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As a practitioner in this field for over 20 years and editor/author of The Handbook of MultiSource Feedback, I strongly disagree with the statement that 360 cannot succeed as a tool for decision making. Many organizations have and continue to use 360 for decision making, including not only appraisal but also succession planning, high potential selection/development, staffing, and leadership development. The fact is that 360 data, generated under the right conditions (including things like rater training), provides information that is more valid and fair than that created by traditional sources (i.e., supervisor evaluations). Yes, it can be misused and abused, which is true for any tool/process. And it is difficult to do well and to sustain it. But it is overly dogmatic to dismiss it as useful only for development. In fact, purely ""development only"" systems are quite rare and are, in my experience, not worth the investment.  David W. Bracken, Ph.D.  "