-katz-solutions-manual/
SELL 3rd Edition Ingram Test Bank
https://testbankdeal.com/product/sell-3rd-edition-ingram-test-bank/
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or
duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND
THE EMPLOYEE APPRAISAL PROCESS
A properly planned and effectively utilized performance appraisal program should contribute
to improved employee performance. In this chapter there is an extensive discussion of the
development of an appraisal program, including various sources of appraisal information. In
addition, several performance appraisal methods are described within the categories of trait,
behavior, and results approaches. A summary of the major strengths and weaknesses of
various appraisal techniques is shown in Figure 8.8. The section on feedback of appraisal has
been expanded with some practical suggestions for appraisal interviews. A section on improving
performance, which includes an examination of sources of ineffective performance, concludes the
chapter. We have found that performance appraisal is one of the functions that most concerns
managers and about which they often have many questions. In this chapter we attempt to bring
out the issues about which questions are frequently raised.
It is important for students to realize that training employees will not eliminate many of the
differences found among employees at the time they are hired. For this reason, performance
appraisal should be viewed as one of the important HR functions that can contribute to the
continuing development of the individual employee. The need for standards of satisfactory job
performance should be emphasized, particularly in this era of downsizing and restructuring.
From their own job experiences, students may be asked to list such criteria for various jobs. This
listing can give you an opportunity to point out those worker qualities that can be objectively
determined versus those that are subjectively determined. For example, the quantity of production
can be objectively determined, whereas employee cooperativeness is largely a matter of
subjective interpretation.
CHAPTER LEARNING OUTCOMES
8
8
c
c h
h a
a p
p t
t e
e r
r
Explain what performance management is and how the establishment
of goals, ongoing performance feedback, and the appraisal process
are part of it.
LEARNING OUTCOME 1
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or
duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
• Performance appraisal is a process, typically delivered annually by a supervisor to a
subordinate, that is designed to help employees understand their roles, objectives, and
expectations when it comes to contributing to the firm’s success. In addition, new
employees are often put on probationary status for a period of time and evaluated 30,
60, or 90 days after being hired, with their continued employment contingent upon
their performing satisfactorily.
• Performance management is the process of creating a work environment in which
employees can perform to the best of their abilities.
• Performance appraisal programs and merit rating systems are not new or unique to
organizations. From their early use in the federal government, performance
appraisals have become a major activity of HRM.
• Mention that most successful organizations use performance appraisals as a basis for
HR activity. Mention that recent interest in teamwork, continuous improvement,
learning, and the like has caused many organizations to rethink their approach to
performance appraisals.
II. ONGOING PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK
Because feedback is most useful when it is immediate and specific to a particular situation,
it should be a regularly occurring activity. For example, if you are a sales manager, should
Explain the purposes of performance appraisals and the reasons they
sometimes fail.
Describe the different sources of appraisal information.
Explain the various methods used to evaluate the performance of
employees.
Outline the characteristics of an effective performance appraisal
interview.
LEARNING OUTCOME 5
LEARNING OUTCOME 3
LEARNING OUTCOME 2
LEARNING OUTCOME 4
98 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
you wait to appraise your employees once or twice a year? Probably not. Most likely you
would want to monitor their sales on a weekly and monthly basis. Has a particular
salesperson met his or her customer-contact numbers this week? Why or why not? Is the
salesperson closing deals with the people he or she does contact? If at the six-month mark,
the salesperson isn’t making his or her goals, how can you help the person if you haven’t
provided the individual with ongoing feedback? The lack of sales will be hard to make up
at this point.
III. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROGRAMS
A. The Purposes of Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal programs benefit both the employee and the organization.
1. Administrative Purposes—For the organization, performance appraisals
provide inputs for many other HR functions. The concept of “pay-for-performance”
has gained wide acceptance among employers. Emphasize the importance of
correctly administered performance appraisals as a key to the proper
compensation of employees.
2. Developmental Purposes
• For the employee, performance appraisals provide feedback about daily
performance while also stressing employee training, development, and growth
plans.
• Refer to Figure 8.2 in the textbook to illustrate the more common uses of
performance appraisals. Have students, in groups or individually, brainstorm
different objectives of an appraisal program. Discuss how they contribute to
organizational growth and employee job satisfaction. List the objectives on
the board and see if any of the objectives might conflict with one another. If
they do, ask the class what problems this might cause for supervisors.
B. Why Appraisal Programs Sometimes Fail
• Have students, in groups or individually, brainstorm why performance appraisal
programs fail. List their reasons on the board and compare them to those given in
the textbook.
• Stress that in order to be motivated, employees must perceive that their appraisals
are fair and accurate. Also, when employees are involved in the procedure rather
than play a passive role, they are more likely to believe their appraisals are fair.
Providing employees with feedback on a continual basis not only improves their
performance but helps them know where they stand, thereby lessening the anxiety
they feel during their formal appraisals.
• Ask students what influence “politics” may play in the performance appraisal
process.
IV. DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE APPRAISAL PROGRAM
• Developing an appraisal system is normally the joint responsibility of the HR
department and line and staff managers. The HR department is responsible for over-
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 99
seeing and coordinating the appraisal program while other managers assist in
establishing objectives for the program.
• Studies have shown that employees have greater trust and respect for appraisal systems
when they participate in the development of the rating instrument.
A. What Are the Performance Standards?
Before managers can appraise the performance of employees, appropriate
performance standards must be established and communicated to employees. These
standards, or criteria, must be job-related requirements. Discuss the basic
considerations for establishing performance standards. Use Figure 8.4 in the textbook
for this discussion.
1. Strategic Relevance—This refers to how the appraisal standards relate to the
strategic objectives of the organization. A strategy-driven performance appraisal
process results in the documentation HR managers need to justify various training
expenses in order to close any gaps between, employees’ current skills and those
they will need in the future to execute the firm’s strategy.
2. Criterion Deficiency
• Performance standards must capture the full range of a person’s job. When
standards focus on only one element of the job (e.g., sales), they are likely
leave out important evaluation criteria.
• You may choose relate the concept of criterion deficiency to content validity
discussed in Chapter 6.
3. Criterion Contamination—Performance standards should not be influenced
by factors outside the employee’s control. For example, if bad materials or poor
equipment affects an employee’s performance, his or her performance standards
may be contaminated.
4. Reliability
• This refers to the stability or consistency of a standard, or the extent to which
individuals tend to maintain a certain level of performance over time.
• Stress that performance standards should be written and that they should be
defined in quantifiable and measurable terms.
• A new process some companies are using to make sure managers are rating
employees consistently is called calibration. During calibration meetings, a
group of supervisors, led by their managers and facilitated by an HR
professional, discuss the performance of individual employees to ensure all
managers apply similar standards to all of the firm’s employees. Calibration
meetings can be particularly helpful after a merger or acquisition, especially
one that’s global.
• Have students develop quantifiable and measurable performance standards
for the jobs of (1) college recruiter, (2) college teacher, (3) sales clerk,
(4) computer operator, and/or (5) bus driver.
100 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
• Obtain some sample performance appraisal forms from organizations. Have
students critique (1) the characteristics on which individuals are evaluated in
terms of how relevant they are to the job, and (2) the evaluator’s probable
opportunity to observe the behaviors described on the forms.
B. Are You Complying with the Law?
Based on recent court rulings, HR managers recommend that performance
appraisals meet these legal guidelines:
1. Performance ratings must be job-related (based on job analysis).
2. Employees should have a copy of their job standards.
3. Employee performance should be observable.
4. Performance problems should be documented and referred to in employee
appraisals.
5. Supervisors should be properly trained in the appraisal process.
6. Managers should openly discuss performance with employees and offer help
where needed.
7. An appeals procedure should be developed whereby employees can voice
disagreement with the appraisal received.
C. Who Should Appraise an Employee’s Performance?
• Just as there are multiple standards by which to evaluate performance, there are
a multitude of persons with valuable information about a person’s work
effectiveness.
• Use Figure 8.5 in the textbook as a basis for discussion about multiple sources
of appraisal.
1. Manager/Supervisor Appraisal—Because managers and supervisors work
directly with their employees, they are the logical choice to appraise the
performance of their employees. Managers and supervisors can use daily work
records and the direct observation of employees to complete the appraisal review.
2. Self-Appraisal—Self-appraisals are used when managers seek to increase
employees’ involvement in the appraisal process. One problem with this method is
that appraisers may evaluate their performance higher than the supervisor would.
It can also lead employees to wrongly believe they have more influence over the
process than they really do.
3. Subordinate Appraisal—Appraisal by subordinates has been used when
supervisors seek feedback on how subordinates view them. Employees are in a
good position to evaluate the leadership, communications, planning, and
delegation of authority of their managers. Discuss with students why managers
may not favor this appraisal method.
4. Peer Appraisal—Have students discuss when peer appraisals can be most
effectively used. What are several advantages and disadvantages of this appraisal
method? Have students discuss why this appraisal approach is not widely used.
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 101
5. Team Appraisal—This is an extension of the peer appraisal. In a team setting,
it might be impossible to separate out an individual’s contribution. In such cases,
doing individual appraisals might detract from the critical mission of the team.
Team appraisals are designed to evaluate the performance of the team as a whole.
6. Customer Appraisal—Driven by TQM concerns, internal and external
customers are increasingly used as sources of performance appraisal information.
The opinions of vendors and suppliers are also sometimes utilized in the appraisal
process. Internal customers can include anyone within the organization who
depends on the employee’s work output.
D. Putting It All Together: 360-Degree Appraisal
• Over 25 percent of all U.S. companies and over 90 percent of Fortune 1000
companies use some form of 360-degree appraisal. The system is intended to
give employees the most accurate view of their performance because it solicits
input from multiple sources—their supervisors, peers, subordinates, customers,
and so forth.
• Use Figure 8.6: Pros and Cons of 360-Degree Appraisal to discuss the plusses
and minuses of 360-degree appraisal.
E. Training Appraisers
Although performance appraisal is widely practiced by organizations, many
managers must perform the process without the benefit of training. This point is
highlighted by the quote by the following quote in the textbook: “What’s important is
not the (appraisal) form or (measuring) scale. What’s important is that managers can
objectively observe people’s performance and give them objective feedback on that
performance.” To accomplish this goal, performance appraisal training programs
should focus on the following:
1. Establishing an Appraisal Plan—This systematic process covers (1) the
objectives of the performance appraisal system, and (2) the mechanics of the rating
system (including the method, frequency, and strengths and weaknesses of the
system).
2. Eliminating Rater Error
• Research has shown that appraisers are prone to make several different types
of rating errors.
• Distributional errors (e.g., central tendency, leniency, and strictness errors)
involve the arrangement of a group of ratings across several employees.
Forced distribution and peer rankings are techniques that some organizations
use to eliminate these types of errors. However, not all corporate cultures are
conducive to forced rankings systems. Firms that place a high-priority on
teamwork would probably find forced ranking to be counterproductive. In
addition, these ranking systems can sometimes adversely affect employee
morale and lead to lawsuits. Behavioral anchors may be a more effective
approach to minimizing distributional errors. (See section III for more about
behavioral anchors.)
102 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
• Temporal errors (e.g., recency) are the result of how a person evaluates
information over time.
• Contrast error occurs when an employee’s evaluation is biased either
favorably or unfavorably because of a previous employee’s performance
evaluation.
• Similar-to-me error occurs when an appraiser inflates the evaluation of a
person with whom they have something in common.
• Discuss how various stereotypes held toward minorities and women may
affect their performance review.
3. Feedback Training
• Feedback not only provides employees with knowledge of results, but it also
allows the manager and employee to discuss current problems and set future
goals. Managers need to realize that employees want feedback. That is, they
want know how they are doing and how they can improve. They are less eager
to be appraised or judged.
• Refer to Highlights in HRM 1: Supervisor’s Checklist for the Performance
Appraisal in the textbook. This piece provides excellent points for
scheduling, preparing for the review, and conducting the performance review
with the employee.
V. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL METHODS
This section discusses the major contemporary methods of performance appraisal. Other,
less frequently used systems are also reviewed. Performance appraisal systems can be
broadly classified as trait methods, behavioral methods, or results-oriented methods.
A. Trait Methods
1. Graphic Rating Scales—In the graphic rating-scale method, traits or
characteristics are rated on a line or scale. Highlights in HRM 2 in the textbook
shows an example. Rating scale forms may differ between organizations based on
the dimensions to be appraised, the degree to which the performance dimensions
are defined, and the degree to which the points on the scale are defined.
2. Mixed-Standard Scales
• These scales are extensions of the basic rating scale. In the mixed-standard
scales method, the manager evaluates the trait under consideration (e.g.,
initiative) against three specific behavioral descriptions relevant to each trait to
be rated. An example is provided in Highlights in HRM 3 in the textbook.
• Each descriptor for the trait should reflect different levels of performance—
superior, average, or below average, for example. Managers appraise their
employees by indicating that the employees are better than, equal to, or worse
than the standard for each behavioral descriptor.
3. Forced-Choice Method—In the forced-choice method, the manager is
required to choose from a pair of statements that appear equally favorable or
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 103
unfavorable, selecting the one statement that best describes the employee’s
behavior. The manager selects the statement without knowing which statement
correctly describes successful job performance.
4. Essay Method
• The essay method of performance appraisal requires the supervisor to write
a statement that describes the employee’s behavior. Normally both strengths
and weaknesses are described, along with a plan for future employee
development.
• Have students discuss what they see as the advantages and weaknesses of
this appraisal method.
B. Behavioral Methods
1. Critical Incident Method—The critical incident method appraises employees
based on favorable or unfavorable critical incidents related to the job. Managers
keep a log on employees and note the critical incidents in the log as they occur.
Ask students to keep a list of favorable and unfavorable critical incidents of
students’ behavior in their various classes (without names). Discuss their entries in
class.
2. Behavioral Checklist Method—Checklists consist of groups of statements that
pertain to a given job. The rater checks those statements that apply to the ratee.
3. Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS)
• A behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) is often mentioned as one
way to improve rating scales. It does this by providing a description of
behavior along the scale, or continuum. A BARS is based on critical incidents
of job performance. Normally, a BARS consists of a series of five to ten
vertical scales, one for each important dimension of job performance. High-
lights in HRM 4 in the textbook provides an example of a behaviorally
anchored rating scale for firefighters.
• While BARS instruments have been widely publicized as a more effective
way to appraise performance, at present there is no strong evidence that a
BARS reduces all of the rating errors mentioned earlier.
4. Behavior Observation Scales (BOS)—A behavior observation scale (BOS) is
similar to BARS but asks raters to evaluate how frequently each behavior has
been observed. In contrast to BARS, this approach allows the appraiser to play
more the role of observer than judge. Highlights in HRM 4 in the text-book show
an example of BOS for a sales representative.
