Enhancing Productivity through Feedback and Goal Setting

摘要

The present research represents a field test of the effects of feedback and goal setting techniques on increasing productivity. Absolute and comparative, as well as personal and impersonal, feedback were manipulated. Goal setting was added to several of the feedback groups. Subjects were regular employees working on two clerical type jobs. The results indicated that both feedback and goal setting produced meaningful increase in productivity. Other major finding were (a) personal feedback was as effective as impersonal feedback, (b) absolute feedback was as effective as comparative feedback, (c) goal setting with feedback was more effective than feedback alone, (d) poorer performers were positively influenced by the treatment while better performers were largely unaffected, (e) attitudes under feedback and goal setting were as good or better than before the treatments. The findings are discussed in terms of potential application to ongoing Air Force settings. (Author)