Kathryn, a manager at Harper Haw, uses a rating tool to evaluate the performance of her subordinates. However, she finds that the scale she used did not yield consistent results, and she could not determine if a change had taken place in the performance of the employees. What was lacking in the rating scale?

A) validity
B) acceptability
C) reliability
D) transparency
E) specificity

The inconsistency in results indicates a lack of reliability in the rating tool. Validity refers to whether the tool actually measures what it is intended to measure, acceptability refers to whether the tool is suitable for use in a particular context or culture, transparency refers to whether the rating process is clear and accessible, and specificity refers to the level of detail in the criteria used for the rating. While these factors are important, the lack of consistency in results points to a lack of reliability as the primary issue.