How Do I Get on that List: Theory and Evidence on Relationship Quality’s Influence on CEO Rankings

We focus on quality of exchange relationships as an influential and previously unexplored determinant of actors’ positions in social rankings. We propose that if evaluators who rank actors also have an exchange relationship with those actors (a frequent occurrence), then the quality of that relationship will affect how actors are ranked (over and above other factors such as performance outcomes). We specifically argue that causal attribution and reciprocity mechanisms will lead consistent fulfillment, accuracy, and consensus regarding expectations within relationships to enhance actors’ rankings. Evidence from an empirical study of CEO rankings within large U.S. firms generally supports these predictions.