The role of person-organization fit in organizational entry.

Abstract

Theory suggests that much of organizational behavior may be explained through person-organization fit (Schneider, 1987), and that organizations can maximize performance by attracting and hiring employees with values congruent with the organizational culture (Barney, 1986, 1991). However, little is known about the determinants and consequences of P-O fit perceptions in the initial stages of organizational entry. Accordingly, research is needed to examine the processes through which P-O fit is established in organizations. This manuscript examines P-O fit from the perspectives of organizations making hiring decisions and applicants making job choice decisions. The sample included participants in the 1994 spring and fall recruitment schedules in a university career office, and data were collected from 96 active job seekers and 42 recruiters representing 35 organizations. Both recruiters and job seekers completed surveys immediately following their initial interviews and again after six months. Results suggested that work values have signifiant effects on the P-O fit perceptions of recruiters, job seekers, and employees. Results also indicated that P-O fit perceptions are critical components of interviewers' evaluations of applicants, of job seekers' evaluations of recruiting organizations, and of employees' work attitudes. Thus, consistent with Schneider's (1987) ASA model, organizational entry appears to be regulated by values congruence and perceived P-O fit. One of the most important findings of this study was that "actual" values congruence between organizations and applicants had little effect on interviewers' P-O fit perceptions. Instead, "perceived" values congruence (e.g., congruence between organizational values and interviewers' perceptions of applicants' values) was the best predictor of interviewers' P-O fit judgments. Thus, interviewers' inferences about applicants' values and P-O fit often may be inaccurate, at least from applicants' perspectiv (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)