Can performance management work in Australian universities?

Performance appraisal and performance management are much discussed topics at the moment and are widely promoted as tools for maximising the effectiveness of an institution's human resources. This paper will consider the lessons to be learnt from consideration of the private sector experience, and discuss the issues raised in a recent review of a performance management program implemented for general staff at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The matters highlighted by the review appear to be common to most Australian universities, and we argue that until these issues are addressed performance management, including appraisal, is unlikely to work effectively in the university context for either general or academic staff.