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Rater Reactions to Forced Distribution Rating Systems

Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, 100 S. Grant St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2076, deidra{at}purdue.edu

Rebecca A. Bull

Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, 100 S. Grant St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2076

Stephen G. Green

Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, 100 S. Grant St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2076

Two experiments examined raters' reactions to a forced distribution rating system (FDRS), which, despite its popularity in organizations, has been largely ignored in the empirical research literature. Greater difficulty and less fairness were reported by raters when the FDRS was used for administrative purposes and when there was reduced variability in ratee performance. In addition, the FDRS was found to be more difficult and less fair than a more traditional rating scale format. Finally, difficulty and fairness reactions had significant implications for raters' confidence in their ability to provide feedback to the ratees and their self-efficacy for using the system going forward.

Key Words: performance appraisal • forced distribution ratings • rater reactions • fairness

This version was published on August 1, 2009

Journal of Management, Vol. 35, No. 4, 899-927 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0149206307312514


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