Norm of Seniority or Performance Appraisal? An Analysis of the Performance Appraisal System (PAS) in Taiwanese Public Sector
Don-Yun Chen, Kung-Chih Su, Yu-Chin Chien, Shiu-Ting Chen*
Abstract
How to reform the Performance Appraisal System (PAS) in Taiwan’s civil service has been hotly debated in recent years. One of the reasons is that the current PAS is not based on objective indicators but rather on informal norms, such as the norm of seniority. In this paper, the authors will use evidence-based approach to answer the following two questions: Is seniority a critical factor for the PAS that has diminished other factors? What role should the norm of seniority play in the PAS?
In this paper, the authors will use two principle research methods. One is to analyze a dataset from the Examination Yuan to answer the first question of the influence of seniority on the practice of the PAS in Taiwan. Also, face-to-face interviews were utilized to answer the second question of what kind of a role of the norm of seniority should play in the PAS.
Lastly, this paper will inform those who are concerned with the reform of Taiwan’s PAS in three ways. First this paper presents an evidence-based argument on how the seniority norm is influencing the PAS. Second, the information provided by this paper will have various practical implications for the future reform of the PAS. Lastly, the result of this research can be as a base for further research on the function of informal rules in the PAS in particular, and on the effectiveness of the PAS in general.
Keywords:Performance Appraisal System (PAS), norm of seniority, evidence-based public administration, informal rules
* Don-Yun Chen, Professor, Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University. Kung-Chih Su. Ph.D. student, Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University. Yu-Chin Chien, Ph.D. student, Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University. Shiu-Ting Chen, Master student, Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University.