C. Results Methods
1. Productivity Measures
• A number of measures can be used to assess results achieved. Salespeople,
for example, are evaluated based on sales volume. Production workers can be
evaluated based on output produced, scrap rate, defects, and the like.
104 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
• There are a number of potential problems with output measures. Recall the
earlier discussion of criteria contamination and criteria deficiency.
2. Management by Objectives
• Developed by Peter Drucker in 1954, management by objectives (MBO) is a
philosophy of management as well as a goal-setting and performance
appraisal system. At periodic time intervals, employees set goals with their
supervisors and are evaluated against those goals on specified review dates.
Figure 8.7 in the textbook illustrates how performance appraisal functions under
an MBO program.
• Ask the class if anyone has worked or is currently working under an MBO
system. Have students explain the MBO process at their organizations.
a. Requirements for a Successful MBO Program
• To be successful, MBO programs must meet several characteristics.
Established goals should be quantifiable and set for both the long run and
the short run. Goals must be realistically set and under the employee’s
control. Managers and employees must establish specific times when goals
are to be reviewed and evaluated. Accompanying the goals should be a
detailed description of how the goals will be achieved.
• Advantages of MBO include the following: (1) employees can measure
their own performance; (2) quantifiable goals are set; (3) goal setting is a
joint effort between the employee and the manager; and (4) employees
have the satisfaction of achieving mutually established objectives.
b. Criticisms of MBO. The disadvantages of MBO include (1) some studies
show that MBO programs have achieved only mediocre success; (2) goals
may be unrealistically set; (3) employees and managers may not be fully
committed to the MBO process; and (4) some goals may be hard to quantify
but, nevertheless, are important to employee job success.
3. The Balanced Scorecard
• Developed by Harvard professors Robert Kaplan and David Norton, the
Balanced Scorecard (BSC), discussed initially in Chapter 2, is a measurement
framework that helps managers translate strategic goals into operational
objectives. The logic of the BSC is that learning and people management help
organizations improve their internal processes.
• Discuss with students the importance of not only measuring performance in
terms of bottom-line, but in long-term measures that may not provide
immediate benefits to the organization.
• Similar in some ways to MBO, the BSC enables managers to translate broad
corporate goals into divisional, departmental and team goals. Highlights in
HRM 5 shows an example of a personal scorecard used for this process.
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 105
D. Which Performance Appraisal Method to Use?
• The choice of which appraisal method to use largely depends on the intended
purpose of the appraisal program. To discuss the major strengths and weaknesses
of the different appraisal methods refer to Figure 8.8 in the textbook. In addition,
HR managers can periodically administer a survey to the firm’s employees and
managers to get a sense of whether or not they think the organization’s performance
appraisal process is improving.
• It is common for a supervisor’s appraisal of an employee to be reviewed by higher
levels of management. This is often done by the supervisor’s superior. Review of
an evaluator’s appraisal helps to ensure objectivity and fairness. This method also
can serve to train new supervisors in the proper application of performance
appraisal. Additionally, performance appraisals shouldn’t be done for middle
managers and rank-and-file employees only but for top managers as well—
particularly if the organization’s goals are to cascade downward through the
company.
VI. APPRAISAL INTERVIEWS
Appraisal interviews are a very important part of the entire appraisal process. Unfortunately,
many supervisors do not devote the time or attention needed to conduct the interview
properly. Appraisers should remember that employees want and deserve an honest
appraisal of their performance. This only comes through a well-planned and well-
conducted appraisal interview. The form of the interview will depend mostly on the purpose
of the interview. Generally, feedback sessions will have a different approach from growth
and development interviews. Employees should have adequate time in the interview to
ask questions and provide additional input, if needed.
A. Three Types of Appraisal Interviews
Norman Maier, an authority on the appraisal interview, notes that there are three basic
appraisal interview types.
1. Tell-and-Sell Interview—This method requires that the supervisor use
persuasion to change an employee in a desired manner. This can be accomplished
by having the employee see how the changed behavior will benefit him or her.
2. Tell-and-Listen Interview—When using this method, the supervisor discusses
the employee’s strong and weak points during the first half of the interview.
During the second half of the interview, the employee’s feelings about the
interview are thoroughly explored. At this time the supervisor attempts to deal
with the objections of the employee through nondefensive behavior. It is
assumed that the opportunity to release frustrated feelings through catharsis will
help to reduce or remove unpleasant feelings.
3. Problem-Solving Interview—The supervisor who uses the problem-solving
method employs nondirective interviewing procedures, but in addition, the
supervisor seeks to develop a growth and development approach to the interview.
Maier recommends this method since the appraisal process should exist to help
employees grow and develop.
106 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
B. Conducting the Appraisal Interview
• The textbook provides several considerations for conducting the appraisal
interview. A guiding rule to follow is not to discuss too much information at one
time. Dividing the appraisal interview into two sessions, one for the performance
review and the other for future development plans, can reduce time constraints.
• By dividing the appraisal interview into two sessions, the supervisor can serve
as evaluator at one period and counselor at the other period. This relieves the
burden of performing both tasks during one session.
• Some specific guidelines about conducting an appraisal interview may
increase employees’ acceptance of feedback, their satisfaction with the interview,
as well as their intention to improve in the future. Many of the principles of
good selection interviewing (see Chapter 6) apply to appraisal interviews.
1. Ask for a Self-Assessment—Self-assessment gets employees thinking about
their performance and assures that they know the standards against which they
will be evaluated.
2. Invite Participation—Participation helps bring out some of the root causes of
performance problems and may increase an employee’s satisfaction with the
process.
3. Express Appreciation—Praise is a powerful motivator. However, avoid the
“sandwich technique.” With this method, positive statements are given first,
followed by negative statements, which are followed by more positive remarks.
For many years HR professionals recommended that managers use the sandwich
technique when giving appraisal information to employees. Currently, this
technique is not recommended for these reasons: (1) giving praise first signals to
the employee that bad news is on the way; (2) the final positive comments
indicate to the employee that no more negative comments will follow; and
(3) employees may simply see this approach as a way to ease through the appraisal
interview without any real communication between those involved.
4. Minimize Criticism—Criticism leads to defensiveness, and this may hurt the
chances of solving the problem. It’s hard to change a person’s behavior with a
single conversation, so “laying it on the line” isn’t probably a good idea.
5. Change the Behavior, Not the Person—Instead of focusing on traits that are
personal characteristics (and difficult to change) focus on behaviors that can be
corrected or improved.
6. Focus on Solving Problems—Rather than blaming, focus on remedying the
situation.
7. Be Supportive—Some of the best leaders are those who focus on finding ways to
help employees eliminate obstacles to successful performance.
8. Establish Goals—Try to focus the employee on the future rather than the past.
9. Follow Up Day to Day—Feedback is more powerful when it occurs
frequently. Informal talks reinforce the goals and objectives laid out in the
formal appraisal interview.
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 107
C. Improving Performance
Employees cannot improve their performance unless they know exactly what is
expected of them. Supervisors have the responsibility to inform employees of their
job standards at the start of the review period. By doing this, employees can adjust
their behavior to conform to performance criteria, and surprises can be avoided at the
appraisal interview.
1. Identifying Sources of Ineffective Performance
• Use Figure 8.9: Factors That Influence Performance and Figure 8.10:
Performance Diagnosis to talk about the major causes of ineffective job
performance, broken into three categories: (1) ability, (2) motivation, and
(3) environment. These ideas were first brought up in Chapter 1 under
discussions about productivity enhancement.
• It is recommended that ineffective employee job performance be diagnosed
according to three interactive factors: the employee’s skill, the employee’s
effort levels, and the external conditions surrounding the job.
2. Performance Diagnosis
• Although performance appraisal systems can often tell us who is not
performing well, they typically cannot reveal why. So, if someone is not
achieving desired results, it can be difficult to decide if it is due to ability,
motivation, or external constraints.
• It is thus important to compare various measures of performance to ensure
improvement. For example, if someone is demonstrating all the desired
behaviors but is not achieving the desired results, logic suggests that it may be
due to factors beyond his or her control.
3. Managing Ineffective Performance—A three-step process is recommended to
correct poor employee performance. First, identify the source of poor
performance. Second, develop a course of action to improve performance.
Third, motivate the employee to correct undesirable job behavior.
Performance Diagnosis
1. Noting that Carl works very hard on the gopher problem, this may offer a clue
that his problem is not motivation or external issues, but that he lacks the skills
to address the situation. A potential solution would be to offer training courses
on how to deal with the problem.
2. Clark may be having external problems at home (e.g., his wife’s sister-in-law
and their family have decided to visit and stay at the house for a whole month—
putting extra financial and emotional strain on Clark). Obviously, we cannot be
sure of the problems Clark is facing, but finding out why he feels so dejected
about the bonus may offer clues to his poor performance. If the problems are
HRM
EXPERIENCE
108 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
external, maybe offering some time off will help Clark work out his problems at
home so he can better accomplish his assignment at work.
3. There could be several explanations including lack of sales training or perhaps
his college degree is in a different field that is of greater interest to him.
Students will have various explanations.
ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. The performance appraisal an employee receives is directly linked with other HR functions.
A poor appraisal review can limit promotional or transfer opportunities. A poor appraisal
may necessitate additional training to bring the employee up to acceptable performance
standards. Depending on the appraisal received, increases in salary may or may not be
recommended.
2. The courts have emphasized the importance of having carefully defined and measurable
criteria as a basis for appraising employee performance. They have insisted on employers
having some type of record of performance based on identifiable objective criteria rather than
vague descriptions such as attitude, cooperation, or initiative.
3. Some criteria that can be used to appraise performance in the following jobs are:
a. Sales representative: Volume of sales made, number of sales contacts made, and
customer complaints.
b. TV repairer: Number of repairs made in a specified period of time, and amount of
work that must be redone because of faulty workmanship.
c. Director of nursing in a hospital: Success in establishing standards of performance
and the cost-effective utilization of members of the nursing staff.
d. HR manager: Effectiveness of HR programs in relation to cost, employee effectiveness
and morale, and quality of response to special problems within the organization.
e. Air-traffic controller: skill in managing traffic, completion of required operational
procedures (updating weather reports, keeping records), coordination and communication
with pilots, and use of emergency equipment and procedures.
4. a. The tell-and-sell method requires the ability to persuade an individual to change in the
prescribed manner. The tell-and-listen method requires the ability to communicate the strong
and weak points of a subordinate’s performance and to explore the subordinate’s feelings
about the appraisal. The problem-solving method requires the ability to stimulate growth
and development through discussion.
b. The skills for the problem-solving type of interview can be developed by first adopting
the attitude that through discussion, new ideas and mutual interests can be developed. Training
and practice in listening and reflecting feelings, reflecting ideas, using exploratory questions,
and summarizing are essential.
c. Probably most students will agree that the tell-and-sell method is the least desirable
because it leads to suppressed defensive behavior and feelings of hostility.
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 109
5. Poor performance should be detected during the daily observation of employees. The major
factors that influence performance are listed in Figure 8.8 in the textbook.
ANSWERS TO USING THE INTERNET ACTIVITIES
Internet Exercise #1, page 358
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
http://www.opm.gov/
Question:
Visit the website of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and conduct a search of “360-
degree assessment” for the organization’s training assistance program. Review the
organization’s 360-degree feedback procedures and list the sources of feedback. What questions
are considered for each feedback source?
Answer:
The feedback sources included in OPM’s 360-feedback process include the following:
• Superiors
• Self-assessment
• Peers
• Subordinates
• Customers
For each feedback source, the following two questions are covered:
• “What does this rating source contribute?”
• “What cautions should be addressed?”
Source:
http://www.opm.gov/perform/wppdf/360asess.pdf
Internet Exercise #2, page 368
U.S. Army Research Institute
http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/
Question:
Visit the U.S. Army Research Institute and conduct a search of “behaviorally anchored rating
scales” (BARS). Provide a summary of how the U.S. Army has used BARS to assess tactical
thinking.
110 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
Answer:
An ongoing need exists in the Army to enhance combat leaders’ tactical thinking skills. A
Tactical Thinking Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (T-BARS) was generated and inter-rater
reliability was established. Eight themes of tactical thinking identified in the “Think Like A
Commander” program of research and training formed the basis of the scales. These included:
• Know and Use All Assets Available
• Focus on the Mission and Higher’s Intent
• Model a Thinking Enemy
• Consider Effects of Terrain
• Consider Timing
• See the Big Picture
• Consider Contingencies and Remain Flexible
• Visualize the Battlefield
Interviews were conducted with Army officers with a range of operational experience to elicit
patterns of thinking and behaviors within a set of tactical exercises. Interview data were utilized
to generate behavioral indicators to populate the five levels of cognitive performance within the
T-BARS.
Source:
http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/pdf/RR1854.pdf
Chapter 8: Performance Management and the Employee Appraisal Process 111
VIDEO CASE DISCUSSION GUIDE
Students will offer a number of answers to this question, so they should be encouraged to fully
explain their rationale for their ideas. Some possibilities might include increasing job
satisfaction by encouraging employees to take on additional tasks or increasing productivity
through training.
A good place to begin this discussion is by comparing and contrasting the meaning of traits
(characteristics), behaviors, and results. Encourage students to imagine what traits,
behaviors, and results are most likely to be exhibited in a bakery. From there, students will
probably reach a general consensus about which of these they think would be most important
and therefore most likely to be used at Metropolitan.
The video suggests that the two owners do most of the performance reviews. Guide students in
discussing who else might be able to offer accurate, reliable performance evaluations. Then
guide students in discussing the merits and feasibility of having other stakeholders, such as
peers, participate in performance evaluations. Ask students to share their opinions about
whether the employees should be given an opportunity to evaluate themselves.
It might be useful to spend some time discussing how so much of the work done at a bakery is
routine work, and how important it is to be consistent on a daily basis. These factors might
lead students to determine how best to evaluate performance at Metropolitan. As for
differences between supervisors and nonsupervisors, one of the specific circumstances
mentioned in the video is a high turnover rate, and the managers even point out that an
annual or semi-annual review is not always appropriate because many of their employees
don’t stay with them that long. Guide students in discussing what might be a more
appropriate and effective timeframe for giving performance feedback at Metropolitan,
especially for entry-level employees.
NOTES FOR END-OF-CHAPTER CASE STUDIES
Case Study 1: Performance Management System Helps Freeport McMoran
Switch Strategic Gears
1. The firm needed a means o coordinating and focusing its workforce around the world on
carrying out its strategy. Performance appraisal measurements provide one way to do that.
Also, it the firm needs to change its strategy, an adjustment in performance appraisal
measurements can help expedite that change.
