Mulungu

shi University
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDIES

RESEARCH TOPIC: IS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM A SOLUTION TO IMPROVE DELIVERY OF QUALITY
SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE IN ZAMBIA?

ACASE STUDY OF CABINET OFFICE AND PUBLIC SERVICE

MANAGEMENT DIVISION (PSMD) - LUSAKA

STUDENT NAME: CHARLES SOKO

STUDENT NUMBER: 201801177

SUPERVISION: DR MWANSA KAMUKAMBA

 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction
Every organization has set goals that it strives to achieve. The achievement
of set goals greatly depends on good managerial skills and knowledge.
One such managerial skills and knowledge required is the application of
research. Research helps an organization to identify its weakness and
strengths. Once the weakness and strengths are identified, appropriate
management intervention such as Performance Management System
(PMS) which is measured through some tools such as Annual Performance
Appraisal System (APAS) are applied .The application of PMS helps an
organization to achieve high levels of productivity, effectiveness and
efficient delivery of services. This research proposal will therefore discuss
the topic ‘’ Is Performance Management System a solution to improve
delivery of quality services in the public service in Zambia?’’.

A case study of Cabinet Office and Public Service Management Division

(PSMD)-Lusaka.

1.1 Background

According to Aguinis (2005:2) performance management is a continuous

process of identifying, measuring and developing the performance of
individuals and team and aligning performance with strategic goals of the
organization. Its five elements are agreement, measure, feedback, positive
re-enforcement and dialogue. These five elements are the components of
the APAS which is one of the tools for measuring performance.

Lewis, Pamela s. et al (1998) states that ‘’performance appraisal as a tool

for measuring performance is a systematic process of evaluation each
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employees job-related achievement, strengths and weakness as well as
determining ways of improving performance.

Boone and Kurtz (1990) states that ‘’performance appraisal is the

evaluation of an individual’s performance by comparing actual
performance against desired performance for the purpose of making
objective decisions about compensation, promotion, training needs,
transfers or termination.

Historically, Performance management developed out of merit rating

which originated in the early 20th century and was influenced by the
scientific management movement. Scientific management movement was
pioneered by Fredrick Winslow Taylor (1856- 1915)

It is said that the first known use of rating which is a form of performance
appraisal system took place during the Wei dynasty (AD 221-265) when
the emperor employed an ‘’Imperial rater’’ whose task was to evaluate the
performance of the officials. However, the earliest mention of
Performance Management in the literature was made by Warren (1972).

In Zambia, the history of performance management system in the public

service traces its background from the political dispensation of 1991 that
saw Zambia move from one party to multi-party system of government.
The new government of Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD)
that came into power accelerated the country’s reforms in conformity with
domestic needs and donor demands.

To this effect, the Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP) which was a
national program was approved in March 1993 though it was initially

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started by United National Independence Party (UNIP) government in
1990 and later suspended by the new government.

The objective of PSRP was to streamline and strengthen management

capabilities as well as the commitment to better the delivery of services
(PSRP report 1993, P-4 V1).

This objective was to be achieved through restructuring and rationalization

of the size of government organizations, introduction of improved
organizational management and accountability system into government
operation and the decentralization of decision-making authority and
control resources allocations and utilization from the central government
to local authorities. The reason behind this objective was to reduce the
bloated public service.

The implementation of PSRP has been the responsibility of the Office of

the Secretary to Cabinet who is mandated among other things to be head of
the public services and responsible to the Republican President for
assuring the general efficiency of the public service.

The secretary to the cabinet acts as the government-wide champion for

performance management responsible for effective implementation of the
PMS in the public service.

The implementation of PSRP has been the responsibility of the Office of

the Secretary to Cabinet who is mandated among other things to be head of
the public services and responsible to the Republican President for
assuring the general efficiency of the public service.

This includes carrying out annual evaluation of performance for permanent

secretaries, focusing on their facilitation on the achievement of annual

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targets as set out in departmental work plans and ensure that public service
institutions adhere to the requirement of the PMS and the corrective action
is taken against institutions that fall short of the requirements.

Another institution that is responsible for managing the organizational and

human resources functions and system is the Public Service Management
Division (PSMD). PSMD is the custodian of the employee performance
management system through the department of Human Resources
Information and Planning (HRIP).

Arising from the given background, the President of the Republic of

Zambia, His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu launched performance
based contacts system for permanent secretaries on January 21st 2016 in an
effort to improve efficiency in delivery of quality services in the public
service.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Performance management system has a Result Based Management (RBM)

approach to managing individuals and institutional performances through
the use of APAS as a tool of measuring performance.

