Examines the motivation for achievement as a psychological factor that shapes economic development. Refuting arguments based on race, climate, or population growth, the book instead argues for cultural customs and motivations - especially the motivation for achievement - as the major catalysts of economic growth. Considering the Protestant Reformation, the rise of capitalism, parents' influences on sons, and folklore and children's stories as shaping cultural motivations for achievement, the book hypothesizes that a high level of achievement motivation precedes economic growth. This is supported through qualitative analysis of the achievement motive, as well as of other psychological factors - including entrepreneurial behavior and characteristics, and available sources of achievement in past and present highly achieving societies. It is the achievement motive - and not merely the profit motive or the desire for material gain - that has advanced societies economically. Consequently, individuals are not merely products of their environment, as many social scientists have asserted, but also creators of the environment, as they manipulate it in various ways in the search for achievement. Finally, a plan is hypothesized to accelerate economic growth in developing countries, by encouraging and supplementing their achievement motives through mobilizing the greater achievement resources of developed countries. The conclusion is not just that motivations shape economic progress, but that current influences on future people's motivations and values will determine economic growth in the long run. Thus, it is most beneficial for a society to concentrate its resources on creating an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and a strong ideological base for achievement. (CJC)

The Achieving Society

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to use a case‐based approach to develop an improved understanding of the conditions under which municipal purchasing departments can be meaningfully involved in acquisition processes for consulting servicesDesign/methodology/approach – Data were collected at five Canadian municipalities and involved a detailed examination of ten cases where the supply function demonstrated meaningful involvement in the acquisition processFindings – Findings, along with organizational behavior literature on trust, were used to develop a conceptual model and tentative measurement scales that may be used to test the validity of the theory developedOriginality/value – This work addresses the problem of low public sector purchasing department involvement in these important purchase decisions and some significant gaps in the public procurement literature

Professional service acquisition in public sector procurement

The attitudes of twenty-nine managers toward performance appraisal and toward their organization were used to predict differences in mean ratings and measures of discrimination among ratees and performance dimensions. Substantial multiple correlations were obtained for all three dependent variables (between 32 and 46% of the variance in each measure was explained), and several individual correlations were statistically significant. Raters who showed low levels of confidence in the appraisal system, high levels of discomfort, or high levels of instrumental commitment were more likely to provide ratings that were unusually high or that did not discriminate well among ratees and/or dimensions. Raters who showed higher levels of attitudinal commitment or who perceived more risks associated with distorting ratings tended to provide lower ratings and to discriminate among ratees and/or dimensions.

Additional Evidence of Attitudinal Influences in Performance Appraisal

Bipolarity in reactions to operational ‘constraints’: OM bugs under an OB lens

This study examined the influence of attitudes and self-monitoring on leniency (elevation accuracy) of performance ratings and personnel decisions. In addition, moderating effects of self-monitoring on the relationship between attitudes and accuracy of ratings and decisions were investigated. Attitudes and self-monitoring tendency of 210 managers-professionals were measured, and ratings provided and decisions made by them were used to test 3 sets of hypotheses. Moderated regression and follow-up split-group analyses indicated that self-monitoring moderated the relationship between attitudes toward accurate appraisal and rating accuracy. Self-monitoring significantly influenced rating and decision accuracy such that accuracy declined with increasing level of self-monitoring. Results highlight the influence of rater's personality on appraisal behaviors. Implications of results and directions for future research are discussed.

Kimberly F. Kane

Papers

The analytic framework: The most promising approach for the advancement of performance appraisal

Situational factors and performance: An overview

Introduction: Situational constraints and performance