2. In posting that question to the class, it will be interesting to see if anyone thinks that paper and
pencil would be better. Some might argue that if those who are going to do the appraisals are
not familiar with computers, paper and pencil might be better but if the firm wishes to maintain
a global data base, someone would need to input the information from the paper and thus it
might be better to train raters to the extent needed to complete performance appraisals.
112 Part 3: Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources
Case Study 2: Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo
1. The performance appraisal an employee receives is directly linked with other HR functions.
A poor appraisal review can limit promotional or transfer opportunities. A poor appraisal
may necessitate additional training to bring the employee up to acceptable performance
standards. Depending on the appraisal received, increases in salary may or may not be
recommended.
2. The courts have emphasized the importance of having carefully defined and measurable
criteria as a basis for appraising employee performance. They have insisted on employers
having some type of record of performance based on identifiable objective criteria rather than
vague descriptions such as attitude, cooperation, or initiative.
3. Some criteria that can be used to appraise performance in the following jobs are:
a. Sales representative: Volume of sales made, number of sales contacts made, and
customer complaints.
b. TV repairer: Number of repairs made in a specified period of time, and amount of
work that must be redone because of faulty workmanship.
c. Director of nursing in a hospital: Success in establishing standards of performance
and the cost-effective utilization of members of the nursing staff.
d. HR manager: Effectiveness of HR programs in relation to cost, employee effectiveness
and morale, and quality of response to special problems within the organization.
e. Air-traffic controller: skill in managing traffic, completion of required operational
procedures (updating weather reports, keeping records), coordination and communication
with pilots, and use of emergency equipment and procedures.
4. a. The tell-and-sell method requires the ability to persuade an individual to change in the
prescribed manner. The tell-and-listen method requires the ability to communicate the strong
and weak points of a subordinate’s performance and to explore the subordinate’s feelings
about the appraisal. The problem-solving method requires the ability to stimulate growth
and development through discussion.
b. The skills for the problem-solving type of interview can be developed by first adopting
the attitude that through discussion, new ideas and mutual interests can be developed. Training
and practice in listening and reflecting feelings, reflecting ideas, using exploratory questions,
and summarizing are essential.
c. Probably most students will agree that the tell-and-sell method is the least desirable
because it leads to suppressed defensive behavior and feelings of hostility.
5. Poor performance should be detected during the daily observation of employees. The major
factors that influence performance are listed in Figure 8.8 in the textbook.
Other documents randomly have
different content
34 “The Exposition of 1852;” 2nd edition, p. 222.
“When directly engaged in the operations of contending armies
occupying a wide extent of country, he must be able, with rapid
glance, to ascertain the force it is possible to con­
cen­
trate upon each
of many points in any given time, and the greater or less chance of
fairing in the attempt. He must also be able to foresee, with
something more than conjecture, what amount of the enemy’s force
can be brought to the same spot in the same and in different times.
With these elements {181} he must undertake one of the most difficult
of mental tasks, that of classifying and grouping the innumerable
combinations to which either party may have recourse for purposes
of attack or defence. Out of the multitude of such combinations,
which might baffle by their simple enumeration the strongest
memory, throwing aside the less important, he must be able to
discover, to fix his attention, and to act upon the most favourable.
Finally, when the course thus selected having been pursued, and
perhaps partially carried out, is found to be entirely deranged by one
of those many chances inseparable from such operations, then, in
the midst of action, he must be able suddenly to organise a different
system of operations, new to all other minds, yet possibly, although
unconsciously, anticipated by his own.
“The genius that can meet and overcome such difficulties must
be in­
tel­
lec­
tual, and would, under different circumstances, have been
distinguished in many a different career.
“Nor even would it be very surprising that such a commander,
estimating justly the extent of his own powers, and conscious of
having planned the best combinations of which his mind is capable,
should, having issued his orders, calmly lie down on the eve of the
approaching conflict, and find in sleep that bodily restoration so
indispensable to the full exercise of his faculties in the mighty
struggle about to ensue.”
Soon after the Queen came to the throne, the two Uni­
ver­
si­
ties
pre­
sent­
ed ad­
dresses to her Majesty. I ac­
com­
panied that of
Cambridge. The depu­
ta­
tion was very numerous, and much unseemly
pushing took place. I recollect a very short dumpy fellow pushing
much more energetically than any other, for whom I made way, as I
retired from the strife in which I was unwillingly involved. He not
only pushed, but was {182} continually jumping up like a parched pea
in a heated frying-pan: his object being to get a glimpse of her
Majesty, and the effect accomplished being to alight on the toes or
graze the heels of his colleagues.
I retired into a window close to the end of the position occupied
by the gentlemen-at-arms. The Duke of Wellington, who had a short
time before, as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, presented the
address of that body, still remained in the state apartments. He
joined me in the recess of the window, and we entered into
conversation.
〈THE DUKE ASSISTS A PUSHING M.A.〉
After a time the little dumpy fellow, who had been regularly
turned out of the crowd for his pushing, came up to us, and,
mistaking the Duke of Wellington for a beef-eater or some palace
attendant, complained, almost in tears, that he wanted to see the
Queen, and that they had pushed him out, and that he had not been
able to see the Queen.
The Duke very good-naturedly said he would take him to a place
where he could see her Majesty without being pushed about.
Accordingly, the Duke led him behind the gentlemen-at-arms to a
situation in which the little man’s wish was gratified, and then
returned with him to the window, and resumed the conversation.
On another occasion the University of Cambridge presented an
address to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The crowd was very
great. On descending one of the flights of stairs, a short Master of
Arts was unluckily caught by the string of his gown hooking itself
upon one of the large door-handles. He was carried off his legs by
the advancing rush. To bring back the pendant Master of Arts a
single inch was impossible from the pressure onwards. So whilst two
or three of his colleagues with difficulty supported him, I took out
my pen-knife and cut the imprisoning ribbon. {183}
〈ALL PARCELS REJECTED.〉
When I published the “Ninth Bridgewater Treatise,” I sent my
servant to Apsley House with a presentation copy for the Duke of
Wellington. The next morning at breakfast my servant informed me
that the porter absolutely refused to take it in, although he stated
from whom it came.
I remarked to my brother-in-law, who was staying with me, that
it was a very odd circumstance, and inquired what was to be done.
He replied, “When a man refuses to receive a parcel, nothing more
can be done.” I then observed, that if any other person than the
Duke had done so, I should have taken no further step; but, I
added, that I knew his character so well, that I was confident there
was really a good and sufficient reason, although I could not
conjecture its nature.
After breakfast I wrote a short note to the Duke, mentioning the
circumstance, taking for granted that it arose entirely from some
misconception of his orders. I then requested him not to take the
trouble of writing to me to explain it; but added that I would send
the volume to Apsley House on the following morning, when, I had
no doubt, the mistaken interpretation of his orders would have been
rectified.
About three o’clock the same day a servant of the Duke’s brought
me a note, inquiring if there were any answer to take back. The
Duke stated in his note that letters, books, parcels, maps, and even
merchandise, were continually sent to him for the purpose of being
forwarded to all parts of the world. This, he observed, threw upon
his house-steward so great a responsibility, that he had been
compelled to give directions that no parcel should be received at
Apsley House without a written order with his signature, like that
which he now enclosed. As the Duke’s servant was waiting, I gave
him the book, which he took back, and I retained the slip of paper
for any other similar occasion. {184}
〈THE DUKE DRESSED IN HIS CARRIAGE.〉
The Duke was habitually an economist of time. One day I was
going homeward in a cab to dress for a dinner engagement, when I
thought I observed him riding down St. James’s Street towards the
House of Lords. On reaching the house of the friend with whom I
was to dine, I found that the Duke of Wellington was expected at
dinner. He arrived punctually. In the course of the evening I took an
opportunity of asking him whether I was mistaken in supposing I
had seen him a short time before dinner riding down St. James’s
Street. I then expressed my surprise at the rapidity of his
movements in getting back to Apsley House in time to dress and be
punctual to his engagement. He said, “No, I did not do that; I had
ordered my carriage to meet me at the House of Lords, and I
changed my dress whilst it was bringing me here.”
The most interesting conversations generally occurred when only
a few of his intimate friends met together.
On one of these occasions, at a very small dinner-party, the
characters of the French marshals became the subject of
conversation. The Duke, being appealed to, pointed out freely their
various qualities, and assigned to each his peculiar excellence.
〈CURIOUS QUESTION—THE DUKE’S REPLY.〉
One question, the most highly interesting of all, naturally
presented itself to our minds. I was speculating how I could, without
impropriety, suggest it, when, to my great relief, one of the party,
addressing the Duke, said—
“Well, sir, how was it that, with such various great qualities, you
licked them all, one after another?”
The Duke was evidently taken by surprise. He paused for a
moment or two, and then said—
“Well, I don’t know exactly how it was; but I think that if any
unexpected circumstance occurred in the midst of a {185} battle,
which deranged its whole plan, I could perhaps organize another
plan more quickly than most of them.”
This strongly confirms the view of the Duke of Wellington’s
character given in the preceding pages. After examining all the more
important combinations which might be made for the conflict, and
having selected those which appeared the best, it is quite natural, if
any accident deranged the original plan, that he should perceive,
more quickly than another commander, one amongst the many plans
previously rejected which was immediately applicable to the new and
unexpected circumstances.
CHAPTER XIII.
RECOLLECTIONS OF WOLLASTON, DAVY, AND ROGERS.
Secretaryship of Royal Society—Mr. Murray of Albemarle Street—Remark on “The
Decline of Science”—Dr. Somerville—Explanation of a Job of Sir Humphry Davy—
History of the Thaumatrope—Introduction to Mr. Rogers—The Poet nearly run
over—Anecdote of the “Economy of Man­
u­
fac­
tures”—Teaches the Author how to
live for ever—Rapidity of composition amongst Poets—Different effects of
Imagination in the Poet and the Phi­
los­
o­
pher—Consultation about the Author’s
unwritten Novel.
IN 1826, one of the secretaryships of the Royal Society became
vacant. Dr. Wollaston and several others of the leading members of
the Society and of the Council wished that I should be appointed.
This would have been the more agreeable to me, because my early
friend Herschel was at that time the senior Secretary.
This arrangement was agreed to by Sir H. Davy, and I left town
with the full assurance that I was to have the appointment. In the
mean time Sir H. Davy summoned a Council at an unusual hour—
eight o’clock in the evening—for a special purpose, namely, some
arrangement about the Treasurer’s accounts.
After the business relating to the Treasurer was got through, Sir
H. Davy observed that there was a secretaryship vacant, and he
proposed to fill it up.
〈SIR HUMPHRY DAVY’S DISCOURSES.〉
Dr. Wollaston then asked Sir Humphry Davy if he claimed the
nomination as a right of the President, to which {187} Sir H. Davy
replied that he did, and then nominated Mr. Children. The President,
as president, has no such right; and even if he had possessed it, he
had promised Mr. Herschel that I should be his colleague. There
were upright and eminent men on that council; yet no one of them
had the moral courage to oppose the President’s dictation, or
afterwards to set it aside on the ground of its irregularity.
A few years after, whilst I was on a visit at Wimbledon Park, Dr.
and Mrs. Somerville came down to spend the day. Dr. Somerville
mentioned a very pleasant dinner he had had with the late Mr. John
Murray of Albemarle Street, and also a conversation relating to my
book “On the Decline of Science in England.” Mr. Murray felt hurt at
a remark I had made on himself (page 107) whilst criticizing a then
unexplained job of Sir Humphry Davy’s. Dr. Somerville assured Mr.
Murray that he knew me intimately, and that if I were convinced that
I had done him an injustice, nobody would be more ready to repair
it. A few days after, Mr. Murray put into Dr. Somerville’s hands papers
explaining the whole of the transaction. These papers were now
transferred to me. On examining them I found ample proof of what I
had always suspected. The ob­
ser­
va­
tion I had made which pained Mr.
Murray fell to the ground as soon as the real facts were known, and
I offered to retract it in any suitable manner. One plan I proposed
was to print a supplemental page, and have it bound up with all the
remaining copies of the “Decline of Science.”
Mr. Murray was satisfied with my explanation, but did not wish
me to take the course I proposed, at least, not at that time. Various
objections may have presented themselves to his mind, but the
affair was adjourned with the understanding that at some future
time I should explain the real state of {188} the facts which had led to
this misinterpretation of Mr. Murray’s conduct.
〈EXPLANATION OF THAT JOB.〉
The true history of the affair was this: Being on the Council of
the Royal Society in 1827, I observed in our accounts a charge of
381l. 5s. as paid to Mr. Murray for 500 copies of Sir Humphry Davy’s
Discourses.
I asked publicly at the Council for an explanation of this item.
The answer given by Dr. Young and others was—
“That the Council had agreed to purchase these volumes at that
price, in order to induce Mr. Murray to print the President’s
speeches.”
To this I replied that such an explanation was entirely
inadmissible. I then showed that even allowing a very high price for
composing, printing, and paper, if the Council had wished to print
500 copies of those Discourses they could have done it themselves
for 150l. at the outside. I could not extract a single word to
elucidate this mystery, about which, however, I had my own ideas.
It appeared by the papers put into my hands that Sir Humphry
Davy had applied to Mr. Murray, and had sold him the copyright of
the Discourses for 500 guineas, one of the conditions being that the
Royal Society should purchase of him 500 copies at the trade price.
Mr. Murray paid Sir H. Davy the 500 guineas in three bills at six,
twelve, and eighteen months. These bills passed through
Drummond’s (Sir H. Davy’s banker), and I have had them in my own
hands for examination.
Thus it appears that Mr. Murray treated the whole affair as a
matter of business, and acted in this purchase in his usual liberal
manner. I have had in my hand a statement of the winding-up of
that account copied from Mr. Murray’s books, and I find that he was
a considerable loser by his {189} purchase. Sir H. Davy, on the other
hand, contrived to transfer between three and four hundred pounds
from the funds of the Royal Society into his own pocket.
35
It was my determination to have called for an explanation of this
affair at the election of our President and officers at our anniversary
on the 30th November if Sir H. Davy had been again proposed as
President in 1827.
35 See “Decline of Science in England,” p. 105. 8vo. 1830.
The Thaumatrope.
One day Herschel, sitting with me after dinner, amusing himself
by spinning a pear upon the table, suddenly asked whether I could
show him the two sides of a shilling at the same moment.
I took out of my pocket a shilling, and holding it up before the
looking-glass, pointed out my method. “No,” said my friend, “that
won’t do;” then spinning my shilling upon the table, he pointed out
his method of seeing both sides at once. The next day I mentioned
the anecdote to the late Dr. Fitton, who a few days after brought me
a beautiful illustration of the principle. It consisted of a round disc of
card suspended between the two pieces of sewing-silk. These
threads being held between the finger and thumb of each hand,
were then made to turn quickly, when the disc of card, of course,
revolved also.
