Measuring the Relationship Between Managerial Competencies and Performance

The use of competency systems to evaluate, reward, and promote managers has become commonplace in many organizations in recent years. Yet, despite their popularity, there is little evidence that competency systems increase managerial effectiveness. In this study, we estimate the relationship between managerial competencies and performance at both the individual and organizational unit levels. We find evidence that competencies are positively related to individual-level performance and that individual managerial performance may be increased by mentoring on a competency system. The evidence of a link between competencies and unit-level performance is weaker.

[1]  Kenneth P. Yusko,et al.  EXPLORING BLACK‐WHITE SUBGROUP DIFFERENCES OF MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES , 2001 .

[2]  Adams Js.  Towards an understanding of inequity , 1963 .

[3]  Rene J. de Pontbriand,et al.  Correlates of Employee Reactions to Performance Appraisals and Appraisal Systems , 1981 .

[4]  Onne Janssen.  Fairness perceptions as a moderator in the curvilinear relationships between job demands, and job performance and job satisfaction , 2001 .

[5]  Morgan W. McCall,et al.  COMPETENCE, NOT COMPETENCIES: MAKING GLOBAL EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT WORK , 2003 .

[6]  S. McKenna.  Can Knowledge of the Characteristics of "High Performers" Be Generalised?. , 2002 .

[7]  M. Mount.  Satisfaction with a performance appraisal system and appraisal discussion. , 1984 .

[8]  A. Bandura.  Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory , 1985 .

[9]  Daniel M. Cable,et al.  AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PREDICTORS OF EXECUTIVE CAREER SUCCESS , 1995 .

[10]  Edward E. Lawler,et al.  Rewarding Excellence: Pay Strategies for the New Economy , 2000 .

[11]  B. Gerhart,et al.  The Impact of Human Resource Management on Organizational Performance: Progress and Prospects , 1996 .

[12]  P. Sweeney,et al.  Distributive and procedural justice as predictors of satisfaction with personal and organizational outcomes. , 1992 .

[13]  Benjamin Schneider,et al.  Personnel selection psychology: Multilevel considerations. , 2000 .

[14]  B. J. Eberhardt,et al.  Correlates of performance appraisal satisfaction among supervisory and nonsupervisory employees , 1989 .

[15]  Kevin M. Murphy,et al.  Empirical Age-Earnings Profiles , 1990, Journal of Labor Economics.

[16]  Tim Barnett,et al.  Procedural voice and distributive justice: their influence on mentoring career help and other outcomes , 2002 .

[17]  M. Mount.  COMPARISONS OF MANAGERIAL AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION WITH A PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM , 1983 .

[18]  S. Kozlowski,et al.  Multilevel Theory, Research, and Methods in Organizations: Foundations, Extensions, and New Directions , 2000 .

[19]  R. Folger,et al.  Effects of Procedural and Distributive Justice on Reactions to Pay Raise Decisions , 1989 .

[20]  P. Sweeney,et al.  Research Notes. Distributive and Procedural Justice as Predictors of Satisfaction with Personal and Organizational Outcomes , 1992 .

[21]  C. Russell,et al.  A longitudinal study of top-level executive performance. , 2001, The Journal of applied psychology.

[22]  Vida Scarpello,et al.  Why justice matters in compensation decision making , 1996 .

[23]  Lyle M. Spencer,et al.  Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance , 1993 .

[24]  D. Mcclelland.  Testing for competence rather than for "intelligence". , 1973, The American psychologist.

[25]  Richard M. Steers,et al.  Motivation and Work Behaviour , 1978 .

[26]  R. Cardy,et al.  A Contingency Approach to Appraisal Satisfaction: An Initial Investigation of the Joint Effects of Organizational Variables and Appraisal Characteristics , 1990 .

[27]  Charles C. Manz,et al.  Linking Cognition and Behavior: A Script Processing Interpretation of Vicarious Learning , 1985 .

[28]  Joan D. Mahoney,et al.  Early identification of international executive potential , 1997 .

[29]  James A. Breaugh,et al.  Measuring facets of job ambiguity: Construct validity evidence. , 1994 .

[30]  Jeanne M. Brett,et al.  All the right stuff : a comparison of female and male managers career progression , 1992 .

[31]  John H. Zenger,et al.  The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders , 2002 .

[32]  Michael C. Sturman,et al.  Searching for the Inverted U-Shaped Relationship Between Time and Performance: Meta-Analyses of the Experience/Performance, Tenure/Performance, and Age/Performance Relationships , 2003 .

[33]  E. Lawler,et al.  The multitrait-multirater approach to measuring managerial job performance. , 1967, The Journal of applied psychology.

[34]  P. Levy,et al.  THE EFFECTS OF PERCEIVED SYSTEM KNOWLEDGE ON THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SELF-RATINGS AND SUPERVISOR RATINGS , 2006 .

[35]  Gretchen M. Spreitzer,et al.  Explaining How Survivors Respond to Downsizing: The Roles of Trust, Empowerment, Justice, and Work Redesign , 1998 .

[36]  Mark A. Arvisais.  Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence , 2003 .

[37]  J. Mincer.  Schooling, Experience, and Earnings , 1976 .

[38]  Terri A. Scandura,et al.  An Investigation of Personal Learning in Mentoring Relationships: Content, Antecedents, and Consequences , 2002 .

[39]  Paul E. Spector,et al.  The Role of Justice in Organizations: A Meta-Analysis , 2001 .

[40]  Gerald E. Ledford,et al.  Skill-Based Pay Case Number 3: Honeywell Ammunition Assembly Plant , 1991 .

[41]  Jacob Cohen.  Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences , 1969, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Research Design.

[42]  J. Kotter.  The General Managers , 1982 .

[43]  Douglas T. Hall,et al.  An alternative approach and new guidelines for practice , 1999 .

[44]  Gerald E. Ledford.  Paying for the Skills, Knowledge, and Competencies of Knowledge Workers , 1995 .

[45]  R. J. Campbell,et al.  Formative years in business: A long-term AT&T study of managerial lives , 1974 .

[46]  David C. McClelland,et al.  Talent and Society , 1959 .

[47]  Gerald E. Ledford,et al.  Skill-Based Pay Case Number 1: General Mills , 1991 .

[48]  Richard E. Boyatzis,et al.  The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance , 1982 .

[49]  S. St-Onge.  Variables Influencing the Perceived Relationship Between Performance and Pay in a Merit Pay Environment , 2000 .

[50]  Kevin R. Murphy,et al.  Correlates of perceived fairness and accuracy of performance evaluation. , 1978 .

[51]  David P. Lepak,et al.  Human Resource Management, Manufacturing Strategy, and Firm Performance , 1996 .

[52]  Q. Vuong.  Likelihood Ratio Tests for Model Selection and Non-Nested Hypotheses , 1989 .

[53]  Phyllis Tharenou,et al.  How do you Make it to the Top? An Examination of Influences on Women's and Men's Managerial Advancement , 1994 .

[54]  Patricia M. Dechow.  Accounting earnings and cash flows as measures of firm performance : The role of accounting accruals , 1994 .

[55]  J. Osland,et al.  Advances in Global Leadership , 2006, Advances in Global Leadership.

[56]  J. S. Adams,et al.  TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF INEQUITY. , 1963, Journal of abnormal psychology.

[57]  Jacob Cohen,et al.  THINGS I HAVE LEARNED (SO FAR) , 1990 .