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Context Revalidation was launched in the UK to provide assurances to the public that doctors are up to date and fit to practice. Appraisal is a fundamental component of revalidation. Approximately 150 000 doctors are appraised annually, costing an estimated £97 million over 10 years. There is little understanding of the theory of how and why appraisal is supposed to produce its effects. A realist review of the literature was utilised to explore these issues, as they generate context-mechanism-outcome ( CMO) configurations, resulting in the creation of theories of how and why appraisal of doctors produces its effects. Methods A programme theory of appraisal was created by convening stakeholders in appraisal and searching a database of research on appraisal of doctors. Supplementary searches provided literature on theories identified in the programme theory. Relevant sections of texts relating to the programme theory were extracted from included articles, coded in NVivo and synthesised using realist logic of analysis. A classification tool categorised the included articles' contributions to programme theory. Results One hundred and twenty-five articles were included. Three mechanisms were identified: dissonance, denial and self-affirmation. The dissonance mechanism is most likely to cause outcomes of reflection and insight. Important contexts for the dissonance mechanism include the appraiser being highly skilled, the appraisee's working environment being supportive and the appraisee having the right attitude. The denial mechanism is more likely to be enacted if the opposite of these contexts occurs and could lead to game-playing behaviour. A skilled appraiser was also important in triggering the self-affirmation mechanism, resulting in reflection and insight. The contexts, mechanisms and outcomes identified were, however, limited by a lack of evidence that could enable further refining of the CMO configurations. Conclusion This review makes a significant contribution to our understanding of appraisal by identifying different ways that appraisal of doctors produces its effects. Further research will focus on testing the CMO configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targets, rankings, and intelligence are common forms of public service management by numbers. So what's global and what's distinctively English about this phenomenon? What's new and what's old about the use of targets, rankings, and intelligence? And what do we know we don't know about each of these forms of public service management by numbers? The special features of composite ranking systems seem to be a key part of the answer to all these questions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect that the ‘Cadbury reforms’ have had on the pay determination process of executives in the UK. Our results suggest that, on average, the impact has been disappointing. The relationship between pay and performance remains weak and the link to firm size has, if anything, been strengthened. However, our results suggest considerable heterogeneity in the impact of the reforms, and for those firms above median employment the link between pay and profits appears to have been reinforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the activation strategies and the performance of employment services in Germany, Netherlands, and Great Britain. The three countries have implemented a mutual obligations approach, under which benefit recipients are expected to engage in active job search and improve their employability, in exchange for receiving efficient employment services and benefit payment. The strategies used include options for returning to work from the very first contact with a newly registered unemployed client, the set-up of back-to-work agreements and individual action plans, regular confirmation of unemployment status, and monitoring and review of clients.

The article focuses on the application of coaching technique in the enhancement of productivity and performance management of BT Retail Online, a telecommunications firm in Great Britain. Coaching was introduced to BT by Trinity Horne, a business consultancy firm which specializes performance improvement and coaching. To enforce this, a seven-step approach involved in the coaching methodology was observed.

The article discusses the use of material from a detailed study of one situation in order to illustrate the circumstances under which the repetitiveness of a job is not an important source of dissatisfaction or low moral in Great Britain. The major findings of the study concerning attitudes toward a repetitive job have been summarized while illustrating four of the kinds of traction. A repetitive job does not necessarily interfere with improved morale when the product is attractive, when pride in an unusual kind of skill and quality is possible, and when the smooth pull of the process is not interrupted by excessive pressure for quantity, by unwanted interruptions from outsiders, or by too many problems with incoming material and equipment.

The article offers tips on conducting performance appraisals of nursing leaders in Great Britain. In the appraisal interview process, the files of appraisees must be kept up to date to keep feedback based on facts. Relaxed and serious interviews are recommended in all cases. Appraisers may evaluate the achievements of appraisees.

The article reports that four out of five employees and trainees in Great Britain who have gained, or are working towards National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) would recommend them to other people doing the same job, according to a report by the independent Institute of Manpower Studies. The reasons offered by employers and employees for liking NVQs were very similar. Employers expected them to raise standards of performance and employee morale, and evidence from employees supports this expectation. Both employers and employees approved of the competence-based nature of NVQs and that they happen in the workplace. A majority of employees liked the fact that learning and practice for an NVQ can be done on the job. Experience of NVQs amongst employers is still limited and uncertainties remain, chiefly regarding cost justification, suitability of certain NVQs, and confidence in NVQs becoming universal. The most common criticism of NVQs in this report was of confusing language. Problems were also reported regarding time, support and producing evidence for NVQs.