Upon one side of this disc of card was painted a bird; upon the
other side, an empty bird-cage. On turning the thread rapidly, the
bird appeared to have got inside the cage. We soon made numerous
applications, as a rat on one side and a trap upon the other, &c. It
was shown to Captain Kater, Dr. Wollaston, and many of our friends,
and was, after the lapse of a short time, forgotten. {190}
〈THE THAUMATROPE: ITS RETRIBUTION.〉
Some months after, during dinner at the Royal Society Club, Sir
Joseph Banks being in the chair, I heard Mr. Barrow, then Secretary
to the Admiralty, talking very loudly about a wonderful invention of
Dr. Paris, the object of which I could not quite understand. It was
called the thaumatrope, and was said to be sold at the Royal
Institution, in Albemarle-street. Suspecting that it had some
connection with our unnamed toy, I went the next morning and
purchased, for seven shillings and sixpence, a thaumatrope, which I
afterwards sent down to Slough to the late Lady Herschel. It was
precisely the thing which her son and Dr. Fitton had contributed to
invent, which amused all their friends for a time and had then been
forgotten. There was however one additional thaumatrope made
afterwards. It consisted of the usual disc of paper. On one side was
represented a thaumatrope (the design upon it being a penny-piece)
with the motto, “How to turn a penny.”
On the other side was a gentleman in black, with his hands held
out in the act of spinning a thaumatrope, the motto being, “A new
trick from Paris.”
After my contest for Finsbury was decided, Mr. Rogers the
banker, and the brother of the poet, who had been one of my
warmest supporters, proposed accompanying me to the hustings at
the declaration of the poll. He had also invited a party of some of
the most influential electors of his district to dine with him in the
course of the week, in order that they might meet me, and consider
about measures for supporting me at the next opportunity.
〈THE POET AND PHI­
LOS­
O­
PHER AT A CROSSING.〉
On a cold drizzling rainy day in November the final state of the
poll was declared. Mr. Rogers took me in his carriage to the hustings,
and caught a cold, which seemed at first unimportant. On the day of
the dinner, when we met at {191} Mr. Rogers’s, who resided at
Islington, he was unable to leave his bed. Miss Rogers, his sister,
who lived with him, and his brother the poet, received us, quite
unconscious of the dangerous condition of their relative, who died
the next day.
Thus commenced a friendship with both of my much-valued
friends which remained unruffled by the slightest wave until their
lamented loss. Miss Rogers removed to a house in the Regent’s Park,
in which the paintings by modern artists collected by her elder
brother, and increased by her own judicious taste, were arranged.
The society at that house comprised all that was most eminent in
literature and in art. The adjournment after her breakfasts to the
delightful verandah overlooking the Park still clings to my fading
memory, and the voices of her poet brother, of Jeffrey, and of Sidney
Smith still survive in the vivid impressions of their wisdom and their
wit.
I do not think the genuine kindness of the poet’s character was
sufficiently appreciated. I oc­
ca­
sion­
al­
ly walked home with him from
parties during the first years of our acquaintance. In later years,
when his bodily strength began to fail, I always accompanied him,
though sometimes not without a little contest.
I have frequently walked with him from his sister’s house, in the
Regent’s Park, to his own in St. James’s Place, and he has
sometimes insisted upon returning part of the way home with me.
On one of those occasions we were crossing a street near
Cavendish Square: a cart coming rapidly round the corner, I almost
dragged him over. As soon as we were safe, the poet said, very
much as a child would, “There, now, that was all your fault; you
would come with me, and so I was nearly run over.” However, I
found less and less resistance to my {192} accompanying him, and
only regretted that I could not be constantly at his side on those
occasions.
Soon after the publication of the “Economy of Man­
u­
fac­
tures,” Mr.
Rogers told me that he had met one evening, at a very fashionable
party, a young dandy, with whom he had had some conversation.
The poet had asked him whether he had read that work. To this his
reply was, “Yes: it is a very nice book—just the kind of book that
anybody could have written.”
〈HOW TO LIVE FOR EVER.〉
One day, when I was in great favour with the poet, we were
talking about the preservation of health. He told me he would teach
me how to live for ever; for which I thanked him in a compliment
after his own style, rather than in mine. I answered, “Only embalm
me in your poetry, and it is done.” Mr. Rogers invited me to breakfast
with him the next morning, when he would communicate the
receipt. We were alone, and I enjoyed a very entertaining breakfast.
The receipt consisted mainly of cold ablutions and the frequent use
of the flesh brush. Mr. Rogers himself used the latter to a moderate
extent regularly, three times every day—before he dressed himself,
when he dressed for dinner, and before he got into bed. About six or
eight strokes of the flesh-brush completed each operation. We then
adjourned to a shop, where I purchased a couple of the proper
brushes, which I used for several years, and still use oc­
ca­
sion­
al­
ly,
with, I believe, considerable advantage.
〈RAPIDITY OF COMPOSITION.〉
Once, at Mr. Rogers’s table, I was talking with one of his guests
about the speed with which some authors composed, and the
slowness of others. I then turned to our host, and, much to his
surprise, inquired how many lines a-day on the average a poet
usually wrote. My friend, when his astonishment had a little
subsided, very good-naturedly gave us the result of his own
experience. He said that he had never written {193} more than four36
lines of verse in any one day of his life. This I can easily understand;
for Mr. Rogers’ taste was the most fastidious, as well as the most
just, I ever met with. Another circumstance also, I think, contributed
to this slowness of composition.
36 I am not quite certain that the number was four; but I am absolutely certain
that it was either four or six.
An author may adopt either of two modes of composing. He may
write off the whole of his work roughly, so as to get upon paper the
plan and general outline, without attending at all to the language.
He may afterwards study minutely every clause of each sentence,
and then every word of each clause.
Or the author may finish and polish each sentence as soon as it
is written.
This latter process was, I think, employed by Mr. Rogers, at least
in his poetry.
He then told us that Southey composed with much greater
rapidity than himself, as well in poetry as in prose. Of the latter
Southey frequently wrote a great many pages before breakfast.
Once, at a large dinner party, Mr. Rogers was speaking of an
inconvenience arising from the custom, then commencing, of having
windows formed of one large sheet of plate-glass. He said that a
short time ago he sat at dinner with his back to one of these single
panes of plate-glass: it appeared to him that the window was wide
open, and such was the force of imagination, that he actually caught
cold.
〈DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF IMAGINATION.〉
It so happened that I was sitting just opposite to the poet.
Hearing this remark, I immediately said, “Dear me, how odd it is, Mr.
Rogers, that you and I should make such a very different use of the
faculty of imagination. When I go to the house of a friend in the
country, and unexpectedly {194} remain for the night, having no night-
cap, I should naturally catch cold. But by tying a bit of pack-thread
tightly round my head, I go to sleep imagining that I have a night-
cap on; consequently I catch no cold at all.” This sally produced
much amusement in all around, who supposed I had improvised it;
but, odd as it may appear, it is a practice I have often resorted to.
Mr. Rogers, who knew full well the respect and regard I had for him,
saw at once that I was relating a simple fact, and joined cordially in
the merriment it excited.
In the latter part of Mr. Rogers’s life, when, being unable to walk,
he was driven in his carriage round the Regent’s Park, he frequently
called at my door, and, when I was able, I often accompanied him in
his drive. On some one of these occasions, when I was unable to
accompany him, I put into his hands a parcel of proof-sheets of a
work I was then writing, thinking they might amuse him during his
drive, and that I might profit by his criticism. Some years before, I
had consulted him about a novel I had proposed to write solely for
the purpose of making money to assist me in completing the
Analytical Engine. I breakfasted alone with the poet, who entered
fully into the subject. I proposed to give up a twelvemonth to writing
the novel, but I determined not to commence it unless I saw pretty
clearly that I could make about 5,000l. by the sacrifice of my time.
The novel was to have been in three volumes, and there would
probably have been reprints of another work in two volumes. Both of
these works would have had graphic illustrations. The poet gave me
much information on all the subjects connected with the plan, and
amongst other things, observed that when he published his
beautifully illustrated work on Italy, that he had paid 9,000l. out of
his own pocket before he received any return for that work.
CHAPTER XIV.
RECOLLECTIONS OF LAPLACE, BIOT, AND HUMBOLDT.
My First Visit to Paris—Anecdote of the fifty-two Eggs—Mistake about Woodhouse
—Fourier—Biot—Drawings of the Difference Engine—Strong char­
ac­
ter­
is­
tic of
Humboldt’s mind—English Clergyman at Paris—Great Meeting of Phi­
los­
o­
phers at
Berlin, 1828—Introduces the Author to Magnus and Derichlet—Puts the
Englishman upon the Dining Committee—Conversation in the Linden Walk—
Humboldt’s study—Various members of the family of Buonaparte—Lucien and his
Children—Louis, the King of Holland—Joseph, the King of Spain—His second
Daughter married to a Son of Louis—Their taste—Drawings and Lithographs—Her
Death.
MY first visit to Paris was made in company with my friend John
Herschel. On reaching Abbeville, we wanted breakfast, and I
undertook to order it. Each of us usually required a couple of eggs. I
preferred having mine moderately boiled, but my friend required his
to be boiled quite hard. Having explained this matter to the waiter, I
concluded by instructing him that each of us required two eggs thus
cooked, concluding my order with the words, “pour chacun deux.”
The garçon ran along the passage half way towards the kitchen,
and then called out in his loudest tone—
“Il faut faire bouillir cinquante-deux œufs pour Messieurs les
Anglais.” I burst into such a fit of un­
con­
trol­
lable laughter at this
absurd mis­
un­
der­
stand­
ing of chacun deux, for cinquante-deux, that it
was some time before I could explain it to Herschel, and but for his
running into the kitchen to {196} coun­
ter­
mand it, the half hundred of
eggs would have assuredly been simmering over the fire.
A few days after our arrival in Paris, we dined with Laplace,
where we met a large party, most of whom were members of the
Institut. The story had already arrived at at Paris, having rapidly
passed through several editions.
〈FIFTY-TWO EGGS.〉
To my great amusement, one of the party told the company that,
a few days before, two young Englishman being at Abbeville, had
ordered fifty-two eggs to be boiled for their breakfast, and that they
ate up every one of them, as well as a large pie which was put
before them.
My next neighbour at dinner asked me if I thought it probable. I
replied, that there was no absurdity a young Englishman would not
oc­
ca­
sion­
al­
ly commit.
One morning Herschel and I called on Laplace, who spoke to us
of various English works on math­
e­
mat­
i­
cal subjects. Amongst others,
he mentioned with approbation, “Un ouvrage de vous deux.” We
were both quite at a loss to know to what work he referred. Herschel
and I had not written any joint work, although we had together
translated the work of Lacroix. The volume of the “Memoirs of the
Analytical Society,” though really our joint production, was not
known to be such, and it was also clear that Laplace did not refer to
that work. Perceiving that we did not recognise the name of the
author to whom he referred, Laplace varied the pronunciation by
calling him vous deux; the first word being pronounced as the
French word “vous,” and the second as the English word “deuce.”
Upon further explanation, it turned out that Laplace meant to
speak of a work published by Woodhouse, whose name is in the
pronunciation of the French so very like vous deux. {197}
〈FOURIER AND BIOT.〉
Poisson, Fourier, and Biot were amongst my earliest friends in
Paris. Fourier, then Secretary of the Institute, had accompanied the
first Napoleon in his expedition to Egypt. His profound acquaintance
with analysis remains recorded in his works. His unaffected and
genial manner, the vast extent of his acquirements, and his
admirable taste conspicuous even in the apartments he inhabited,
were most felt by those who were honoured by his friendship.
With M. Biot I became acquainted in early life; he was then
surrounded by a happy family. In my occasional visits to Paris I
never omitted an opportunity of paying my respects to him: when
deprived of those supports and advanced in life, he still earnestly
occupied himself in carrying out the investigations of his earlier
years.
His son, M. Biot, a profound oriental scholar, who did me the
honour of translating ‘The Economy of Man­
u­
fac­
tures,’ died many
years before his father.
In one of my visits to Paris, at a period when beards had become
fashionable amongst a certain class of my countrymen, I met Biot.
After our first greeting, looking me full in the face, he said, “My dear
friend, you are the best shaved man in Europe.”
〈BIOT AND THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE.〉
At a later period I took with me to Paris the complete drawings of
Difference Engine No. 2. As soon as I had hung them up round my
own apartments to explain them to my friends I went to the College
de France, where M. Biot resided. I mentioned to him the fact, and
said that if it was a subject in which he was interested, and had
leisure to look at these drawings, I should have great pleasure in
bringing them to him, and giving him any explanation that he might
desire. I told him, however, that I was fully aware how much the
time of every man who really adds to science must be {198} occupied,
and that I made this proposal rather to satisfy my own mind that I
had not neglected one of my oldest friends than in the expectation
that he had time for the examination of this new subject.
The answer of my friend was remarkable. After thanking me in
the warmest terms for this mark of friendship, he explained to me
that the effect of age upon his own mind was to render the pursuit
of any new inquiry a matter of slow and painful effort; but that in
following out the studies of his youth he was not so much impeded.
He added that in those subjects he could still study with sat­
is­
fac­
tion,
and even make advances in them, assisted in the working out of his
views experimentally by the aid of his younger friends.
I was much gratified by this unreserved expression of the state
of the case, and I am sure those younger men who so kindly
assisted the aged phi­
los­
o­
pher will be glad to know that their
assistance was duly appreciated.
The last time during M. Biot’s life that I visited Paris I went, as
usual, to the College de France. I inquired of the servant who
opened the door after the state of M. Biot’s health, which was
admitted to be feeble. I then asked whether he was well enough to
see an old friend. Biot himself had heard the latter part of this
conversation. Coming into the passage he seized my hand and said
“My dear friend, I would see you even if I were dying.”
Welcome to our website – the perfect destination for book lovers and
knowledge seekers. We believe that every book holds a new world,
offering opportunities for learning, discovery, and personal growth.
That’s why we are dedicated to bringing you a diverse collection of
books, ranging from classic literature and specialized publications to
self-development guides and children's books.
More than just a book-buying platform, we strive to be a bridge
connecting you with timeless cultural and intellectual values. With an
elegant, user-friendly interface and a smart search system, you can
quickly find the books that best suit your interests. Additionally,
our special promotions and home delivery services help you save time
and fully enjoy the joy of reading.
Join us on a journey of knowledge exploration, passion nurturing, and
personal growth every day!
testbankdeal.com

Managing Human Resources 16th Edition Snell Solutions Manual

  • 1.
