The Justification of Reward Differences: An Empirical Testing of Some Hypotheses

Considered are income differences in the Netherlands, the criteria for attributing income position, & their justification. Dutch income attribution is largely based on a highly institutionalized function-evaluation system that recognizes five criteria: responsibility, social importance, knowledge, drawbacks, & special skills (mainly manual). Whether existing function evaluation is legitimate, ie, whether it matches community members' evaluation, is studied based on P. Hermkens & P. van Wijngaarden's 'Inkomensongelijkheid en rechtvaardigings kriteria' ([Income Differences and Justification Criteria], Verslagen en Rappor ten Sociale Zaken, 1977, 3). That investigation, based on interviews with 755 respondents, concluded that present income attribution criteria were largely justified. Agreement with existing income attribution criteria does not result from a self-serving ideology. 3 Tables. A. Orianne.