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ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT CENTER PROGRAM CENTER PROGRAM

Lecture 12 Lecture 12

DR. CHUA BEE SEOKDR. CHUA BEE SEOK

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AN OVERVIEW OF ASSESSMENT AN OVERVIEW OF ASSESSMENT CENTERSCENTERS

Assessment centers assess small groups of people Assessment centers assess small groups of people at more or less the same time.at more or less the same time.

A group of observers may work together to form a A group of observers may work together to form a consensus about assessment.consensus about assessment.

Assessment centers are not places but processes.Assessment centers are not places but processes.

Like individual assessments, assessment center Like individual assessments, assessment center programs use multiple methods of assessment to programs use multiple methods of assessment to make multiple assessment.make multiple assessment.

The methods may not include literal work samples The methods may not include literal work samples or simulations, but they include exercises chosen to or simulations, but they include exercises chosen to reflect a major aspect of job performance.reflect a major aspect of job performance.

Assessment center history.Assessment center history.

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Assessment Center PurposesAssessment Center Purposes

Most assessment centers are organization-Most assessment centers are organization-specific.specific.

Consulting firms provide generic assessment Consulting firms provide generic assessment center services. They are more likely to assist center services. They are more likely to assist organizations in developing their own organizations in developing their own programs.programs.

Assessment centers are designed for Assessment centers are designed for managers, sales people or public safety jobs.managers, sales people or public safety jobs.

Purposes of assessment center differ within Purposes of assessment center differ within occupation categories. occupation categories.

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Thornton and Byham (1982) divided Thornton and Byham (1982) divided managerial assessments into those for managerial assessments into those for early identification of potential managers, early identification of potential managers, for promotions or for management for promotions or for management development.development.

The different purposes call for differences The different purposes call for differences in program design.in program design.

Different purposes may call for Different purposes may call for assessments of different constructs.assessments of different constructs.

Some diagnostic purposes may require Some diagnostic purposes may require psychologists or educators as assessors, psychologists or educators as assessors, other developmental purposes may require other developmental purposes may require managers as assessors.managers as assessors.

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Assessment Center Assessment Center Components Components

An organizing principle of assessment center An organizing principle of assessment center development is the program should be a development is the program should be a multi multi attribute assessment – attribute assessment – assessment on several assessment on several dimensions relevant to the decision to be made.dimensions relevant to the decision to be made.

A further principle is the assessments should not A further principle is the assessments should not depend on specific methods of assessment – they depend on specific methods of assessment – they should be should be multi method assessmentmulti method assessment..

The reason is that the process of seeking The reason is that the process of seeking confirmation from several exercises leads to more confirmation from several exercises leads to more validity of measurement of complex dimension.validity of measurement of complex dimension.

Assessment centers have many components – tests Assessment centers have many components – tests and inventories, exercises and interview.and inventories, exercises and interview.

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Tests and InventoriesTests and Inventories

Traditional tests and inventories are Traditional tests and inventories are included in most assessment centers.included in most assessment centers.

Their role in an OAR (overall assessment Their role in an OAR (overall assessment ratings) raises some questions:ratings) raises some questions:

How should they be combined with various How should they be combined with various ratings? Statistically?ratings? Statistically?

If given to the assessors as information to If given to the assessors as information to consider with exercise ratings in arriving at consider with exercise ratings in arriving at the OAR, should they be given as raw scores, the OAR, should they be given as raw scores, z-scores, percentiles or other interpretive z-scores, percentiles or other interpretive scores?scores?

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ExercisesExercises Most assessment center exercises are Most assessment center exercises are

performance tests.performance tests. They are samples or abstractions of They are samples or abstractions of

aspects of the jobs for which people are aspects of the jobs for which people are assessed.assessed.

The most frequently used assessment The most frequently used assessment center simulation is an In-Basket center simulation is an In-Basket exercise and Leaderless Group exercise and Leaderless Group Discussion.Discussion.

