JOB PERFORMANCE AS A CRITERION
Performance may be defined as observable things people do that are relevant for the goals of the
organization (Campbell et al., 1990). Job performance itself is multidimensional, and the
behaviors that constitute performance can be scaled in terms of the level of performance they
represent. It is also important to distinguish performance from the outcomes or results of
performance, which constitute effe c tiv eness (Aguinis, 2009a).
The term ultimate criterion (Ihorndike, 1949) describes the full domain of performance
and includes everything that ultimately defines success on the job. Such a criterion is ultimate in
the sense that one cannot look beyond it for any further standard by which to judge the outcomes
of performance.
The ultimate criterion of a salesperson's performance must include, for example, total
sales volume over the individual's entire tenure with the company; total number of new
accounts brought in during the individual's career; amount of customer loyalty built up by the
salesperson during his or her career; total amount of his or her influence on the morale or
sales records of other company salespersons; and overall effectiveness in planning activities
and calls, controlling expenses, and handling necessary reports and records. In short, the ultimate
criterion is a concept that is strictly conceptual and, therefore, cannot be measured or
observed; it embodies the notion of "true," "total," "long-term," or "ultimate worth" to the
employing organization-
Although the ultimate criterion is stated in broad terms that often are not susceptible to
quantitative evaluation, it is an important construct because the relevance of any operational
criterion measure and the factors underlying its selection are better understood if the conceptual
stage is clearly and thoroughly documented (Astin, 1964).