The aim of PMS is to ensure that performance contributes to achievements

of clearly stated individual, institutional and national goals. PMS ensures
that processes and procedures contributes to the achievement of efficiency
in delivery of quality services

.On 21st January 2016, the Republican President, His Excellency Mr Edgar
Chagwa Lungu launched a performance based contract system for
permanent secretaries. The President said ‘’Despite improved conditions
of service for civil servants, the public has continued to experience poor

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performance by the public service. He explained that the government had
been prompted to come up with performance based contract system in
order to maximise the performance of public service workers. He added
that the program would extend to other levels of public service and the
launch was the beginning of the preferred opinion for improving the
quality of services across the continent’’.

The launch of performance based contract by the Head of state signifies

that there is a problem with performance and delivery of quality services
in the public services. The launch therefore meant to address the poor
performance and to improve delivery of quality service in the public
services.

In this regard, the problem is poor performance and ineffective delivery of

quality services in the public services which this research seek to find out
if performance management system is a solution to improve performance
and effective delivery of quality services in the public service.

1.3 Research Objectives

The overall objective of the study will be to find out if PMS is a solution
to improve performance and effective delivery of quality services in the
public service.

The specific objectives are:

I. To find out if performance management system through the

application of performance based contract has achieved its intended
purpose.
II. To find out if APAS is used as a tool to measure performance.
III. To find out how performance contracts are conducted

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1.4 Research Questions

I. Why was performance contract for permanent secretaries

introduced? Answering Overall objective and objective (I)
II. How are performance contracts conducted? Answering objective (II)
III. Has performance contract achieved its intended purpose?
(Answering overall objective & objective (I) Yes or No
IV. If the answer to question (III) above is Yes, what are the
achievements?
V. If the answer to question (III) above is No, what are the challenges
1.5 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study will be to find out if PMS through the application
of performance contracts is a solution to improve performance and
delivery of quality services in the public service

1.6 Significance of the Study

 The study will help in policy review on PMS in the public service.
 The study will help to reveal some gaps and provide suggestions and
solution on PMS.
 The study will contribute to already existing body of knowledge on
PMS.
1.7 Identification of Variables

Macmillan English Dictionary, 2nd edition defines a variable as ‘’

something that can change and affect the result of a situation. Kombo and
Tromp (2007) states that ‘’Variables are attributes or qualities of the cases

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that we measure or record’’ Independent variables are factors that explain
variation in the dependent variables while dependant variables are the
outcome variables the researchers is attempting to predict.

For this study, ‘’ performance management’’ will be an independent

variable while ‘’ improved service delivery’’ will be dependant variable.
An independent variables is not influenced by another variable while a
dependent variable is influenced and depend on another variable.

In this case, performance management system does not depend on

improved service delivery while improved service delivery depends on the
application of performance management system in an organization.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The limitation of the study will be financial and time constraints to cover
the entire public service.

1.9 Operational Definition of Key Terms

Performance: How well or badly you do something.

Solution: A way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.

Improve: To become better than before, to achieve or produce something

that is of a better quality than something else.

Quality: The standard of something as measured against other things or

the degree of excellence of something.

Public: People in general

System: A set of principles or procedures according to which something is

done. An organized scheme or method

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Delivery: Process of providing a service.

Service:

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

According to Kombo and Tromp (2006, P.62) the term ‘’literature’’ refers
to the analysis of text books or manuscripts. Literature review therefore
means the work the researchers consulted in order to understand and
investigate the research problems. This chapter will therefore give a brief
literature review on the research topic under study.

According to Kris Cole (2010), performance management measures

performance through key performance indicators. This gives job holders
targets to aim at and allows them and their manager to monitor how well
they are reaching their goals. Measures of success encourage people to
monitor their own performance which in turn fosters individual
accountability for performance and results.

Aguinis (2005:2) defines performance management as a continuous

process of identifying, measuring and developing the performance of
individuals and teams and aligning performance with the goals of the
organization. Its five elements are agreement, measurement, feedback,
positive re-enforcement and dialogue.

Cappeli (2008) states that when employees fail in their jobs, part of the
organization also fails. Performance management therefore aims to
eliminate or at least significantly reduce this possibility.

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Pulakos (2009:3) emphasized that performance management is the key
process through which work gets done. It is how organizations
communicate and drive behaviour to achieve important goals. It is also
about the organization identify in-effective performers for development
programs or other personal action. The concept of performance leads to
conclusion that when assessing and rewarding the performance of
individuals, a number of factors have to be considered including both
outputs (results) and inputs (behaviour).

