Understanding acquaintance and empathy as predictors and performance as an outcome of self-assessment accuracy in professional service firms: Test of a model.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to develop and empirically examine a model of self-assessment accuracy in the context of a professional service firm (PSF). The model conceptualized self-assessment accuracy of a PSF's partners as the degree of congruence between partners' self-ratings and the ratings provided by their constituents. The model specified (a) acquaintance between PSF partners and constituents and (b) the partners' empathy as predictors of the partners' self-assessment accuracy, while suggesting enhanced partner performance, as measured by client satisfaction, as an outcome of such accuracy. The influence of relative power of partners and their constituents on the partners' empathy was also examined. The relationships among these variables were examined at a bivariate level and as a set of relations as specified in the proposed model.; Partners' superiors, subordinates, peers, and clients completed a questionnaire designed to measure (a) the level of their acquaintance with partners, (b) partners' empathy (based on Empathy Scale), and (c) partners' role behaviors (based on the PSF Partner Role Behavior Scale). Partners provided self-ratings of their role behaviors. Clients also rated partners' performance based on the Client Satisfaction Scale (Javitch, Church, Segal, Waclawski, & Burke, 1995). The relative power of partners and constituents was operationalized by the constituents' position in the organization relative to the partner.; The two hypotheses specifying a significant positive relationship between (a) partners' empathy and self-assessment accuracy and (b) the levels of acquaintance between partners and constituents and partners' empathy were fully supported. Contrary to expectations, a positive relationship between partners' self-assessment accuracy and performance received weak support. A positive relationship between partners' empathy and performance received partial support. Finally, the predicted influence of relative power of partners and constituents on partners' empathy was supported.; In general, structural equation modeling (EQS) results revealed that the model adequately explains the data collected in this study. An additional EQS analysis of the model revealed two paths that, when modified (i.e., added or eliminated), can further refine the model's ability to explain partners' relationships with their clients and subordinates. Implications of the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.