Publications
Publications
- September 1990 (Revised November 1991)
- HBS Case Collection
Merck & Co., Inc. (A)
Abstract
Merck & Co., Inc., a major pharmaceutical company, is in the process of reviewing and evaluating its personnel policies and practices. Employee interviews revealed that rewards for excellent performance were not adequate: outstanding performers received salary increases that were, in many cases, only marginally better than those given to average performers. In many cases, outstanding performance was not even clearly identified. The objective is to have students wrestle with a common malady of performance appraisal systems: the tendency of managers to assign uniform ratings to employees regardless of performance. Alternative appraisal systems should be suggested and discussed.
Keywords
Citation
Murphy, Kevin J. "Merck & Co., Inc. (A)." Harvard Business School Case 491-005, September 1990. (Revised November 1991.)