THE ROLE OF Human Resource Information System (HRIS) IN ACHIEVING Dissertation

THE ROLE OF Human Resource Information System (HRIS) IN ACHIEVING EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL - Dissertation Example But as this goal cannot be achieved by generalizing a single solution to all the different facets of human resource management duties at work, there have always been the need for specific aspects and departments of human resource management to be looked at. It is not for nothing therefore that much attention will be given to the area of performance appraisal in seeking ways of making it more and more effective. This literature review is therefore focused on finding major existing literature that is related to the problem of making performance appraisal effective. The review shall be conducted by taking opinions and cater opinions on major themes of the research work that have been outlined in the specific objectives of the study, as well as those posed in the research questions. This way, the literature review is going to become an effective data collection tool for addressing the research problem. Generally, researchers hold a common opinion that when information system is made an i ntegral part of human resource management it leads to a more effective human resource management goal achievement. But as to how the concept of information system should be applied is where differences come in opinions. 2.1 Human Resource Information System As the search for best ways to use information technology in human resource management continues, the argument is further reduced to best ways in using information technology in performance appraisal. This is because performance appraisal remains a central part of human resource that is focused on finding the effective compliance level of employees to roles and tasks assigned to them (BNET, 2010a). On the use of information technology in performance appraisal, McLeod and Schell (2008) holds a school of thought that it is not enough to merely have computers and computers accessories in place and think that performance appraisal will become effective. Rather, it is opined that information technology should be transformed into an in formation system, which is further integrated into the role of performance appraisal. This means that information system will be integrated into performance appraisal in a manner that ensures that all areas and aspects of the performance appraisal process are linked to a centralised information system that determines how procedures should be followed. In support of the opinion, Alvarez-Suescun (2007) stressed that once information technology is moved a step into information system and applied in any aspect of human resource management, the concept of human resource information system (HRIS) is said to be developed. Such HRIS has been said to be better off than the ordinary application of information technology in performance appraisal. In the opinion of Noe and Gerhard (2007), the major difference that exists between HRIS and the application of information technology in performance appraisal is that all forms of application of information technology constitute HRIS but HRIS goes bey ond the ordinary application of information technology. As technology takes a central part in organisational management, it is very common to see that each and every modern day organisation has series of computers and their accessories that are used in the day to day processing of information at the workplace. However, this is not the same as information system because information system goes more into a technical composition of information technology (Deloitte, 2006). In information system, the work is not made to control the information technology but information technology is made to control the work. In effect, human resource managers using HRIS in performance ap