Do corporate turkeys vote for Christmas?: Managers′ attitudes towards upward appraisal

Examines managers′ attitudes to the use of upward and the more traditional downward performance appraisal systems. The results are drawn from a survey of UK managers. Finds that upward appraisal is viewed as being generally less acceptable than “traditional”appraisal systems. Potential applications appear to be directed towards development and counselling areas. Concerns that are expressed in the literature, e.g. retribution by vengeful managers or orchestrated campaigns by trade unions, were not found to be particularly prominent in practice.