Research Brief

Introduction

The Research Brief is a 500-750 word paper on a topic you select from this week's textbook readings-you may want to use the workshop outcomes as ideas/topics for your briefs. This activity allows you to delve deeper into topics/concepts that may be of personal interest, pertain to current workplace situations, or are relevant to the team project.

Upon completion of this workshop, you should be able to (depending on topic/concept selected):

1. Explain the purpose of performance management and identify the attributes of an effective performance management system which possesses a well-articulated process for accomplishing evaluation activities, with defined roles and timelines for both managers and employees (CO D).
2. Describe each phase of the typical performance management process (e.g., performance planning - with input from a determination of organization strategy and goals, ongoing feedback, employee input, performance appraisal, and performance review) (CO D).
3. Define performance appraisal, identify the purpose of an appraisal, describe the pros and cons of various appraisal methods and demonstrate how to conduct an appraisal feedback interview (CO D).
4. Articulate why many organizations are using competency models as a basis for their performance management systems and describe some of the effective processes for identifying and defining competencies (e.g., job modeling or job analysis techniques, which include observations, focus groups, surveys) (CO D).
5. Describe the steps involved in coaching to improve poor performance, maintain effective performance and encourage superior performance and practice one or more methods of coaching for performance improvement (CO D).
6. Recognize organizational rewards as powerful incentives for improving employee and work-group performance and describe the structural and motivational features of reward systems (CO D).

Instructions

1. Select a topic for your research brief. You may want to use the workshop outcomes for ideas.
2. Your research brief should be 500-750 words and include a title page and reference page. The paper must be formatted in APA 6th edition. You must use, at a minimum, your textbook and three sources from professional and/or peer reviewed journals for a total of four references. Note that non-professional/non-peer reviewed references will not count toward the reference requirement.
3. When you have completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor using the Dropbox by the end of the workshop.