Date of Award

2-4-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Eric Vogel

Abstract

Employee performance evaluation is a vital management function that supports decision-making and promotes employee development. This study explored employees’ perceptions of the SMART Goals performance appraisal process within a nonprofit government organization and examined how these perceptions varied across different employee groups. SMART Goals, which stand for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound, provided the conceptual framework for the research. The study investigated how employee involvement in goal-setting affected perceptions of fairness, clarity, communication quality, and the alignment between job duties and evaluation standards. Using a reliable and verifiable quantitative method, the researcher adapted parts of a questionnaire on employee acceptance of performance appraisal. A Likert-scale survey was distributed via Qualtrics to approximately 200 employees, with 40 completing it after a one-week extension due to scheduling and distribution delays. The survey assessed perceptions of clarity, fairness, role alignment, opportunities for employee input, and overall effectiveness of the appraisal process. Results showed that employees viewed performance evaluations more positively when SMART Goals were developed collaboratively with supervisors. Transparency and trust increased when employees helped define expectations and review performance standards. Perceptions of fairness also improved when employees had opportunities to voice concerns or provide rebuttals during the appraisal. Organizational factors such as workforce diversity and prior experience with traditional top-down evaluations influenced the acceptance of the SMART Goals system. Overall, the study added to the performance appraisal literature by demonstrating that a structured, participatory SMART Goals framework enhances acceptance and strengthens the perceived legitimacy of evaluations in nonprofit government settings.

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