A bank uses a performance appraisal system in which employees are evaluated against clearly defined behavioural indicators such as customer orientation, teamwork and problem-solving. The organisation wants to minimise the influence of vague personality judgments. Which appraisal method is most consistent with this approach?

BARS combines elements of critical incidents and rating scales. It uses specific behavioural examples to describe different levels of performance. For example: "Consistently resolves customer complaints independently and within prescribed timelines." This is more objective than simply rating someone as having "good customer orientation." Graphic Rating Scale: Uses numerical or descriptive ratings but may be less behaviourally specific. Ranking: Compares employees against one another. Paired comparison: Compares employees in pairs. Forced distribution: Places employees into predetermined performance categories.