Steven Matthew Brown Valdosta State University September 16, 2013

DimensionTraditional Job Analysis Competency Modeling PurposeDescribe behaviorInfluence behavior View of the jobAn external object to be described A role to be enacted FocusJobOrganization Time orientationPastFuture Performance levelTypicalMaximum Measurement approach Latent traitClinical judgment

 Considering organizational context ◦ CM is highly customizable. ◦ Develop competencies that tailor to business needs.  Linking competency models to organizational goals and objectives ◦ TJA usually stops short of translating how KSAOs influence organizational goals.  Start at the top ◦ Will garner more support from executives.  Using rigorous job analysis methods to develop competencies ◦ CMA methodology is less rigorous than TJA.  Considering future-oriented job requirements ◦ TJA measures “what is needed” not “what will be needed”.

 Defining the anatomy of a competency ◦ Descriptive title ◦ Definition, how competency appears on job ◦ Levels of proficiency  Defining levels of proficiency on competencies ◦ Level of competency development (e.g., novice, master, expert) ◦ Level of competency performance (e.g., marginal, good, and excellent) ◦ Job grade level (e.g., associate engineer, staff engineer, senior engineer)  Using organizational language ◦ Enhances communication and ownership of CM by members.  Competency libraries ◦ Advantages: Efficient, consistent, thorough ◦ Disadvantages: May not be tailored to organization, members may not feel involved  Number of competencies and amount of detail ◦ Most difficult issue in developing CM. ◦ Detail is good for developing HR systems. ◦ Parsimony is better for organizational members remembering the CM.

 Using competencies to develop HR systems ◦ Level descriptions can be converted into rating scales.  Using competencies to align the HR systems ◦ In terms of the same set of KSAOs and the same language. ◦ Systems reinforce each other.  Using IT to enhance usability of CM ◦ IT should always accommodate the CM, not the reverse. ◦ IT is a tool and not an end in itself.  Maintaining competencies over time ◦ Invest just as much time in maintaining as one does in creating. ◦ Ideal time for creating a maintenance plan is during initial beginning of CM.  CM and legal defensibility ◦ Problem: CM my have been developed using less rigorous methods. ◦ If developed in scientifically rigorous ways, should be appropriate for demonstrating job relatedness.

 TJA’s applicability to the changing business landscape is limited.  CM serves as a foundation on which training and development programs can be created.  CM still faces issues with conceptual ambiguity, lack of rigor, and psychometric quality.  CM still faces legal challenges.  CM is not a simple “fix” as it was once perceived.  Refine the conceptualization of competencies and competency modeling.

 What are some reasons that organizations decide not to use CM and instead utilize TJA?  As an employee, why is it useful to understand the competencies required in specific jobs?  As an employer, why is it useful to understand the competencies required in specific jobs?  Why do some professionals believe competency-based approaches are more susceptible to stereotyping and bias?

 Campion et al. (2011). Doing Competencies Well: Best Practices in Competency Modeling. Personnel Psychology, 64,  Sanchez, J. I., & Levine, E. L. (2009). Human Resource Management Review,  Stevens, G. W. (2012). A Critical Review of the Science and Practice of Competency Modeling. Human Resource Development Review, 12(1),