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1.1. In-Basket ExerciseIn-Basket Exercise

In-Basket tests simulated administrative work, usually In-Basket tests simulated administrative work, usually with a set of reasonably typical memos, clippings, with a set of reasonably typical memos, clippings, letters, reports, messages, and even junk mail that can letters, reports, messages, and even junk mail that can accumulate on a person's desk.accumulate on a person's desk.

Instructions generally tell the assessee to play the role Instructions generally tell the assessee to play the role of a person new to the job, working when no one else is of a person new to the job, working when no one else is around, trying to clear the desk.around, trying to clear the desk.

In-Baskets are not group exercise. Material range from In-Baskets are not group exercise. Material range from simple to complex, from trivial to urgent and are often simple to complex, from trivial to urgent and are often interrelated.interrelated.

The assessee may be interviewed after the exercise to The assessee may be interviewed after the exercise to explain reasons for actions taken, with ratings based explain reasons for actions taken, with ratings based on the interview.on the interview.

Some In-Basket tests, have scoring protocols and Some In-Basket tests, have scoring protocols and require no further information from the assessee.require no further information from the assessee.

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2.2. Leaderless Group Discussion.Leaderless Group Discussion.

The group is given a problem to solve, a The group is given a problem to solve, a time limit in which to do so and perhaps time limit in which to do so and perhaps a requirement for a written solution.a requirement for a written solution.

No one is assigned the role of chair; No one is assigned the role of chair; leadership functions must emerge during leadership functions must emerge during the discussion.the discussion.

Specific roles might be assigned to the Specific roles might be assigned to the various group members, often with the various group members, often with the competitive requirement of trying to competitive requirement of trying to convince others to adopts a particular convince others to adopts a particular position.position.

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3.3. InterviewInterview

Assessment center usually use Assessment center usually use interview, but they are not like interview, but they are not like employment interviews.employment interviews.

Various examples include stress Various examples include stress interviews, interview as role-playing interviews, interview as role-playing simulation, and panel interview.simulation, and panel interview.

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Assessors Assessors

Functions of AssessorsFunctions of Assessors Zedeck (1986) identified three assessor Zedeck (1986) identified three assessor

functions:functions:1.1. To observe and record behavior in the To observe and record behavior in the

exercises.exercises.

2.2. Assessor as a role player, an active participant Assessor as a role player, an active participant in an assessment exercise.in an assessment exercise. In many exercises, assessors are interviewers, usually In many exercises, assessors are interviewers, usually

with another assessor in purely observer role.with another assessor in purely observer role.

3.3. Assessor as a predictor.Assessor as a predictor. Assessors may make explicit predictions or prediction Assessors may make explicit predictions or prediction

may be based on ratings.may be based on ratings.

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Assessor QualificationsAssessor Qualifications Assessor may be psychologists, HR staff or job Assessor may be psychologists, HR staff or job

experts (e.g., manager in managerial assessment experts (e.g., manager in managerial assessment centers).centers).

Staff psychologists may be assessors with managers, Staff psychologists may be assessors with managers, they might chair assessor panel discussions or they they might chair assessor panel discussions or they might be resource person.might be resource person.

Assessor should receive intensive training with Assessor should receive intensive training with frequent refreshers; they should be fully familiar frequent refreshers; they should be fully familiar with the exercises and the kinds of behavior they with the exercises and the kinds of behavior they might observe, and they should fully understand the might observe, and they should fully understand the language and concepts related to the ratings they language and concepts related to the ratings they are asked to make.are asked to make.

Managers are organizationally well-informed Managers are organizationally well-informed assessors – their practical knowledge of the assessors – their practical knowledge of the organization and its policies and climate make them organization and its policies and climate make them useful decision makers.useful decision makers.

Assessors should be good observers, objective in Assessors should be good observers, objective in temperament, intelligent and articulate in temperament, intelligent and articulate in conference.conference.

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Numbers of Assessor NeededNumbers of Assessor Needed Typically, the ratio of assessees to assessors Typically, the ratio of assessees to assessors

is 2:1. is 2:1.

It may depend on the design of the program – It may depend on the design of the program – what ratings are made and when, or other what ratings are made and when, or other assignments to observers.assignments to observers.

