A Research On SPAN And Its Application In Performance Appraisal

The SPAN (Successive Proportional Additive Numeration or Social Participatory Allocation Network) is a numerical value evaluation method with the help of computers, whose functions equals decision by ballot-decision is made by the accumulation of each group member's value. This method is widely applied in gathering opinions of experts, VIPS and the mass. And it is proven that this method is superior to traditional group decision making in groups of any size or any kinds of questions.Group members find it acceptable to make votes when they are not confined in choosing among other members or selecting an alternative plan. SPAN can enable its group members to evaluate on a plan and allow an agent to make another evaluation as part of the whole evaluation. This could involve the mutal trust of group members and differences of individuality's judgment so as to allow the group member who shares high public trust can have more impact on decision making.Once carte blanche appeared in two or three group members, the SPAN may result in infinite loop due to iterative computaion's inability to meet the stop condition.This paper sorts out certain situation leading SPAN to infinite loop and offers some solution for improvement.Performance appraisal is also refered as performance evaluation, performace assessment, performance comment or work evaluation. It is a popular managing approach. This paper concludes a new SPAN by improving the old algorithm model through researching the limits of the SPAN used in performance appraisal. The new SPAN has some breakthroughs and can be applied in all kinds of performace appraisal.