The evaluation of performance appraisal systems applied to the cabin crews in airline companies via the micro institutional theory perspective

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the institutionalization processes of performance appraisal systems applied to cabin attendants in the airline companies. In the study, the assumptions of the new institutional theory and micro-institutional theory were used to achieve the research purpose. The research area consists of the medium-sized two airlines having activities in Turkey. Qualitative data collection method was used to collect data in the study, and both primary and secondary data were collected. Data were analysed by inductive analysis using NVivo12 program, which is a qualitative data analysis program. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the airline companies designed the performance appraisal systems themselves, but the performance appraisal systems were partially affected by the pressure of the regulatory agencies. Furthermore, it was determined as a result of the research that airline companies rationally adopted performance appraisal systems. Besides, it has been determined that non-organizational actors that influence the establishment of performance appraisal systems are regulatory institutions such as ICAO, EASA and DGCA, and actors within the organization are managers and employees of the cabin services department. The existence of a rewarding system on the institutionalization process of performance appraisal systems, ensuring employee participation, keeping communication channels open, ensuring formalization, just culture, reporting culture, organizational commitment, the openness to criticism, lowness of power distance, presence of performance appraisal training, the openness of employees and the system to the development, the factors such as objectivity, reliability, and an effective feedback mechanism, qualifications of evaluators, frequency and period of appraisal, and using of evaluation outputs in other HRM functions are sufficient.