A Research On Performance Management Of Knowledge Workers In Knowledge-based Corporations

Based on theories of performance, performance management, knowledge-basedcorporation and knowledge worker, scope of knowledge-based corporation has beendefined and knowledge worker has been described as well in the thesis, then performancemanagement of knowledge worker in knowledge-based corporation has been studied. Aperformance management system is comprised of performance plan, communication, andperformance assessment, feedback of the performance result and performance behaviors,and application of assessment result, which is opened and recycled. What’s the mostimportant is that appraisal tools and indicators could be directive for performancemanagement; Therefore, according to characteristics of knowledge worker,knowledge-based corporation, job tasks and determinants of performance, threeperspectives including competency, job tasks and knowledge contribution have been takeninto consideration. With the support systems of leadership development, qualificationsystem, training and development and compensation system, the performance managementsystem would achieve brilliant results in improving capabilities of both employees and thecompany.Four creative points present in the paper:Firstly, select right appraisal tool as per assumption of assessment, types ofcorporations, business process and characteristics of human resources, etc. Performancecould be assessed from the following three perspectives: contribution of working resultswith related stakeholders, behaviors of sharing knowledge and competency.Secondly, knowledge worker of knowledge-based corporation is identified fromothers from five dimensions created by Hofstede;Thirdly, the idea that high-performance atmosphere is necessary for performancemanagement is put forward, and organizational learning in a learning organization is agood way, because knowledge and knowledge worker are the most critical productiveelements, and with the characteristics of independence, studious, enterprising and strongdesire for self-value realization, knowledge workers would like to improve themselves, and hence their performance is impacted by environment;Fourthly, to match performance management, the supportive parts which are flexibleorganizations, qualification system, incentive compensation&benefits system, trainingand development system and leadership need to be built as well.PACT engineering company is studied as an example. By identifying characteristicsof its human resource, business, process and analyzing current managing system and jobsknowledge workers undertake, a performance indicator system is established from threeperspectives: competency, tasks and behaviors. After practicing the performance system, aquestionnaire on appraisal of performance system is conducted. As a result, it does work onimproving employees’ performance as well as management of PACT. The performancesystem is valuable and practical, which could be applied in other knowledge-basedcorporations, especially in project-focused corporations.