Self and senior executive perceptions of fit and performance: a time-lagged examination of newly-hired executives

Abstract

Drawing on the person-organization fit literature and person-categorization theory, we proposed that new executive performance depends on both their self-perceptions as well as their fit as seen by senior executives. Using three-phased, multisource data from newly-hired executives of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company across their first six months on the job, we found that senior executive pre-entry person-organization fit expectations of their followers (new executives) are positively related to their postentry person-organization fit perceptions through the partial mediating role of their leader-member exchange relationships. Furthermore, results also revealed that senior executive person-organization fit perceptions were significantly and positively related to new executive in-role and extra-role performance, but only when new executives' own perceptions of person-organization fit were low.