[mathattack]

I guess I don't understand something. Everywhere I have worked has had a ranking of employees such that when finances become difficult they knew who they would make redundant first. To me this is also stacked ranking.

This is a stacked rating.

Couldnt you have stacked ranking with a criteria that rewards all involved for collaboration?

Yes, though it's tougher to measure. People generally know who the best mentors are, and who they can call when they need help with a tough problem. They also know the worst mentors, and the people who don't return calls. It's very hard measuring the people in the middle.