PROTOCOL: Multisource Feedback and Work Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Multisource feedback (MSF) is widely used in performance management and leadership development, yet there is still no consensus on whether it predicts improvements in employee performance. This study presents a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating whether the use of person-moderated MSF predicts changes in individual work performance. The review is guided by an integrative framework drawing on feedback intervention theory and existing MSF models. A systematic search and meta-analytic synthesis of the empirical literature will be conducted, and potential moderators of the MSF–performance relationship will be examined to identify under what conditions effects occur. By clarifying whether and when MSF contributes to performance improvement, the study aims to provide evidence-based insights for researchers and practitioners designing feedback systems in organizations.
The review will be guided by the following questions: 1. Does the use of MSF predict changes in work performance? 2. Do certain moderators affect the relationship between MSF and changes in work performance? The potential moderators are: • The number of feedback sources • The characteristic of feedback (positive vs. negative vs. evenly balanced) • Employee perceptions of and reactions to feedback • Psychological individual differences • Follow-up activities • The intended purpose of MSF • The format of feedback • The delivery mode of feedback • Socio-cultural individual differences