Campbell (1990) suggested that performance is the outcome of three

determinants, these are knowledge about facts and things, knowledge
about how things are done and the skills to do them (procedural) and
motivation to act, to extend effort and to persist (motivation).

Michael Armstrong and Stephen Taylor states that performance

management is a means of getting better results by providing the means
for individuals to perform well within an agreed frame work of planned
goals, standard and competing requirements. It involves developing a
shared understanding about what is to be achieved and how it is to be
achieved. The aim is to develop the capacity of people to meet and exceed
expectations and achieve their full potential to the benefits of themselves
and the organization.

2.1 Theoretical Framework

The goal theory developed by Latan and Locke and the control theory
underpin performance management. The Goal theory highlights for
mechanism that connect goals to performance outcome. They pay direct
attention to priorities. They stimulate effort. They challenge people to
bring knowledge and skills to increase their chances of success.
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Control theory focuses on feedback as a means of shaping behaviour. As
people receive feedback on their behaviour they appreciate the discrepancy
between what they are doing and what they are expected to do and make
corrective action to overcome the discrepancy.

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 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN

3.1 Introduction

This chapter deals with the description of the method that will be applied
when carrying out this research study. It deals with the ‘how’ the research
will be conducted. The chapter is organized under the following section;
research design, research site, target population, sampling design, research
instruments, data collection procedures and analysis

3.2 Research Design

Research design is an outline or a plan that will be used to generate

answers to the research problem. It is an arrangement of conditions for
collecting and analysing data. This research will be an evaluation study
that will take a description design. Evaluation research asses the end result
of a program, how far it has achieved its objective, whether it was more
successful in reaching its goals than other alternative method.

3.3 Research Site

The research will be conducted in Lusaka at cabinet office and Public

service management division. The two division have been picked because
they are charged with responsibility of policy formulation and
implementation of the performance management system in the civil
service.

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3.4 Target Population

A population is a group of individuals, object or items from which a

sample is drawn for measurement. The population under this study will be
permanent secretaries and senior civil servants from Cabinet office and
public service management division (PSMD).and members from the
general public.

3.5 Sample Size

A sample is a group of people, objects or items that are taken from a larger
population for measurement.

A sample of 80 respondents comprising of permanent secretaries, senior

civil servants and members from the general public will be drawn

3.6 Sampling Method

Sampling is the process of selecting a number of individuals or objects

from a population such that the selected group contains elements
representatives of the characteristics found in the entire group. Purposive
sampling also called judgemental sampling will be used. This is a type of
sampling where a researcher purposely target a group of people believed to
be reliable for the study.

3.7 Data Collection

Data collection is the gathering of specific information aimed at proving or

refuting some facts. In this study, both primary and secondary data will be
collected.

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A questionnaire and interview guide will be used to collect primary data
while secondary data will be collected from library, Journal and internet.

3.8 Data Analysis

Data will be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative analysis

will be done through data description while quantitative analysis will be
done through numerical values, tablets and pie charts

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 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Presentation of Data and Analysis

This chapter deals with the presentation of data collected after the field
research. This chapter will be discussed after data collection.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Data Interpretation

This chapter deals with the discussion and interpretation of data findings
presented in chapter four. This is the chapter where the researcher
interprets data and express his or her opinion. This chapter will be handled
after data collection.

CHAPTER SIX

6.0 Conclusion and Recommendation

This chapter presents the conclusion and recommendations. It starts with

the conclusion and end with the recommendation.

The conclusion is made in line with research objectives and research

questions given what has come out of research findings.

Finally, the recommendation is made to address the gap observed from the
research outcomes in order to fill the gaps

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong. A, and Taylor.S.(2004) A handbook of Human Management
Practice, 13th edition, united kingdom.

Cole. K, (2010), MANAGEMENT, theory and practice, 4th edition, Person,

Australia.
Gill. J, Johnson.P and Clark.M (2010) Research methods for managers,
4th edition, Saga publishers, London.
Kombo Donald K and Tromp Delno A. (2006) Proposal and Thesis
writing. An introduction, Pauline publishers, Nairobi, Kenya.
Saunders.M, Lewis.P and Thornhill (2012). Research methods for business
students. 6th edition, Person publishers, England.
Universalia, Zambia Public Service Performance Management Strategy

(2009), Legend consulting services Ltd

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GAANT CHART

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Submission
Of
proposal
Literature
Review
Data
Collection
Analysis of
Data
Writing up
Research
Report
submission

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