Evaluation of effectiveness of the performance management system in military establishments: a case of the military training establishment of Zambia in Kabwe

The Performance Management System (PMS) in the Military Training Establishment of Zambia (MILTEZ) had at no time been evaluated for effectiveness since its inception in 1998. The continued lack of evaluation for effectiveness had the potential to negatively affect the productivity of MILTEZ in its mission to provide quality training for the Region and Zambia Defence Force personnel, if not attended to. Additionally, the absence of the evaluation for effectiveness implies that the establishment officers are oblivious of their work, how they have been performing their work, what they have achieved and what rewards they are supposed to receive. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the PMS in military establishments using the MILTEZ in Kabwe as a case study. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the PMS in MILTEZ by assessing the extent of effectiveness of goal setting, assessment of how the performance of officers is appraised and establishment of the extent to which good performance is rewarded at MILTEZ. The study employed mixed-method design. The data were collected using semi-structured interview guides and structured questionnaires. After that, the data were analysed using thematic and descriptive analyses, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that the PMS existed but was ineffective. The PMS in MILTEZ fell short of the obligatory effectiveness because of inadequate funding, unfair allocation of performance goals, nepotism and the apparent disconnect between performance appraisal and reward systems. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the set performance tasks are adequately funded and fairly allocated by training the Wing Commanders. Further, it is recommended that the apparent disconnect between performance appraisal and reward system is rectified by ensuring that appraisal is based on a combination of personal traits and levels of performance achieved by the officers. Keywords: Performance Management System, effectiveness, goal setting, Performance Appraisal System, Performance Reward System