Competencies and Attributes

When considering the assessment and development of the human resource there needs to be some conceptual framework against which judgements can be made. In creating such a model the starting point has to be job analysis. If we are to choose appropriate assessment procedures and to find appropriate development dimensions, then we must first understand the precise requirements of the jobs that our people will be required to perform. This is not just a matter of common sense; there are important legal implications here as well. In a number of countries worldwide, assessment procedures have to be demonstrably relevant to the content of the jobs for which they are being used. This may be illustrated by correlational validation studies showing a clear relationship. However, these are not always practicable and an alternative is to use an analytical process to demonstrate the justifiability of the method. In other words, the job is analyzed and logical inferences are drawn about the need for certain personal characteristics and appropriate measures. Even if there is no protective legal structure, it ought to be a matter of morally sound practice that we only use assessment procedures that are clearly relevant to the content of jobs.