Evaluating international managers' performance: parent company standards as control mechanism

Abstract

The study argues that performance appraisal systems are a way to control international managers' behaviour and international operations in general. It examined the influence of three types of antecedents on the use of par-ent company standards as evaluation criteria, i.e. the power of international managers, international managers' commitment to the parent company and the company culture. The study used a sample of 162 internationals from four Belgian and one British parent company. The results indicated that international managers in high power positions were evaluated according to parent company standards. These managers were completing their foreign assignment in South America and Asia (uncertainty absorption), they had managerial jobs (centrality) and each was only one of a few other international managers in the host company (substitutabil-ity). Contrary to expectations,. they also showed a high degree of intercul-tural interaction.