Abstract/Summary

This paper examines performance management within the disciplinary area of HRM. We discuss performance management as a key integrative process in the management of people towards organisational goals and describe how its integrative nature has been written about in ‘best practice’, universalistic terms. We argue that one size does not fit all and that context; in particular cultural, institutional, sectoral and organisational size contexts are factors that will impact the application of employee performance management systems within organisation. We propose a model of comparative performance management which takes account the importance of context.