    Visit https://testbankdeal.com todownload the full version and browse more test banks or solution manuals Managing Human Resources 16th Edition Snell Solutions Manual _____ Press the link below to begin your download _____ https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human- resources-16th-edition-snell-solutions-manual/ Access testbankdeal.com now to download high-quality test banks or solution manuals
  • 2.
    Here are somerecommended products for you. Click the link to download, or explore more at testbankdeal.com Managing Human Resources 16th Edition Snell Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources-16th- edition-snell-test-bank/ Managing Human Resources 17th Edition Snell Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources-17th- edition-snell-test-bank/ Managing Human Resources canadian 7th Edition Belcourt Solutions Manual https://testbankdeal.com/product/managing-human-resources- canadian-7th-edition-belcourt-solutions-manual/ EKG Plain and Simple 4th Edition Ellis Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/ekg-plain-and-simple-4th-edition- ellis-test-bank/
  • 3.
    Economics 2nd EditionKarlan Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/economics-2nd-edition-karlan-test- bank/ Financial Accounting The Impact on Decision Makers 9th Edition Porter Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/financial-accounting-the-impact-on- decision-makers-9th-edition-porter-test-bank/ How Children Develop Canadian 5th Edition Siegler Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/how-children-develop-canadian-5th- edition-siegler-test-bank/ Respiratory Care Anatomy and Physiology 3rd Edition Beachey Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/respiratory-care-anatomy-and- physiology-3rd-edition-beachey-test-bank/ History Of Mathematics Brief Version 1st Edition Katz Solutions Manual https://testbankdeal.com/product/history-of-mathematics-brief- version-1st-edition-katz-solutions-manual/
  • 4.
    SELL 3rd EditionIngram Test Bank https://testbankdeal.com/product/sell-3rd-edition-ingram-test-bank/
  • 5.
    © 2013 CengageLearning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND THE EMPLOYEE APPRAISAL PROCESS A properly planned and effectively utilized performance appraisal program should contribute to improved employee performance. In this chapter there is an extensive discussion of the development of an appraisal program, including various sources of appraisal information. In addition, several performance appraisal methods are described within the categories of trait, behavior, and results approaches. A summary of the major strengths and weaknesses of various appraisal techniques is shown in Figure 8.8. The section on feedback of appraisal has been expanded with some practical suggestions for appraisal interviews. A section on improving performance, which includes an examination of sources of ineffective performance, concludes the chapter. We have found that performance appraisal is one of the functions that most concerns managers and about which they often have many questions. In this chapter we attempt to bring out the issues about which questions are frequently raised. It is important for students to realize that training employees will not eliminate many of the differences found among employees at the time they are hired. For this reason, performance appraisal should be viewed as one of the important HR functions that can contribute to the continuing development of the individual employee. The need for standards of satisfactory job performance should be emphasized, particularly in this era of downsizing and restructuring. From their own job experiences, students may be asked to list such criteria for various jobs. This listing can give you an opportunity to point out those worker qualities that can be objectively determined versus those that are subjectively determined. For example, the quantity of production can be objectively determined, whereas employee cooperativeness is largely a matter of subjective interpretation. CHAPTER LEARNING OUTCOMES 8 8 c c h h a a p p t t e e r r Explain what performance management is and how the establishment of goals, ongoing performance feedback, and the appraisal process are part of it. LEARNING OUTCOME 1
  • 6.
    © 2013 CengageLearning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. LECTURE OUTLINE I. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS • Performance appraisal is a process, typically delivered annually by a supervisor to a subordinate, that is designed to help employees understand their roles, objectives, and expectations when it comes to contributing to the firm’s success. In addition, new employees are often put on probationary status for a period of time and evaluated 30, 60, or 90 days after being hired, with their continued employment contingent upon their performing satisfactorily. • Performance management is the process of creating a work environment in which employees can perform to the best of their abilities. • Performance appraisal programs and merit rating systems are not new or unique to organizations. From their early use in the federal government, performance appraisals have become a major activity of HRM. • Mention that most successful organizations use performance appraisals as a basis for HR activity. Mention that recent interest in teamwork, continuous improvement, learning, and the like has caused many organizations to rethink their approach to performance appraisals. II. ONGOING PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK Because feedback is most useful when it is immediate and specific to a particular situation, it should be a regularly occurring activity. For example, if you are a sales manager, should Explain the purposes of performance appraisals and the reasons they sometimes fail. Describe the different sources of appraisal information. Explain the various methods used to evaluate the performance of employees. Outline the characteristics of an effective performance appraisal interview. LEARNING OUTCOME 5 LEARNING OUTCOME 3 LEARNING OUTCOME 2 LEARNING OUTCOME 4
  • 7.
    98 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources you wait to appraise your employees once or twice a year? Probably not. Most likely you would want to monitor their sales on a weekly and monthly basis. Has a particular salesperson met his or her customer-contact numbers this week? Why or why not? Is the salesperson closing deals with the people he or she does contact? If at the six-month mark, the salesperson isn’t making his or her goals, how can you help the person if you haven’t provided the individual with ongoing feedback? The lack of sales will be hard to make up at this point. III. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROGRAMS A. The Purposes of Performance Appraisal Performance appraisal programs benefit both the employee and the organization. 1. Administrative Purposes—For the organization, performance appraisals provide inputs for many other HR functions. The concept of “pay-for-performance” has gained wide acceptance among employers. Emphasize the importance of correctly administered performance appraisals as a key to the proper compensation of employees. 2. Developmental Purposes • For the employee, performance appraisals provide feedback about daily performance while also stressing employee training, development, and growth plans. • Refer to Figure 8.2 in the textbook to illustrate the more common uses of performance appraisals. Have students, in groups or individually, brainstorm different objectives of an appraisal program. Discuss how they contribute to organizational growth and employee job satisfaction. List the objectives on the board and see if any of the objectives might conflict with one another. If they do, ask the class what problems this might cause for supervisors. B. Why Appraisal Programs Sometimes Fail • Have students, in groups or individually, brainstorm why performance appraisal programs fail. List their reasons on the board and compare them to those given in the textbook. • Stress that in order to be motivated, employees must perceive that their appraisals are fair and accurate. Also, when employees are involved in the procedure rather than play a passive role, they are more likely to believe their appraisals are fair. Providing employees with feedback on a continual basis not only improves their performance but helps them know where they stand, thereby lessening the anxiety they feel during their formal appraisals. • Ask students what influence “politics” may play in the performance appraisal process. IV. DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE APPRAISAL PROGRAM • Developing an appraisal system is normally the joint responsibility of the HR department and line and staff managers. The HR department is responsible for over-
  • 8.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 99 seeing and coordinating the appraisal program while other managers assist in establishing objectives for the program. • Studies have shown that employees have greater trust and respect for appraisal systems when they participate in the development of the rating instrument. A. What Are the Performance Standards? Before managers can appraise the performance of employees, appropriate performance standards must be established and communicated to employees. These standards, or criteria, must be job-related requirements. Discuss the basic considerations for establishing performance standards. Use Figure 8.4 in the textbook for this discussion. 1. Strategic Relevance—This refers to how the appraisal standards relate to the strategic objectives of the organization. A strategy-driven performance appraisal process results in the documentation HR managers need to justify various training expenses in order to close any gaps between, employees’ current skills and those they will need in the future to execute the firm’s strategy. 2. Criterion Deficiency • Performance standards must capture the full range of a person’s job. When standards focus on only one element of the job (e.g., sales), they are likely leave out important evaluation criteria. • You may choose relate the concept of criterion deficiency to content validity discussed in Chapter 6. 3. Criterion Contamination—Performance standards should not be influenced by factors outside the employee’s control. For example, if bad materials or poor equipment affects an employee’s performance, his or her performance standards may be contaminated. 4. Reliability • This refers to the stability or consistency of a standard, or the extent to which individuals tend to maintain a certain level of performance over time. • Stress that performance standards should be written and that they should be defined in quantifiable and measurable terms. • A new process some companies are using to make sure managers are rating employees consistently is called calibration. During calibration meetings, a group of supervisors, led by their managers and facilitated by an HR professional, discuss the performance of individual employees to ensure all managers apply similar standards to all of the firm’s employees. Calibration meetings can be particularly helpful after a merger or acquisition, especially one that’s global. • Have students develop quantifiable and measurable performance standards for the jobs of (1) college recruiter, (2) college teacher, (3) sales clerk, (4) computer operator, and/or (5) bus driver.
  • 9.
    100 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources • Obtain some sample performance appraisal forms from organizations. Have students critique (1) the characteristics on which individuals are evaluated in terms of how relevant they are to the job, and (2) the evaluator’s probable opportunity to observe the behaviors described on the forms. B. Are You Complying with the Law? Based on recent court rulings, HR managers recommend that performance appraisals meet these legal guidelines: 1. Performance ratings must be job-related (based on job analysis). 2. Employees should have a copy of their job standards. 3. Employee performance should be observable. 4. Performance problems should be documented and referred to in employee appraisals. 5. Supervisors should be properly trained in the appraisal process. 6. Managers should openly discuss performance with employees and offer help where needed. 7. An appeals procedure should be developed whereby employees can voice disagreement with the appraisal received. C. Who Should Appraise an Employee’s Performance? • Just as there are multiple standards by which to evaluate performance, there are a multitude of persons with valuable information about a person’s work effectiveness. • Use Figure 8.5 in the textbook as a basis for discussion about multiple sources of appraisal. 1. Manager/Supervisor Appraisal—Because managers and supervisors work directly with their employees, they are the logical choice to appraise the performance of their employees. Managers and supervisors can use daily work records and the direct observation of employees to complete the appraisal review. 2. Self-Appraisal—Self-appraisals are used when managers seek to increase employees’ involvement in the appraisal process. One problem with this method is that appraisers may evaluate their performance higher than the supervisor would. It can also lead employees to wrongly believe they have more influence over the process than they really do. 3. Subordinate Appraisal—Appraisal by subordinates has been used when supervisors seek feedback on how subordinates view them. Employees are in a good position to evaluate the leadership, communications, planning, and delegation of authority of their managers. Discuss with students why managers may not favor this appraisal method. 4. Peer Appraisal—Have students discuss when peer appraisals can be most effectively used. What are several advantages and disadvantages of this appraisal method? Have students discuss why this appraisal approach is not widely used.
  • 10.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 101 5. Team Appraisal—This is an extension of the peer appraisal. In a team setting, it might be impossible to separate out an individual’s contribution. In such cases, doing individual appraisals might detract from the critical mission of the team. Team appraisals are designed to evaluate the performance of the team as a whole. 6. Customer Appraisal—Driven by TQM concerns, internal and external customers are increasingly used as sources of performance appraisal information. The opinions of vendors and suppliers are also sometimes utilized in the appraisal process. Internal customers can include anyone within the organization who depends on the employee’s work output. D. Putting It All Together: 360-Degree Appraisal • Over 25 percent of all U.S. companies and over 90 percent of Fortune 1000 companies use some form of 360-degree appraisal. The system is intended to give employees the most accurate view of their performance because it solicits input from multiple sources—their supervisors, peers, subordinates, customers, and so forth. • Use Figure 8.6: Pros and Cons of 360-Degree Appraisal to discuss the plusses and minuses of 360-degree appraisal. E. Training Appraisers Although performance appraisal is widely practiced by organizations, many managers must perform the process without the benefit of training. This point is highlighted by the quote by the following quote in the textbook: “What’s important is not the (appraisal) form or (measuring) scale. What’s important is that managers can objectively observe people’s performance and give them objective feedback on that performance.” To accomplish this goal, performance appraisal training programs should focus on the following: 1. Establishing an Appraisal Plan—This systematic process covers (1) the objectives of the performance appraisal system, and (2) the mechanics of the rating system (including the method, frequency, and strengths and weaknesses of the system). 2. Eliminating Rater Error • Research has shown that appraisers are prone to make several different types of rating errors. • Distributional errors (e.g., central tendency, leniency, and strictness errors) involve the arrangement of a group of ratings across several employees. Forced distribution and peer rankings are techniques that some organizations use to eliminate these types of errors. However, not all corporate cultures are conducive to forced rankings systems. Firms that place a high-priority on teamwork would probably find forced ranking to be counterproductive. In addition, these ranking systems can sometimes adversely affect employee morale and lead to lawsuits. Behavioral anchors may be a more effective approach to minimizing distributional errors. (See section III for more about behavioral anchors.)
  • 11.
    102 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources • Temporal errors (e.g., recency) are the result of how a person evaluates information over time. • Contrast error occurs when an employee’s evaluation is biased either favorably or unfavorably because of a previous employee’s performance evaluation. • Similar-to-me error occurs when an appraiser inflates the evaluation of a person with whom they have something in common. • Discuss how various stereotypes held toward minorities and women may affect their performance review. 3. Feedback Training • Feedback not only provides employees with knowledge of results, but it also allows the manager and employee to discuss current problems and set future goals. Managers need to realize that employees want feedback. That is, they want know how they are doing and how they can improve. They are less eager to be appraised or judged. • Refer to Highlights in HRM 1: Supervisor’s Checklist for the Performance Appraisal in the textbook. This piece provides excellent points for scheduling, preparing for the review, and conducting the performance review with the employee. V. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL METHODS This section discusses the major contemporary methods of performance appraisal. Other, less frequently used systems are also reviewed. Performance appraisal systems can be broadly classified as trait methods, behavioral methods, or results-oriented methods. A. Trait Methods 1. Graphic Rating Scales—In the graphic rating-scale method, traits or characteristics are rated on a line or scale. Highlights in HRM 2 in the textbook shows an example. Rating scale forms may differ between organizations based on the dimensions to be appraised, the degree to which the performance dimensions are defined, and the degree to which the points on the scale are defined. 2. Mixed-Standard Scales • These scales are extensions of the basic rating scale. In the mixed-standard scales method, the manager evaluates the trait under consideration (e.g., initiative) against three specific behavioral descriptions relevant to each trait to be rated. An example is provided in Highlights in HRM 3 in the textbook. • Each descriptor for the trait should reflect different levels of performance— superior, average, or below average, for example. Managers appraise their employees by indicating that the employees are better than, equal to, or worse than the standard for each behavioral descriptor. 3. Forced-Choice Method—In the forced-choice method, the manager is required to choose from a pair of statements that appear equally favorable or
  • 12.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 103 unfavorable, selecting the one statement that best describes the employee’s behavior. The manager selects the statement without knowing which statement correctly describes successful job performance. 4. Essay Method • The essay method of performance appraisal requires the supervisor to write a statement that describes the employee’s behavior. Normally both strengths and weaknesses are described, along with a plan for future employee development. • Have students discuss what they see as the advantages and weaknesses of this appraisal method. B. Behavioral Methods 1. Critical Incident Method—The critical incident method appraises employees based on favorable or unfavorable critical incidents related to the job. Managers keep a log on employees and note the critical incidents in the log as they occur. Ask students to keep a list of favorable and unfavorable critical incidents of students’ behavior in their various classes (without names). Discuss their entries in class. 2. Behavioral Checklist Method—Checklists consist of groups of statements that pertain to a given job. The rater checks those statements that apply to the ratee. 3. Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) • A behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) is often mentioned as one way to improve rating scales. It does this by providing a description of behavior along the scale, or continuum. A BARS is based on critical incidents of job performance. Normally, a BARS consists of a series of five to ten vertical scales, one for each important dimension of job performance. High- lights in HRM 4 in the textbook provides an example of a behaviorally anchored rating scale for firefighters. • While BARS instruments have been widely publicized as a more effective way to appraise performance, at present there is no strong evidence that a BARS reduces all of the rating errors mentioned earlier. 4. Behavior Observation Scales (BOS)—A behavior observation scale (BOS) is similar to BARS but asks raters to evaluate how frequently each behavior has been observed. In contrast to BARS, this approach allows the appraiser to play more the role of observer than judge. Highlights in HRM 4 in the text-book show an example of BOS for a sales representative. C. Results Methods 1. Productivity Measures • A number of measures can be used to assess results achieved. Salespeople, for example, are evaluated based on sales volume. Production workers can be evaluated based on output produced, scrap rate, defects, and the like.
