Individual performance in services activities: Theoretical approach

Résumé

The social approach has its origins in the school of human relations, which specifically presented the problem of integrating individual objectives with organizational ones. The protagonists of this approach accept the following hypothesis: achieving social objectives makes it possible to achieve economic and financial objectives, especially in the context of services, hence the importance of individual performance at work.

Several studies have focused on the determinants of individual performance at work and their ability to actually lead to this performance. The objective of this work is to bring together the body of knowledge on individual performance and its determinants, to present them as a conceptual literature review in a descriptive manner and to identify a conceptual model whose hypotheses can be verified during future empirical study. This work encompasses a set of theories and concepts that guide the research process along the way.

First, a conceptualization of individual performance at work is presented. We then identify the different methods of evaluating individual performance at work. Then we distinguish the determinants of this performance by classifying them according to the relationship of the individual with his organization or with other individuals. Finally, we attach particular importance to the concept of skills in achieving individual performance at work. We integrate all of these variables at the level of a conceptual model in the form of hypotheses to be verified.

Keywords: Determinants of individual performance, service context, Human Resources.

JEL Classification: J24, M12, M51, O15, P47

Paper type: Theoretical Research