SIMPLE TOOLS FOR HR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN ARGENTINEAN SME

In Argentina SME turn out to be a major player in the economic and social environment, representing more than 90% of the total registered companies, and being the country's largest employer, surpassing the 60% of formal registered employees. However, a comparative analysis between the last two national censuses -2004 and 2014- shows an industrial decline with respect to large companies, highlighting a substantial deterioration in its economic growth and envisaging the need to work on their structural competitiveness. Consequently, SME require a special focus of attention in order to sustain their activity, working on competitive aspects in order to enhance employees' performance levels, for example, by implementing simple Performance Evaluation (PE) tools that can be used to professionalize their organization and, ultimately, help to sustain their structural competitiveness. The hypothesis of this study -which was corroborated- suggests that a simple PE tool, based on Administration By Objectives (ABO) can provide with significant benefits in terms of HR management while improving Argentinean SME structural competitiveness. It was used a quali-quantitative methodology, with a qualitative predominance. The study was exploratory and descriptive, with a not experimental and transversal design.