ACTION RESEARCH STUDY FOCUSED ON FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHIN A MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT

Purpose – Performance management is a vital function that helps assess individual performance and strengthen job clarity and outcomes. Within the framework of performance management, human resources (HR) elements such as specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timebound (SMART) goals setting, alignment of goals to strategy, vision and mission, collaborative shared goal setting, supportive leadership, simple transparent systems, engagement, frequent appraisal, and feedback, coaching and mentoring, training and development, communication, and HR System integration across units, all play a critical role and contribute to effective real-time performance management. Approach - Three cycles of action inquiry were used to understand the problem, identify 11 elements within a framework model to use in performance management through multi-stage data collection strategy, applying mixed methods. The triangulation of outcomes helped understand and examine alternatives for developing a framework that supported sequential implementation of performance management elements within a manufacturing setting. Outcomes and recommendations –The action inquiry established the necessity of the 11 elements, and study concluded that inter-dependence of the 11 elements necessitates a sequential framework for implementation to achieve real-time performance management objectives. Conclusion – The inter-dependence of the elements and their multi-dimensionality require that the elements be understood and structurally executed in sequence for successful implementation. Issues and suggestions detailed in the following chapters are not conclusive or exhaustive. Other dependent elements can be listed, but this project attributed its focus on the issues of performance management through the lens of the 11 elements. While attempting a futuristic implementation strategy, and the research sought to not repeat what has been researched earlier