The effects of performance appraisal structure on perceived organizational support and organizational commitment

No research to this date has explored the relationship which exists between performance appraisal (PA) structure and employee performance-reward expectancies (the perceived probability that organizations will reward performance efforts). This study examined the relationship between PA structure, performance-reward expectancies, perceived organizational support (POS), and organizational commitment (OC). Data were collected from a sample of 337 employees from three organizations having different PA structures. Results supported the hypotheses that there would be a positive relationship between (a) PA structure and performance-reward expectancies, (b) performance-reward expectancies and POS, and (c) POS and OC. No support was found for a moderating effect of PA structure on the relationship between performance-reward expectancies and POS, however, structural modeling revealed both direct and indirect effects of PA structure on performance-reward expectancies, POS, and OC. Implications for the more leveraging role that performance appraisals can play in organizations are discussed.