Who is attracted to an organisation using a forced distribution performance management system?

• Published in: Human resource management journal Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 360 - 378
• Main Authors: Blume, Brian D., Rubin, Robert S., Baldwin, Timothy T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2013
• Subjects: Cognitive ability; Collectivism; Organizational behavior; Perceptions; Performance management; Studies
• ISSN: 0954-5395; 1748-8583
• DOI: 10.1111/1748-8583.12016

Arguments related to forced distribution systems (FDS) are often dogmatic, but typically do not consider for whom such systems might be most and least appealing. We examine the relationships between participants' individual differences (cognitive ability, collectivism and core self‐evaluations) and their attraction to an organisation utilising an FDS. From a sample of 143 advanced undergraduate students, we found that individuals were more likely to be attracted to an organisation using FDS when they possessed higher levels of cognitive ability and perceived FDS to be fairer. We also found a significant interaction between respondents' collectivism and fairness perceptions of FDS, indicating that individuals who are high in collectivism are particularly sensitive to perceptions of FDS fairness. Implications for organisational practice and future research are discussed.