Performance appraisal in high-tech organisational contexts: an organisational justice perspective

Hunter, Paul (2025) Performance appraisal in high-tech organisational contexts: an organisational justice perspective. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Research aim and objectives: The aim of this research was to explore perceptions of fairness during performance appraisal in high-tech contexts using organisational justice theory and uncertainty management theory. The research objectives were to explore: (1) the extent of the three dimensions of organisational justice during performance appraisal, (2) the application of the human resource management triad (also known as the HRM triad) during performance appraisal from the perspective of HR, (3) the application of the HRM triad during performance appraisal from the perspective of line management and ratees, (4) the relationship between line management and HR, and (5) how the relationship between line management and HR affects ratees’ perceptions of organisational justice.

The research problem addressed here is lack of clarity and a sense of uncertainty that revolved around performance appraisal in high-tech contexts. The research also considered the role of various stakeholders in the performance appraisal process, notably employees, line managers, and HR professionals.

Conceptual framework: Several theories were considered to help explain employees’ perceptions of fairness during performance appraisal. These included Adams equity theory and attribution theory. The former does not consider processes involved with determining perceptions of fairness, which meant that the theory was not considered appropriate. Likewise, attribution theory seems less concerned with perceptions of fairness, and more focused on how people try to understand the underlying mechanisms that have caused particular events to occur.

Organisational justice has a firm basis in the literature to help explain perceptions of fairness using three dimensions: procedural justice, distributive justice, and interactional justice. Hence, it was chosen as a theoretical lens.

In addition, the literature explained that high-tech contexts are fast-changing and uncertain environments. Also, it was discovered from the literature that performance appraisal was also characterised by uncertainty. Uncertainty management theory was adopted as another theoretical lens to explain how employees in high-tech contexts deal with uncertainty during performance appraisal, and how uncertainty affects perceptions of fairness. Likewise, uncertainty management theory helped to shed light on the characteristics and quality of performance appraisal control systems.

Methodology and methods: The research deployed an interpretivist philosophy and an exploratory, qualitative research design, It relied on qualitative data from 26 interviewees.

Findings: The key findings from the research revealed that HR was often detached from the performance appraisal process. Line managers, or equivalents, were seen to be in control. Line managers, or equivalents, and employees were locked into dyads whereby the quality of their relationship would seem to shape the way performance appraisals were undertaken, as well as their outcomes.

Line managers focused principally, and in some cases exclusively, on evaluating technical aspects of employees’ job roles during performance appraisal. This resulted in those stakeholders who were perceived as lacking technical expertise, such as HR professionals, not taking a pro-active role.

Smaller firms lacked an HR function altogether, with decisions being taken by ownermanagers who appeared to not follow any formal performance appraisal processes. In general, there seemed to be a lack of effective control systems during performance appraisal.

The findings suggested a paradox at play: some high-tech professionals desired that HR oversee the performance appraisal process more rigorously to mitigate the emergence of toxic dyads, while at the same time they were wary of HR’s lack of technical understanding of high-tech job roles.

Implications and significance: The findings suggested that a combination of organisational justice theory, uncertainty management theory and management control systems research offer an opportunity to better understand workers perceptions of fairness in contexts that are fluid, fast moving, and utilise advanced, complex technology.

This combination illustrated that many decisions are contingent on the alignment, or misalignment, of contextual practices and processes. This has facilitated the identification of two justice rules that characterise the dynamics of performance appraisal in high-tech contexts: (1) Technical aptitude, and (2), the quality of dyadic relationships.

The findings suggested that senior leaders in high-tech contexts need to pay more attention to the actions of their line managers and do more to ensure that clearer processes in connection with the delivery of performance appraisal, are communicated and understood by everyone. There is future opportunity to use leader-member exchange theory to better understand the dyadic dynamics between line managers and their ratees.

From a policy perspective, a lack of HR representation in SMEs presents an issue for government to consider. Without adequate HR provision, SMEs may not be undertaking performance appraisal ethically. Likewise, the emergence of potentially toxic dyads in a burgeoning industry such as tech presents challenges to fulfilling the UN’s sustainable development goals such as SDG 8, which seeks to deliver Decent Work and Economic Growth. This raises pertinent questions as to how policy needs to be shaped, if required, to tackle this issue.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School
• Supervisor's Name: Dudau, Dr. Adina and Kominis, Dr. Georgios
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-85348
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 15 Jul 2025 13:00
• Last Modified: 15 Jul 2025 13:00
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85348