  • 13.
    104 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources • There are a number of potential problems with output measures. Recall the earlier discussion of criteria contamination and criteria deficiency. 2. Management by Objectives • Developed by Peter Drucker in 1954, management by objectives (MBO) is a philosophy of management as well as a goal-setting and performance appraisal system. At periodic time intervals, employees set goals with their supervisors and are evaluated against those goals on specified review dates. Figure 8.7 in the textbook illustrates how performance appraisal functions under an MBO program. • Ask the class if anyone has worked or is currently working under an MBO system. Have students explain the MBO process at their organizations. a. Requirements for a Successful MBO Program • To be successful, MBO programs must meet several characteristics. Established goals should be quantifiable and set for both the long run and the short run. Goals must be realistically set and under the employee’s control. Managers and employees must establish specific times when goals are to be reviewed and evaluated. Accompanying the goals should be a detailed description of how the goals will be achieved. • Advantages of MBO include the following: (1) employees can measure their own performance; (2) quantifiable goals are set; (3) goal setting is a joint effort between the employee and the manager; and (4) employees have the satisfaction of achieving mutually established objectives. b. Criticisms of MBO. The disadvantages of MBO include (1) some studies show that MBO programs have achieved only mediocre success; (2) goals may be unrealistically set; (3) employees and managers may not be fully committed to the MBO process; and (4) some goals may be hard to quantify but, nevertheless, are important to employee job success. 3. The Balanced Scorecard • Developed by Harvard professors Robert Kaplan and David Norton, the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), discussed initially in Chapter 2, is a measurement framework that helps managers translate strategic goals into operational objectives. The logic of the BSC is that learning and people management help organizations improve their internal processes. • Discuss with students the importance of not only measuring performance in terms of bottom-line, but in long-term measures that may not provide immediate benefits to the organization. • Similar in some ways to MBO, the BSC enables managers to translate broad corporate goals into divisional, departmental and team goals. Highlights in HRM 5 shows an example of a personal scorecard used for this process.
  • 14.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 105 D. Which Performance Appraisal Method to Use? • The choice of which appraisal method to use largely depends on the intended purpose of the appraisal program. To discuss the major strengths and weaknesses of the different appraisal methods refer to Figure 8.8 in the textbook. In addition, HR managers can periodically administer a survey to the firm’s employees and managers to get a sense of whether or not they think the organization’s performance appraisal process is improving. • It is common for a supervisor’s appraisal of an employee to be reviewed by higher levels of management. This is often done by the supervisor’s superior. Review of an evaluator’s appraisal helps to ensure objectivity and fairness. This method also can serve to train new supervisors in the proper application of performance appraisal. Additionally, performance appraisals shouldn’t be done for middle managers and rank-and-file employees only but for top managers as well— particularly if the organization’s goals are to cascade downward through the company. VI. APPRAISAL INTERVIEWS Appraisal interviews are a very important part of the entire appraisal process. Unfortunately, many supervisors do not devote the time or attention needed to conduct the interview properly. Appraisers should remember that employees want and deserve an honest appraisal of their performance. This only comes through a well-planned and well- conducted appraisal interview. The form of the interview will depend mostly on the purpose of the interview. Generally, feedback sessions will have a different approach from growth and development interviews. Employees should have adequate time in the interview to ask questions and provide additional input, if needed. A. Three Types of Appraisal Interviews Norman Maier, an authority on the appraisal interview, notes that there are three basic appraisal interview types. 1. Tell-and-Sell Interview—This method requires that the supervisor use persuasion to change an employee in a desired manner. This can be accomplished by having the employee see how the changed behavior will benefit him or her. 2. Tell-and-Listen Interview—When using this method, the supervisor discusses the employee’s strong and weak points during the first half of the interview. During the second half of the interview, the employee’s feelings about the interview are thoroughly explored. At this time the supervisor attempts to deal with the objections of the employee through nondefensive behavior. It is assumed that the opportunity to release frustrated feelings through catharsis will help to reduce or remove unpleasant feelings. 3. Problem-Solving Interview—The supervisor who uses the problem-solving method employs nondirective interviewing procedures, but in addition, the supervisor seeks to develop a growth and development approach to the interview. Maier recommends this method since the appraisal process should exist to help employees grow and develop.
  • 15.
    106 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources B. Conducting the Appraisal Interview • The textbook provides several considerations for conducting the appraisal interview. A guiding rule to follow is not to discuss too much information at one time. Dividing the appraisal interview into two sessions, one for the performance review and the other for future development plans, can reduce time constraints. • By dividing the appraisal interview into two sessions, the supervisor can serve as evaluator at one period and counselor at the other period. This relieves the burden of performing both tasks during one session. • Some specific guidelines about conducting an appraisal interview may increase employees’ acceptance of feedback, their satisfaction with the interview, as well as their intention to improve in the future. Many of the principles of good selection interviewing (see Chapter 6) apply to appraisal interviews. 1. Ask for a Self-Assessment—Self-assessment gets employees thinking about their performance and assures that they know the standards against which they will be evaluated. 2. Invite Participation—Participation helps bring out some of the root causes of performance problems and may increase an employee’s satisfaction with the process. 3. Express Appreciation—Praise is a powerful motivator. However, avoid the “sandwich technique.” With this method, positive statements are given first, followed by negative statements, which are followed by more positive remarks. For many years HR professionals recommended that managers use the sandwich technique when giving appraisal information to employees. Currently, this technique is not recommended for these reasons: (1) giving praise first signals to the employee that bad news is on the way; (2) the final positive comments indicate to the employee that no more negative comments will follow; and (3) employees may simply see this approach as a way to ease through the appraisal interview without any real communication between those involved. 4. Minimize Criticism—Criticism leads to defensiveness, and this may hurt the chances of solving the problem. It’s hard to change a person’s behavior with a single conversation, so “laying it on the line” isn’t probably a good idea. 5. Change the Behavior, Not the Person—Instead of focusing on traits that are personal characteristics (and difficult to change) focus on behaviors that can be corrected or improved. 6. Focus on Solving Problems—Rather than blaming, focus on remedying the situation. 7. Be Supportive—Some of the best leaders are those who focus on finding ways to help employees eliminate obstacles to successful performance. 8. Establish Goals—Try to focus the employee on the future rather than the past. 9. Follow Up Day to Day—Feedback is more powerful when it occurs frequently. Informal talks reinforce the goals and objectives laid out in the formal appraisal interview.
  • 16.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 107 C. Improving Performance Employees cannot improve their performance unless they know exactly what is expected of them. Supervisors have the responsibility to inform employees of their job standards at the start of the review period. By doing this, employees can adjust their behavior to conform to performance criteria, and surprises can be avoided at the appraisal interview. 1. Identifying Sources of Ineffective Performance • Use Figure 8.9: Factors That Influence Performance and Figure 8.10: Performance Diagnosis to talk about the major causes of ineffective job performance, broken into three categories: (1) ability, (2) motivation, and (3) environment. These ideas were first brought up in Chapter 1 under discussions about productivity enhancement. • It is recommended that ineffective employee job performance be diagnosed according to three interactive factors: the employee’s skill, the employee’s effort levels, and the external conditions surrounding the job. 2. Performance Diagnosis • Although performance appraisal systems can often tell us who is not performing well, they typically cannot reveal why. So, if someone is not achieving desired results, it can be difficult to decide if it is due to ability, motivation, or external constraints. • It is thus important to compare various measures of performance to ensure improvement. For example, if someone is demonstrating all the desired behaviors but is not achieving the desired results, logic suggests that it may be due to factors beyond his or her control. 3. Managing Ineffective Performance—A three-step process is recommended to correct poor employee performance. First, identify the source of poor performance. Second, develop a course of action to improve performance. Third, motivate the employee to correct undesirable job behavior. Performance Diagnosis 1. Noting that Carl works very hard on the gopher problem, this may offer a clue that his problem is not motivation or external issues, but that he lacks the skills to address the situation. A potential solution would be to offer training courses on how to deal with the problem. 2. Clark may be having external problems at home (e.g., his wife’s sister-in-law and their family have decided to visit and stay at the house for a whole month— putting extra financial and emotional strain on Clark). Obviously, we cannot be sure of the problems Clark is facing, but finding out why he feels so dejected about the bonus may offer clues to his poor performance. If the problems are HRM EXPERIENCE
  • 17.
    108 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources external, maybe offering some time off will help Clark work out his problems at home so he can better accomplish his assignment at work. 3. There could be several explanations including lack of sales training or perhaps his college degree is in a different field that is of greater interest to him. Students will have various explanations. ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. The performance appraisal an employee receives is directly linked with other HR functions. A poor appraisal review can limit promotional or transfer opportunities. A poor appraisal may necessitate additional training to bring the employee up to acceptable performance standards. Depending on the appraisal received, increases in salary may or may not be recommended. 2. The courts have emphasized the importance of having carefully defined and measurable criteria as a basis for appraising employee performance. They have insisted on employers having some type of record of performance based on identifiable objective criteria rather than vague descriptions such as attitude, cooperation, or initiative. 3. Some criteria that can be used to appraise performance in the following jobs are: a. Sales representative: Volume of sales made, number of sales contacts made, and customer complaints. b. TV repairer: Number of repairs made in a specified period of time, and amount of work that must be redone because of faulty workmanship. c. Director of nursing in a hospital: Success in establishing standards of performance and the cost-effective utilization of members of the nursing staff. d. HR manager: Effectiveness of HR programs in relation to cost, employee effectiveness and morale, and quality of response to special problems within the organization. e. Air-traffic controller: skill in managing traffic, completion of required operational procedures (updating weather reports, keeping records), coordination and communication with pilots, and use of emergency equipment and procedures. 4. a. The tell-and-sell method requires the ability to persuade an individual to change in the prescribed manner. The tell-and-listen method requires the ability to communicate the strong and weak points of a subordinate’s performance and to explore the subordinate’s feelings about the appraisal. The problem-solving method requires the ability to stimulate growth and development through discussion. b. The skills for the problem-solving type of interview can be developed by first adopting the attitude that through discussion, new ideas and mutual interests can be developed. Training and practice in listening and reflecting feelings, reflecting ideas, using exploratory questions, and summarizing are essential. c. Probably most students will agree that the tell-and-sell method is the least desirable because it leads to suppressed defensive behavior and feelings of hostility.
  • 18.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 109 5. Poor performance should be detected during the daily observation of employees. The major factors that influence performance are listed in Figure 8.8 in the textbook. ANSWERS TO USING THE INTERNET ACTIVITIES Internet Exercise #1, page 358 U.S. Office of Personnel Management http://www.opm.gov/ Question: Visit the website of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and conduct a search of “360- degree assessment” for the organization’s training assistance program. Review the organization’s 360-degree feedback procedures and list the sources of feedback. What questions are considered for each feedback source? Answer: The feedback sources included in OPM’s 360-feedback process include the following: • Superiors • Self-assessment • Peers • Subordinates • Customers For each feedback source, the following two questions are covered: • “What does this rating source contribute?” • “What cautions should be addressed?” Source: http://www.opm.gov/perform/wppdf/360asess.pdf Internet Exercise #2, page 368 U.S. Army Research Institute http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/ Question: Visit the U.S. Army Research Institute and conduct a search of “behaviorally anchored rating scales” (BARS). Provide a summary of how the U.S. Army has used BARS to assess tactical thinking.
  • 19.
    110 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources Answer: An ongoing need exists in the Army to enhance combat leaders’ tactical thinking skills. A Tactical Thinking Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (T-BARS) was generated and inter-rater reliability was established. Eight themes of tactical thinking identified in the “Think Like A Commander” program of research and training formed the basis of the scales. These included: • Know and Use All Assets Available • Focus on the Mission and Higher’s Intent • Model a Thinking Enemy • Consider Effects of Terrain • Consider Timing • See the Big Picture • Consider Contingencies and Remain Flexible • Visualize the Battlefield Interviews were conducted with Army officers with a range of operational experience to elicit patterns of thinking and behaviors within a set of tactical exercises. Interview data were utilized to generate behavioral indicators to populate the five levels of cognitive performance within the T-BARS. Source: http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/pdf/RR1854.pdf
  • 20.
