Exploring the concept of acceptability as a criterion for evaluating performance measures

Although the value of an appraisal system traditionally has been judged according to reliability and validity indexes, more recent discussion suggests that user acceptance may be critical to a system's successful implementation and continued use. This study examined the notion of using acceptability as a criterion for evaluating performance appraisal techniques. Data analyses indicated that motivation to rate, trust in others, and situational constraints were predictive of acceptability for both supervisors and job incumbents. In addition, differences in acceptability were found across rating sources and rating forms, with supervisors' perceptions more favorable than job incumbents' and a global rating form significantly less acceptable to all raters. Results are discussed in terms of usefulness of an acceptability criterion in applied research.