A Theoretical Exploration of the Nexus Between Performance Appraisal, Culture, and Impression Management

Abstract

This study theoretically discusses that the impression management (IM) strategies that employees apply depending on the purpose of performance appraisal (PA) in organizations may vary in different cultures. The propositions developed are based on Schütz's four-dimensional classification of IM strategies and Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner's (1998) seven-dimensional model of culture. It has been proposed that employees may exhibit more assertive or defensive IM strategies for administrative PA, and offensive or protective IM strategies for developmental PA. Moreover, employees in particularistic, diffuse, and synchronous cultures may apply IM more frequently in the PA process. Employees in individualistic cultures may use defensive IM tactics for developmental PA, while in communitarian cultures they may resort to assertive IM. Furthermore, employees can apply offensive and assertive IM for administrative PA in ascription-oriented cultures, taking responsibility IM tactics in both administrative and developmental PAs in inner-directed cultures, and justification and excuse tactics in outer-directed cultures.

Keywords

• Performance Management
• Purpose of Performance Appraisal
• Impression Management
• Cultural Dimensions
• Cultural Values

Performans Değerlendirme, Kültür ve İzlenim Yönetimi İlişkisine Yönelik Kuramsal Bir Tartışma

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, iş görenlerin performans değerlendirmesi amacına bağlı olarak farklı kültürlerde başvurabilecekleri izlenim yönetimi stratejilerinin tartışıldığı teorik bir çerçeve sunulmuştur. Schütz'ün dört boyutlu izlenim yönetimi sınıflandırması ve Trompenaars ve Hampden-Turner'ın yedi boyutlu kültür modeli temel alınarak önermeler geliştirilmiştir. Çalışmada, yönetsel amaçlı performans değerlendirmesi için çalışanların daha çok iddiacı veya savunmacı davranışlar sergileyebileceği, gelişimsel amaçlı performans değerlendirmesi için ise saldırgan veya korumacı izlenim yönetimi stratejilerine başvurabileceği önerilmiştir. Ayrıca, özgün, yaygın ve eşzamanlı kültürlere sahip çalışanların performans değerlendirme sürecinde izlenim yönetimi stratejilerini daha sık kullanabilecekleri sonucuna varılmıştır. Bireyci kültürlerde, gelişimsel performans değerlendirmeleri için çalışanların savunmacı izlenim yönetimi stratejilerine başvurabileceği, toplumcu kültürlerde ise iddiacı izlenim yönetimi taktiklerini benimseyebileceği önerilmiştir. Atıf kültürlerinde, yönetsel performans değerlendirmeleri için çalışanların saldırgan ve iddiacı izlenim yönetimi stratejilerini kullanabileceği belirtilmiştir. İç yönelimli kültürlerde ise hem yönetsel hem de gelişimsel performans değerlendirmelerinde sorumluluğu kabul etme davranışlarının daha yaygın olduğu, dış yönelimli kültürlerde ise meşrulaştırma ve mazeret bulma davranışlarının daha yaygın olduğu iddia edilmiştir.

Keywords

• Performans Yönetimi
• Performans Değerlendirme Amacı
• İzlenim Yönetimi
• Kültürel Boyutlar
• Kültürel Değerler

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