    Chapter 8: PerformanceManagement and the Employee Appraisal Process 111 VIDEO CASE DISCUSSION GUIDE Students will offer a number of answers to this question, so they should be encouraged to fully explain their rationale for their ideas. Some possibilities might include increasing job satisfaction by encouraging employees to take on additional tasks or increasing productivity through training. A good place to begin this discussion is by comparing and contrasting the meaning of traits (characteristics), behaviors, and results. Encourage students to imagine what traits, behaviors, and results are most likely to be exhibited in a bakery. From there, students will probably reach a general consensus about which of these they think would be most important and therefore most likely to be used at Metropolitan. The video suggests that the two owners do most of the performance reviews. Guide students in discussing who else might be able to offer accurate, reliable performance evaluations. Then guide students in discussing the merits and feasibility of having other stakeholders, such as peers, participate in performance evaluations. Ask students to share their opinions about whether the employees should be given an opportunity to evaluate themselves. It might be useful to spend some time discussing how so much of the work done at a bakery is routine work, and how important it is to be consistent on a daily basis. These factors might lead students to determine how best to evaluate performance at Metropolitan. As for differences between supervisors and nonsupervisors, one of the specific circumstances mentioned in the video is a high turnover rate, and the managers even point out that an annual or semi-annual review is not always appropriate because many of their employees don’t stay with them that long. Guide students in discussing what might be a more appropriate and effective timeframe for giving performance feedback at Metropolitan, especially for entry-level employees. NOTES FOR END-OF-CHAPTER CASE STUDIES Case Study 1: Performance Management System Helps Freeport McMoran Switch Strategic Gears 1. The firm needed a means o coordinating and focusing its workforce around the world on carrying out its strategy. Performance appraisal measurements provide one way to do that. Also, it the firm needs to change its strategy, an adjustment in performance appraisal measurements can help expedite that change. 2. In posting that question to the class, it will be interesting to see if anyone thinks that paper and pencil would be better. Some might argue that if those who are going to do the appraisals are not familiar with computers, paper and pencil might be better but if the firm wishes to maintain a global data base, someone would need to input the information from the paper and thus it might be better to train raters to the extent needed to complete performance appraisals.
  • 21.
    112 Part 3:Developing Effectiveness in Human Resources Case Study 2: Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo 1. The performance appraisal an employee receives is directly linked with other HR functions. A poor appraisal review can limit promotional or transfer opportunities. A poor appraisal may necessitate additional training to bring the employee up to acceptable performance standards. Depending on the appraisal received, increases in salary may or may not be recommended. 2. The courts have emphasized the importance of having carefully defined and measurable criteria as a basis for appraising employee performance. They have insisted on employers having some type of record of performance based on identifiable objective criteria rather than vague descriptions such as attitude, cooperation, or initiative. 3. Some criteria that can be used to appraise performance in the following jobs are: a. Sales representative: Volume of sales made, number of sales contacts made, and customer complaints. b. TV repairer: Number of repairs made in a specified period of time, and amount of work that must be redone because of faulty workmanship. c. Director of nursing in a hospital: Success in establishing standards of performance and the cost-effective utilization of members of the nursing staff. d. HR manager: Effectiveness of HR programs in relation to cost, employee effectiveness and morale, and quality of response to special problems within the organization. e. Air-traffic controller: skill in managing traffic, completion of required operational procedures (updating weather reports, keeping records), coordination and communication with pilots, and use of emergency equipment and procedures. 4. a. The tell-and-sell method requires the ability to persuade an individual to change in the prescribed manner. The tell-and-listen method requires the ability to communicate the strong and weak points of a subordinate’s performance and to explore the subordinate’s feelings about the appraisal. The problem-solving method requires the ability to stimulate growth and development through discussion. b. The skills for the problem-solving type of interview can be developed by first adopting the attitude that through discussion, new ideas and mutual interests can be developed. Training and practice in listening and reflecting feelings, reflecting ideas, using exploratory questions, and summarizing are essential. c. Probably most students will agree that the tell-and-sell method is the least desirable because it leads to suppressed defensive behavior and feelings of hostility. 5. Poor performance should be detected during the daily observation of employees. The major factors that influence performance are listed in Figure 8.8 in the textbook.
  • 22.
    Other documents randomlyhave different content
  • 23.
    34 “The Expositionof 1852;” 2nd edition, p. 222. “When directly engaged in the operations of contending armies occupying a wide extent of country, he must be able, with rapid glance, to ascertain the force it is possible to con­ cen­ trate upon each of many points in any given time, and the greater or less chance of fairing in the attempt. He must also be able to foresee, with something more than conjecture, what amount of the enemy’s force can be brought to the same spot in the same and in different times. With these elements {181} he must undertake one of the most difficult of mental tasks, that of classifying and grouping the innumerable combinations to which either party may have recourse for purposes of attack or defence. Out of the multitude of such combinations, which might baffle by their simple enumeration the strongest memory, throwing aside the less important, he must be able to discover, to fix his attention, and to act upon the most favourable. Finally, when the course thus selected having been pursued, and perhaps partially carried out, is found to be entirely deranged by one of those many chances inseparable from such operations, then, in the midst of action, he must be able suddenly to organise a different system of operations, new to all other minds, yet possibly, although unconsciously, anticipated by his own. “The genius that can meet and overcome such difficulties must be in­ tel­ lec­ tual, and would, under different circumstances, have been distinguished in many a different career. “Nor even would it be very surprising that such a commander, estimating justly the extent of his own powers, and conscious of having planned the best combinations of which his mind is capable, should, having issued his orders, calmly lie down on the eve of the
  • 24.
    approaching conflict, andfind in sleep that bodily restoration so indispensable to the full exercise of his faculties in the mighty struggle about to ensue.” Soon after the Queen came to the throne, the two Uni­ ver­ si­ ties pre­ sent­ ed ad­ dresses to her Majesty. I ac­ com­ panied that of Cambridge. The depu­ ta­ tion was very numerous, and much unseemly pushing took place. I recollect a very short dumpy fellow pushing much more energetically than any other, for whom I made way, as I retired from the strife in which I was unwillingly involved. He not only pushed, but was {182} continually jumping up like a parched pea in a heated frying-pan: his object being to get a glimpse of her Majesty, and the effect accomplished being to alight on the toes or graze the heels of his colleagues. I retired into a window close to the end of the position occupied by the gentlemen-at-arms. The Duke of Wellington, who had a short time before, as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, presented the address of that body, still remained in the state apartments. He joined me in the recess of the window, and we entered into conversation. 〈THE DUKE ASSISTS A PUSHING M.A.〉 After a time the little dumpy fellow, who had been regularly turned out of the crowd for his pushing, came up to us, and, mistaking the Duke of Wellington for a beef-eater or some palace attendant, complained, almost in tears, that he wanted to see the Queen, and that they had pushed him out, and that he had not been able to see the Queen.
  • 25.
    The Duke verygood-naturedly said he would take him to a place where he could see her Majesty without being pushed about. Accordingly, the Duke led him behind the gentlemen-at-arms to a situation in which the little man’s wish was gratified, and then returned with him to the window, and resumed the conversation. On another occasion the University of Cambridge presented an address to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The crowd was very great. On descending one of the flights of stairs, a short Master of Arts was unluckily caught by the string of his gown hooking itself upon one of the large door-handles. He was carried off his legs by the advancing rush. To bring back the pendant Master of Arts a single inch was impossible from the pressure onwards. So whilst two or three of his colleagues with difficulty supported him, I took out my pen-knife and cut the imprisoning ribbon. {183} 〈ALL PARCELS REJECTED.〉 When I published the “Ninth Bridgewater Treatise,” I sent my servant to Apsley House with a presentation copy for the Duke of Wellington. The next morning at breakfast my servant informed me that the porter absolutely refused to take it in, although he stated from whom it came. I remarked to my brother-in-law, who was staying with me, that it was a very odd circumstance, and inquired what was to be done. He replied, “When a man refuses to receive a parcel, nothing more can be done.” I then observed, that if any other person than the Duke had done so, I should have taken no further step; but, I added, that I knew his character so well, that I was confident there was really a good and sufficient reason, although I could not conjecture its nature.
  • 26.
    After breakfast Iwrote a short note to the Duke, mentioning the circumstance, taking for granted that it arose entirely from some misconception of his orders. I then requested him not to take the trouble of writing to me to explain it; but added that I would send the volume to Apsley House on the following morning, when, I had no doubt, the mistaken interpretation of his orders would have been rectified. About three o’clock the same day a servant of the Duke’s brought me a note, inquiring if there were any answer to take back. The Duke stated in his note that letters, books, parcels, maps, and even merchandise, were continually sent to him for the purpose of being forwarded to all parts of the world. This, he observed, threw upon his house-steward so great a responsibility, that he had been compelled to give directions that no parcel should be received at Apsley House without a written order with his signature, like that which he now enclosed. As the Duke’s servant was waiting, I gave him the book, which he took back, and I retained the slip of paper for any other similar occasion. {184} 〈THE DUKE DRESSED IN HIS CARRIAGE.〉 The Duke was habitually an economist of time. One day I was going homeward in a cab to dress for a dinner engagement, when I thought I observed him riding down St. James’s Street towards the House of Lords. On reaching the house of the friend with whom I was to dine, I found that the Duke of Wellington was expected at dinner. He arrived punctually. In the course of the evening I took an opportunity of asking him whether I was mistaken in supposing I had seen him a short time before dinner riding down St. James’s Street. I then expressed my surprise at the rapidity of his
  • 27.
    movements in gettingback to Apsley House in time to dress and be punctual to his engagement. He said, “No, I did not do that; I had ordered my carriage to meet me at the House of Lords, and I changed my dress whilst it was bringing me here.” The most interesting conversations generally occurred when only a few of his intimate friends met together. On one of these occasions, at a very small dinner-party, the characters of the French marshals became the subject of conversation. The Duke, being appealed to, pointed out freely their various qualities, and assigned to each his peculiar excellence. 〈CURIOUS QUESTION—THE DUKE’S REPLY.〉 One question, the most highly interesting of all, naturally presented itself to our minds. I was speculating how I could, without impropriety, suggest it, when, to my great relief, one of the party, addressing the Duke, said— “Well, sir, how was it that, with such various great qualities, you licked them all, one after another?” The Duke was evidently taken by surprise. He paused for a moment or two, and then said— “Well, I don’t know exactly how it was; but I think that if any unexpected circumstance occurred in the midst of a {185} battle, which deranged its whole plan, I could perhaps organize another plan more quickly than most of them.” This strongly confirms the view of the Duke of Wellington’s character given in the preceding pages. After examining all the more important combinations which might be made for the conflict, and having selected those which appeared the best, it is quite natural, if any accident deranged the original plan, that he should perceive,
  • 28.
    more quickly thananother commander, one amongst the many plans previously rejected which was immediately applicable to the new and unexpected circumstances.
  • 29.
    CHAPTER XIII. RECOLLECTIONS OFWOLLASTON, DAVY, AND ROGERS. Secretaryship of Royal Society—Mr. Murray of Albemarle Street—Remark on “The Decline of Science”—Dr. Somerville—Explanation of a Job of Sir Humphry Davy— History of the Thaumatrope—Introduction to Mr. Rogers—The Poet nearly run over—Anecdote of the “Economy of Man­ u­ fac­ tures”—Teaches the Author how to live for ever—Rapidity of composition amongst Poets—Different effects of Imagination in the Poet and the Phi­ los­ o­ pher—Consultation about the Author’s unwritten Novel. IN 1826, one of the secretaryships of the Royal Society became vacant. Dr. Wollaston and several others of the leading members of the Society and of the Council wished that I should be appointed. This would have been the more agreeable to me, because my early friend Herschel was at that time the senior Secretary. This arrangement was agreed to by Sir H. Davy, and I left town with the full assurance that I was to have the appointment. In the mean time Sir H. Davy summoned a Council at an unusual hour— eight o’clock in the evening—for a special purpose, namely, some arrangement about the Treasurer’s accounts. After the business relating to the Treasurer was got through, Sir H. Davy observed that there was a secretaryship vacant, and he proposed to fill it up. 〈SIR HUMPHRY DAVY’S DISCOURSES.〉 Dr. Wollaston then asked Sir Humphry Davy if he claimed the nomination as a right of the President, to which {187} Sir H. Davy replied that he did, and then nominated Mr. Children. The President,
  • 30.
    as president, hasno such right; and even if he had possessed it, he had promised Mr. Herschel that I should be his colleague. There were upright and eminent men on that council; yet no one of them had the moral courage to oppose the President’s dictation, or afterwards to set it aside on the ground of its irregularity. A few years after, whilst I was on a visit at Wimbledon Park, Dr. and Mrs. Somerville came down to spend the day. Dr. Somerville mentioned a very pleasant dinner he had had with the late Mr. John Murray of Albemarle Street, and also a conversation relating to my book “On the Decline of Science in England.” Mr. Murray felt hurt at a remark I had made on himself (page 107) whilst criticizing a then unexplained job of Sir Humphry Davy’s. Dr. Somerville assured Mr. Murray that he knew me intimately, and that if I were convinced that I had done him an injustice, nobody would be more ready to repair it. A few days after, Mr. Murray put into Dr. Somerville’s hands papers explaining the whole of the transaction. These papers were now transferred to me. On examining them I found ample proof of what I had always suspected. The ob­ ser­ va­ tion I had made which pained Mr. Murray fell to the ground as soon as the real facts were known, and I offered to retract it in any suitable manner. One plan I proposed was to print a supplemental page, and have it bound up with all the remaining copies of the “Decline of Science.” Mr. Murray was satisfied with my explanation, but did not wish me to take the course I proposed, at least, not at that time. Various objections may have presented themselves to his mind, but the affair was adjourned with the understanding that at some future time I should explain the real state of {188} the facts which had led to this misinterpretation of Mr. Murray’s conduct.
  • 31.
    〈EXPLANATION OF THATJOB.〉 The true history of the affair was this: Being on the Council of the Royal Society in 1827, I observed in our accounts a charge of 381l. 5s. as paid to Mr. Murray for 500 copies of Sir Humphry Davy’s Discourses. I asked publicly at the Council for an explanation of this item. The answer given by Dr. Young and others was— “That the Council had agreed to purchase these volumes at that price, in order to induce Mr. Murray to print the President’s speeches.” To this I replied that such an explanation was entirely inadmissible. I then showed that even allowing a very high price for composing, printing, and paper, if the Council had wished to print 500 copies of those Discourses they could have done it themselves for 150l. at the outside. I could not extract a single word to elucidate this mystery, about which, however, I had my own ideas. It appeared by the papers put into my hands that Sir Humphry Davy had applied to Mr. Murray, and had sold him the copyright of the Discourses for 500 guineas, one of the conditions being that the Royal Society should purchase of him 500 copies at the trade price. Mr. Murray paid Sir H. Davy the 500 guineas in three bills at six, twelve, and eighteen months. These bills passed through Drummond’s (Sir H. Davy’s banker), and I have had them in my own hands for examination. Thus it appears that Mr. Murray treated the whole affair as a matter of business, and acted in this purchase in his usual liberal manner. I have had in my hand a statement of the winding-up of that account copied from Mr. Murray’s books, and I find that he was
  • 32.
    a considerable loserby his {189} purchase. Sir H. Davy, on the other hand, contrived to transfer between three and four hundred pounds from the funds of the Royal Society into his own pocket. 35 It was my determination to have called for an explanation of this affair at the election of our President and officers at our anniversary on the 30th November if Sir H. Davy had been again proposed as President in 1827. 35 See “Decline of Science in England,” p. 105. 8vo. 1830.
  • 33.
