Multisource Performance Ratings: Measurement Equivalence Across Gender

Abstract

Organizations often use 360 degree feedback to provide employees insight into their performance from multiple perspectives. However, for the feedback to be effective at modifying job behaviors, the feedback must be based on true differences in the individual's performance and not based on differences in raters' conceptualizations of the behavior constructs. To determine if the comparison of ratings across gender and rating source dyads is even appropriate, the purpose of this study was to determine to what degree there is measurement equivalence across gender (female, male) and rating source (self, direct report) dyads in 360 degree ratings of corporate leaders. The findings of this study reveal that the 360 degree rating instrument is not directly comparable across rating groups (gender and rating source) because measurement variance indicated that the instrument is not measuring the same underlying construct.