Formality and Procedural Fairness in Performance Evaluation: The Mediating Roles of Controllability and Role Clarity

This study investigates the association between formality in superiors’ use of performance evaluation systems and subordinates’ perceived procedural fairness and the explanatory roles of controllability and role clarity. Drawing on survey data collected from Australian managers in the manufacturing industry, the path model analysis indicate that (1) formality enhances procedural fairness and (2) such influence is mediated by role clarity, but not by the ACP. After controlling for managerial functions, the results suggest that the ACP has a positive mediating effect in qualitative functions but not in quantitative functions; while the mediating effect of role clarity is stronger in quantitative than in qualitative functions.