    The Thaumatrope. One dayHerschel, sitting with me after dinner, amusing himself by spinning a pear upon the table, suddenly asked whether I could show him the two sides of a shilling at the same moment. I took out of my pocket a shilling, and holding it up before the looking-glass, pointed out my method. “No,” said my friend, “that won’t do;” then spinning my shilling upon the table, he pointed out his method of seeing both sides at once. The next day I mentioned the anecdote to the late Dr. Fitton, who a few days after brought me a beautiful illustration of the principle. It consisted of a round disc of card suspended between the two pieces of sewing-silk. These threads being held between the finger and thumb of each hand, were then made to turn quickly, when the disc of card, of course, revolved also. Upon one side of this disc of card was painted a bird; upon the other side, an empty bird-cage. On turning the thread rapidly, the bird appeared to have got inside the cage. We soon made numerous applications, as a rat on one side and a trap upon the other, &c. It was shown to Captain Kater, Dr. Wollaston, and many of our friends, and was, after the lapse of a short time, forgotten. {190} 〈THE THAUMATROPE: ITS RETRIBUTION.〉 Some months after, during dinner at the Royal Society Club, Sir Joseph Banks being in the chair, I heard Mr. Barrow, then Secretary to the Admiralty, talking very loudly about a wonderful invention of Dr. Paris, the object of which I could not quite understand. It was called the thaumatrope, and was said to be sold at the Royal Institution, in Albemarle-street. Suspecting that it had some connection with our unnamed toy, I went the next morning and
  • 34.
    purchased, for sevenshillings and sixpence, a thaumatrope, which I afterwards sent down to Slough to the late Lady Herschel. It was precisely the thing which her son and Dr. Fitton had contributed to invent, which amused all their friends for a time and had then been forgotten. There was however one additional thaumatrope made afterwards. It consisted of the usual disc of paper. On one side was represented a thaumatrope (the design upon it being a penny-piece) with the motto, “How to turn a penny.” On the other side was a gentleman in black, with his hands held out in the act of spinning a thaumatrope, the motto being, “A new trick from Paris.” After my contest for Finsbury was decided, Mr. Rogers the banker, and the brother of the poet, who had been one of my warmest supporters, proposed accompanying me to the hustings at the declaration of the poll. He had also invited a party of some of the most influential electors of his district to dine with him in the course of the week, in order that they might meet me, and consider about measures for supporting me at the next opportunity. 〈THE POET AND PHI­ LOS­ O­ PHER AT A CROSSING.〉 On a cold drizzling rainy day in November the final state of the poll was declared. Mr. Rogers took me in his carriage to the hustings, and caught a cold, which seemed at first unimportant. On the day of the dinner, when we met at {191} Mr. Rogers’s, who resided at Islington, he was unable to leave his bed. Miss Rogers, his sister, who lived with him, and his brother the poet, received us, quite unconscious of the dangerous condition of their relative, who died the next day.
  • 35.
    Thus commenced afriendship with both of my much-valued friends which remained unruffled by the slightest wave until their lamented loss. Miss Rogers removed to a house in the Regent’s Park, in which the paintings by modern artists collected by her elder brother, and increased by her own judicious taste, were arranged. The society at that house comprised all that was most eminent in literature and in art. The adjournment after her breakfasts to the delightful verandah overlooking the Park still clings to my fading memory, and the voices of her poet brother, of Jeffrey, and of Sidney Smith still survive in the vivid impressions of their wisdom and their wit. I do not think the genuine kindness of the poet’s character was sufficiently appreciated. I oc­ ca­ sion­ al­ ly walked home with him from parties during the first years of our acquaintance. In later years, when his bodily strength began to fail, I always accompanied him, though sometimes not without a little contest. I have frequently walked with him from his sister’s house, in the Regent’s Park, to his own in St. James’s Place, and he has sometimes insisted upon returning part of the way home with me. On one of those occasions we were crossing a street near Cavendish Square: a cart coming rapidly round the corner, I almost dragged him over. As soon as we were safe, the poet said, very much as a child would, “There, now, that was all your fault; you would come with me, and so I was nearly run over.” However, I found less and less resistance to my {192} accompanying him, and only regretted that I could not be constantly at his side on those occasions.
  • 36.
    Soon after thepublication of the “Economy of Man­ u­ fac­ tures,” Mr. Rogers told me that he had met one evening, at a very fashionable party, a young dandy, with whom he had had some conversation. The poet had asked him whether he had read that work. To this his reply was, “Yes: it is a very nice book—just the kind of book that anybody could have written.” 〈HOW TO LIVE FOR EVER.〉 One day, when I was in great favour with the poet, we were talking about the preservation of health. He told me he would teach me how to live for ever; for which I thanked him in a compliment after his own style, rather than in mine. I answered, “Only embalm me in your poetry, and it is done.” Mr. Rogers invited me to breakfast with him the next morning, when he would communicate the receipt. We were alone, and I enjoyed a very entertaining breakfast. The receipt consisted mainly of cold ablutions and the frequent use of the flesh brush. Mr. Rogers himself used the latter to a moderate extent regularly, three times every day—before he dressed himself, when he dressed for dinner, and before he got into bed. About six or eight strokes of the flesh-brush completed each operation. We then adjourned to a shop, where I purchased a couple of the proper brushes, which I used for several years, and still use oc­ ca­ sion­ al­ ly, with, I believe, considerable advantage. 〈RAPIDITY OF COMPOSITION.〉 Once, at Mr. Rogers’s table, I was talking with one of his guests about the speed with which some authors composed, and the slowness of others. I then turned to our host, and, much to his surprise, inquired how many lines a-day on the average a poet usually wrote. My friend, when his astonishment had a little
  • 37.
    subsided, very good-naturedlygave us the result of his own experience. He said that he had never written {193} more than four36 lines of verse in any one day of his life. This I can easily understand; for Mr. Rogers’ taste was the most fastidious, as well as the most just, I ever met with. Another circumstance also, I think, contributed to this slowness of composition. 36 I am not quite certain that the number was four; but I am absolutely certain that it was either four or six. An author may adopt either of two modes of composing. He may write off the whole of his work roughly, so as to get upon paper the plan and general outline, without attending at all to the language. He may afterwards study minutely every clause of each sentence, and then every word of each clause. Or the author may finish and polish each sentence as soon as it is written. This latter process was, I think, employed by Mr. Rogers, at least in his poetry. He then told us that Southey composed with much greater rapidity than himself, as well in poetry as in prose. Of the latter Southey frequently wrote a great many pages before breakfast. Once, at a large dinner party, Mr. Rogers was speaking of an inconvenience arising from the custom, then commencing, of having windows formed of one large sheet of plate-glass. He said that a short time ago he sat at dinner with his back to one of these single panes of plate-glass: it appeared to him that the window was wide open, and such was the force of imagination, that he actually caught cold. 〈DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF IMAGINATION.〉
  • 38.
    It so happenedthat I was sitting just opposite to the poet. Hearing this remark, I immediately said, “Dear me, how odd it is, Mr. Rogers, that you and I should make such a very different use of the faculty of imagination. When I go to the house of a friend in the country, and unexpectedly {194} remain for the night, having no night- cap, I should naturally catch cold. But by tying a bit of pack-thread tightly round my head, I go to sleep imagining that I have a night- cap on; consequently I catch no cold at all.” This sally produced much amusement in all around, who supposed I had improvised it; but, odd as it may appear, it is a practice I have often resorted to. Mr. Rogers, who knew full well the respect and regard I had for him, saw at once that I was relating a simple fact, and joined cordially in the merriment it excited. In the latter part of Mr. Rogers’s life, when, being unable to walk, he was driven in his carriage round the Regent’s Park, he frequently called at my door, and, when I was able, I often accompanied him in his drive. On some one of these occasions, when I was unable to accompany him, I put into his hands a parcel of proof-sheets of a work I was then writing, thinking they might amuse him during his drive, and that I might profit by his criticism. Some years before, I had consulted him about a novel I had proposed to write solely for the purpose of making money to assist me in completing the Analytical Engine. I breakfasted alone with the poet, who entered fully into the subject. I proposed to give up a twelvemonth to writing the novel, but I determined not to commence it unless I saw pretty clearly that I could make about 5,000l. by the sacrifice of my time. The novel was to have been in three volumes, and there would probably have been reprints of another work in two volumes. Both of
  • 39.
    these works wouldhave had graphic illustrations. The poet gave me much information on all the subjects connected with the plan, and amongst other things, observed that when he published his beautifully illustrated work on Italy, that he had paid 9,000l. out of his own pocket before he received any return for that work.
  • 40.
    CHAPTER XIV. RECOLLECTIONS OFLAPLACE, BIOT, AND HUMBOLDT. My First Visit to Paris—Anecdote of the fifty-two Eggs—Mistake about Woodhouse —Fourier—Biot—Drawings of the Difference Engine—Strong char­ ac­ ter­ is­ tic of Humboldt’s mind—English Clergyman at Paris—Great Meeting of Phi­ los­ o­ phers at Berlin, 1828—Introduces the Author to Magnus and Derichlet—Puts the Englishman upon the Dining Committee—Conversation in the Linden Walk— Humboldt’s study—Various members of the family of Buonaparte—Lucien and his Children—Louis, the King of Holland—Joseph, the King of Spain—His second Daughter married to a Son of Louis—Their taste—Drawings and Lithographs—Her Death. MY first visit to Paris was made in company with my friend John Herschel. On reaching Abbeville, we wanted breakfast, and I undertook to order it. Each of us usually required a couple of eggs. I preferred having mine moderately boiled, but my friend required his to be boiled quite hard. Having explained this matter to the waiter, I concluded by instructing him that each of us required two eggs thus cooked, concluding my order with the words, “pour chacun deux.” The garçon ran along the passage half way towards the kitchen, and then called out in his loudest tone— “Il faut faire bouillir cinquante-deux œufs pour Messieurs les Anglais.” I burst into such a fit of un­ con­ trol­ lable laughter at this absurd mis­ un­ der­ stand­ ing of chacun deux, for cinquante-deux, that it was some time before I could explain it to Herschel, and but for his running into the kitchen to {196} coun­ ter­ mand it, the half hundred of eggs would have assuredly been simmering over the fire.
  • 41.
    A few daysafter our arrival in Paris, we dined with Laplace, where we met a large party, most of whom were members of the Institut. The story had already arrived at at Paris, having rapidly passed through several editions. 〈FIFTY-TWO EGGS.〉 To my great amusement, one of the party told the company that, a few days before, two young Englishman being at Abbeville, had ordered fifty-two eggs to be boiled for their breakfast, and that they ate up every one of them, as well as a large pie which was put before them. My next neighbour at dinner asked me if I thought it probable. I replied, that there was no absurdity a young Englishman would not oc­ ca­ sion­ al­ ly commit. One morning Herschel and I called on Laplace, who spoke to us of various English works on math­ e­ mat­ i­ cal subjects. Amongst others, he mentioned with approbation, “Un ouvrage de vous deux.” We were both quite at a loss to know to what work he referred. Herschel and I had not written any joint work, although we had together translated the work of Lacroix. The volume of the “Memoirs of the Analytical Society,” though really our joint production, was not known to be such, and it was also clear that Laplace did not refer to that work. Perceiving that we did not recognise the name of the author to whom he referred, Laplace varied the pronunciation by calling him vous deux; the first word being pronounced as the French word “vous,” and the second as the English word “deuce.” Upon further explanation, it turned out that Laplace meant to speak of a work published by Woodhouse, whose name is in the pronunciation of the French so very like vous deux. {197}
  • 42.
    〈FOURIER AND BIOT.〉 Poisson,Fourier, and Biot were amongst my earliest friends in Paris. Fourier, then Secretary of the Institute, had accompanied the first Napoleon in his expedition to Egypt. His profound acquaintance with analysis remains recorded in his works. His unaffected and genial manner, the vast extent of his acquirements, and his admirable taste conspicuous even in the apartments he inhabited, were most felt by those who were honoured by his friendship. With M. Biot I became acquainted in early life; he was then surrounded by a happy family. In my occasional visits to Paris I never omitted an opportunity of paying my respects to him: when deprived of those supports and advanced in life, he still earnestly occupied himself in carrying out the investigations of his earlier years. His son, M. Biot, a profound oriental scholar, who did me the honour of translating ‘The Economy of Man­ u­ fac­ tures,’ died many years before his father. In one of my visits to Paris, at a period when beards had become fashionable amongst a certain class of my countrymen, I met Biot. After our first greeting, looking me full in the face, he said, “My dear friend, you are the best shaved man in Europe.” 〈BIOT AND THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE.〉 At a later period I took with me to Paris the complete drawings of Difference Engine No. 2. As soon as I had hung them up round my own apartments to explain them to my friends I went to the College de France, where M. Biot resided. I mentioned to him the fact, and said that if it was a subject in which he was interested, and had leisure to look at these drawings, I should have great pleasure in
  • 43.
    bringing them tohim, and giving him any explanation that he might desire. I told him, however, that I was fully aware how much the time of every man who really adds to science must be {198} occupied, and that I made this proposal rather to satisfy my own mind that I had not neglected one of my oldest friends than in the expectation that he had time for the examination of this new subject. The answer of my friend was remarkable. After thanking me in the warmest terms for this mark of friendship, he explained to me that the effect of age upon his own mind was to render the pursuit of any new inquiry a matter of slow and painful effort; but that in following out the studies of his youth he was not so much impeded. He added that in those subjects he could still study with sat­ is­ fac­ tion, and even make advances in them, assisted in the working out of his views experimentally by the aid of his younger friends. I was much gratified by this unreserved expression of the state of the case, and I am sure those younger men who so kindly assisted the aged phi­ los­ o­ pher will be glad to know that their assistance was duly appreciated. The last time during M. Biot’s life that I visited Paris I went, as usual, to the College de France. I inquired of the servant who opened the door after the state of M. Biot’s health, which was admitted to be feeble. I then asked whether he was well enough to see an old friend. Biot himself had heard the latter part of this conversation. Coming into the passage he seized my hand and said “My dear friend, I would see you even if I were dying.”
  • 44.
    Welcome to ourwebsite – the perfect destination for book lovers and knowledge seekers. We believe that every book holds a new world, offering opportunities for learning, discovery, and personal growth. That’s why we are dedicated to bringing you a diverse collection of books, ranging from classic literature and specialized publications to self-development guides and children's books. More than just a book-buying platform, we strive to be a bridge connecting you with timeless cultural and intellectual values. With an elegant, user-friendly interface and a smart search system, you can quickly find the books that best suit your interests. Additionally, our special promotions and home delivery services help you save time and fully enjoy the joy of reading. Join us on a journey of knowledge exploration, passion nurturing, and personal growth every day! testbankdeal.com