Annual performance reviews are often based on the misconception that e...
Annual performance reviews are often based on the misconception that employees’ performance is directly related to their pay scales, when in fact pay is usually determined by market forces. While some analysts correctly observe that the real determiner behind performance reviews is the level of objectivity that the manager performing the review is capable of, it is doubtful whether performance reviews have any productive value since objectivity is clearly impossible to achieve when one individual is evaluating another.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the author’s conclusion?
Argument Analysis
Pre-Thinking
Conclusion Clarification
N/A
Pre-Thinking Approach
The question stem asks us to evaluate whether it’s doubtful that PR have any productive value. Let’s examine linkage see what additional questions we need to ask in order to determine whether the linkage makes logical sense or not.
Linkage#1 – Objectivity isn’t possible when one individual is evaluating another
- Question : What if, the reviewer has no scope of giving a subjective review? What if all that the reviewer has to do is to address objective parameters of evaluation? For instance, the reviewer just has to see how many times the employee turned up late for work and deduct set marks for the same accordingly. Surely, the scope of a biased or subjective opinion decreases considerably then and the author’s conclusion is greatly weakened. In the absence of objective parameters of evaluation, the author’s conclusion is strengthened.
With this understanding in mind, let’s take a look at the option statements.
Answer Choices
A
Whether reviewers factor in the possibility that employees’ motives may be a result of self-interest rather than genuine commitment to their work
Incorrect - Irrelevant
What impact this consideration has on the attainment of objectivity by the reviewer is neither stated nor implied in either the passage or the choice.
B
Whether the reviewer’s motives are also based on the misconception that performance is directly related to pay scales
Incorrect - Irrelevant
Whether such motives lead the reviewer to be more objective while evaluation or less is not clear. Hence, the information obtained through this choice will not help us evaluate the author’s conclusion.
C
Whether market forces are taken into account by those who conduct performance reviews
Incorrect - Irrelevant
Whether accounting for market forces leads the reviewers to become more objective or less is not clear from this choice. Hence, it has no impact on the conclusion of the argument.
D
Whether performance reviews are devoid of subjective parameters of evaluation
Correct
This choice is written along the lines of our pre-thinking per Linkage #1.
E
Whether employees are aware of the real determiner behind performance reviews
Incorrect - Irrelevant
Employees’ knowledge of PR doesn’t tell us whether PR are productive or not.