When cognitive demands on observers are When cognitive demands on observers are heavy, it can be reduced by adding more heavy, it can be reduced by adding more assessors, but that can be daunting for the assessors, but that can be daunting for the assessees.assessees.

It may be better to use fewer assessors over a It may be better to use fewer assessors over a longer time period viewing videotapes.longer time period viewing videotapes.

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Dimensions to be AssessedDimensions to be Assessed The dimension (constructs) might be personal The dimension (constructs) might be personal

traits, job-defined competencies, or traits, job-defined competencies, or performance levels on aspects of jobs reflected performance levels on aspects of jobs reflected in simulations.in simulations.

Assessors might be asked to rate only overall Assessors might be asked to rate only overall performance in an exercise, or perhaps performance in an exercise, or perhaps component aspects of exercise performance.component aspects of exercise performance.

Traits rated might be generalized, habitual Traits rated might be generalized, habitual behaviors.behaviors.

Task performance may be rated in terms of Task performance may be rated in terms of outcomes or processes.outcomes or processes.

A dimension can be defined by behavior A dimension can be defined by behavior exhibited only in particular kinds of situations exhibited only in particular kinds of situations (refer Table 1).(refer Table 1).

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Early Early IdentificationIdentification

PromotionPromotion Development Development PlanningPlanning

Communication Communication skillsskills

Oral Oral communicationcommunication

Oral Oral communicationcommunication

Written Written communicationcommunication

Oral presentation Oral presentation

Written Written communicationcommunication

Energy Energy Energy Energy

Job motivationJob motivation Job motivationJob motivation

Career ambitionCareer ambition Career ambitionCareer ambition

Initiative Initiative InitiativeInitiative InitiativeInitiative

Creative Creative

Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity Sensitivity

Leadership Leadership LeadershipLeadership Individual Individual LeadershipLeadership

Group leadershipGroup leadership

Behavioral Behavioral flexibilityflexibility

Table 1. Illustrative Assessment Center Dimension for Different Purposes

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Early Early IdentificationIdentification

PromotionPromotion Development Development PlanningPlanning

Negotiation Negotiation

Tolerance for Tolerance for stressstress

Planning and Planning and organizingorganizing

Planning and Planning and organizingorganizing

Planning and Planning and organizingorganizing

DelegationDelegation Delegation Delegation

Management Management control control

Management Management controlcontrol

Decision makingDecision making Decision makingDecision making Analysis Analysis

Judgment Judgment

Decisiveness Decisiveness

Table 1. Illustrative Assessment Center Dimension for Different Purposes

….. Cont.

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Dimension DefinitionDimension Definition Thornton and Byham (1982) - dimension to be Thornton and Byham (1982) - dimension to be

rated differ for different purpose.rated differ for different purpose.

If the purpose is early identification of those If the purpose is early identification of those with strong management potential – the with strong management potential – the dimension can be broad, few in number and dimension can be broad, few in number and independent of particular backgrounds.independent of particular backgrounds.

For promotion purposes – more detailed and For promotion purposes – more detailed and more complete descriptions may be needed.more complete descriptions may be needed.

For diagnostic or developmental purposes, For diagnostic or developmental purposes, personal characteristic (which are harder to personal characteristic (which are harder to develop) may be omitted, and some develop) may be omitted, and some characteristics important for promotional characteristics important for promotional assessments may be further refined into finer, assessments may be further refined into finer, trainable categories.trainable categories.

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Refer to Table 1:Refer to Table 1:

The early identification dimensions The early identification dimensions (dimension for initial selection) are (dimension for initial selection) are traits, relatively permanent by traits, relatively permanent by adulthood, hard to develop if not adulthood, hard to develop if not developed by adulthood, and likely to developed by adulthood, and likely to generalize across a variety of situation.generalize across a variety of situation.

The list for promotional purposes is The list for promotional purposes is similar but more detailed. The dimension similar but more detailed. The dimension in these lists can be defined as traits, in these lists can be defined as traits, effectiveness or quality of outcomes or effectiveness or quality of outcomes or behavioral categories.behavioral categories.

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Thank YouThank You