Chapter 10: Performance Management as a Strategic Tool for Change

In this chapter we propose reconfiguring performance management as a framework for change, arguing that performance management provides an integrating mechanism for effectively implementing the human resource (HR) practices necessary to support the development of new initiatives. Enhanced performance is enabled through the adoption of high performance work practices; those considered to have the most impact on achieving high performance are:job design; recruitment and selection; employee development and training; performance management; rewards; and participatory work practices (Blackman, Buick, O’Donnell, O’Flynn, & West, 2012). The argument is made that where such high performance work practices are integrated with each other, organizational benefits will flow (Becker & Huselid, 1998; Boxall & Macky, 2009), including the adoption of new behaviors and ideas required for supporting change. In this chapter we present a new performance management framework which could enable high performance and enhance the possibility of achieving organizational change. First, we explain that performance management is a high performance work characteristic and suggest that it should act as an integrating mechanism for other practices to support change. Next we present the study methodology, demonstrating how it led to the development of a new performance management framework. We argue that this framework provides a new way of configuring existing and/or required performance management. Finally we discuss the implications of our findings and propose the use of the framework as a mechanism for integrating change through performance management.