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This study reports a single time-series quasi-experiment in a Canadian firm to evaluate the effect over a five-year period of implementing a structured, seven-step strategy to obtain improved organization performance through employee-centered management. A significant change in the condition of the human organization resulting from the intervention was measured over the five-year period and shown to be correlated with a 66% increase in profitability. The results of the study indicate that in the Canadian/U.S. context, employee-centered management is at least compatible with high performance and competitive advantage. There is also evidence that in some instances organization performance can be significantly enhanced through the participation and contribution of employees in problem-solving and decision-making processes.

In the first criterion‐related validity study of a complete 360‐degree competency assessment process (i.e., where customer data are included), aggregated 360‐degree assessment of 428 retail associate store managers on six competencies showed strong validity (.50) in the prediction of assessment center performance. In addition, 360‐degree assessments on each of the six competencies were significantly correlated with the criteria. The aggregated 360‐degree assessments also demonstrated incremental validity over managerial ratings alone in the prediction of assessment center criteria. Customer (mystery shopper) assessments were also significantly correlated with the assessment center criteria and exhibited incremental validity beyond supervisory assessments. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We compared levels of adverse impact (AI) against minorities and women based on three promotional decision methods for 428 associate store managers of a Fortune 500 retailer: top‐down appraisal (TDA), multisource appraisal (MSA), and an assessment center (AC). We found significant effects for race and minority status (favoring whites) but no significant effects for gender across all three methods. Comparisons were analyzed using two definitions of AI (four‐fifths rule and the Fisher Exact Test) with a selection ratio (SR) of .25. No evidence of AI was found against blacks for any of the methods. For Hispanics, AI was found under the four‐fifths rule for the AC. For women, the four‐fifths rule was violated using TDA. Results provide some partial support for the argument that diversity goals are more likely to be met using assessment centers compared to TDA when the preponderance of raters are white men. Our data also suggest that carefully crafted, job‐related, top‐down appraisal, combined with rater training, may be effective in facilitating the promotion of more women and minorities and reducing the probability of legal problems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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