A critical look at staff appraisal: The case of women in Scottish universities

Wilson, F. and Nutley, S. (2003) A critical look at staff appraisal: The case of women in Scottish universities. Gender, Work and Organization, 10(3), pp. 301-319. (doi: 10.1111/1468-0432.00197)

Abstract

An analysis of appraisal of women staff in Scottish universities reveals two ‘puzzles’. First, although there is a general decline in the use of appraisal schemes in these universities, women staff still have a strong sense of being subject to a disciplinary technology. Second, although appraisal and the broader disciplinary technology disadvantage women, they still want to be appraised. This article uses the critical literature on appraisal, and particularly a Foucauldian analysis of disciplinary power, to shed light on these apparent contradictions. Such an approach helps explain the first of these ‘puzzles’ but a basic conundrum for women remains — although there are demands for appraisal and normalization in the name of fairness and equity, such processes of normalization tend to be gender-biased and hence should be resisted by women.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wilson, Professor Fiona
• Authors: Wilson, F., and Nutley, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Gender, Work and Organization
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 0968-6673
• ISSN (Online): 1468-0432
• Published Online: 28 April 2003