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Developments in powered wheelchair technology have opened up a world of opportunities for people with disabilities that affect their mobility. The challenge for occupational therapists is to examine the functional utility of powered mobility relative to individual occupational performance needs. In the absence of a comprehensive evaluation strategy, the present paper examines current practice and proposes the use of the Occupational Performance Model (Australia) as an effective framework for examining powered wheelchair mobility as an enabler of human performance. Discussion of the critical elements affecting mobility performance includes the impact of the environment, life roles, space and time, as well as individual component level performance skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) are reviewed from two perspectives. First, the particular BARS methodology is assessed on the basis of its fulfilling three broad categories of ‘criteria for criteria:’ (1) utilization criteria, (2) qualitative criteria, and (3) quantitative or psychometric criteria. These three broad categories are composed of 14 specific criteria by which performance evaluation methodologies can be assessed. The second perspective involves an evaluation of BARS in terms of psychometric criteria but with the literature broken down into studies concerned with (1) development of BARS, (2) utilization of BARS, (3) comparison of BARS to other methods, and (4) rater training in BARS use. Conclusions from these reviews indicate that BARS is no better or worse than other methods when assessed on a quantitative basis whereas it has greater potential when assessed on the utilization and qualitative criteria. Suggestions are offered for extending BARS research to process questions and to domains other than performance appraisal per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance appraisal for managers assigned to overseas positions is an extremely difficult task. The diversity of environments, differences in cultural backgrounds of managers, the geographic separation of raters and managers, and a host of technical measurement issues need to be addressed in an international appraisal process. This article develops an evaluation process for home, host, and third country nationals working in a variety of international environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]