Entry
Reader's guide
Entries A-Z
Subject index
Competency Modeling
Competency modeling is a method of collecting and organizing job information and worker attributes into broad competencies. Competencies are descriptions of the characteristics and qualities that a person needs to possess to perform a job successfully. Although the practice of competency modeling is relatively new to the field of industrial and organizational psychology, the idea of defining and assessing competencies is not. In 1966, Blake Root and Ray Roberts described the competencies needed for training directors. In 1972, J. M. Dornan outlined five primary competency areas that managers should develop to be maximally effective. In 1973, a study by David McClelland suggested that psychologists focus their efforts on assessing an individuals' competence at tasks rather than measuring their intelligence. Today, industrial and organizational psychologists see competency modeling as an extension of job analysis in a more pragmatic business context, in which in-depth analysis is neither supported nor warranted.
Competencies
A competency is an attribute of an individual that is needed to meet job requirements successfully. For example, a required competency for a sales executive could be a drive for results. A well-designed competency model describes specific performance standards and identifies behaviors that anchor a competency to levels of performance. To perform well in a job, an individual typically must be proficient in a number of competencies. Although there is no hard-and-fast rule as to how many competencies may be linked to a job, typically a range of 8 to 12 competencies should be sufficient and practical for any given job.
Competency Modeling
A competency model is a set of competencies that are necessary for effective performance. Competency models typically cover a broader range of jobs than traditional job analysis and may be divided into job levels that cut across an organization (e.g., individual contributor, first-level manager, midlevel manager, senior manager). Competency models often explicitly include a consideration of the values, strategies, and objectives of the organization. Partly because of the strategic significance of competencies, many organizations adopt a critical set of core competencies that are required of the organization's members across all jobs and all levels. Core competencies are typically embedded within all of the competency models for an organization and tied to the organization's culture, viability, and identity.
Competency Modeling Processes
There are a variety of approaches to developing competency models. One method involves the use of focus groups conducted with subject-matter experts. This process provides the developer with opportunities to interact with incumbents, supervisors, and organizational leaders to retrieve rich, qualitative input and gain support and buy-in for the resulting competency models. Behavioral event, or critical incident, interviews may also be conducted with job experts. These interviews allow the interviewer to gain in-depth, behaviorally based information about what is required of an individual on the job and which key behaviors drive success and failure. Developers of competency models may also choose to use questionnaires, which tend to provide more quantitative information and can be used for competency models that require more rigorous development (e.g., for selection purposes). Although traditional job analysis processes are considered more rigorous than competency modeling processes, if the objective is to link jobs to organizational goals and strategies, a competency modeling approach is generally preferred.
...
- Foundations: History
- Army Alpha/Army Beta
- Hawthorne Studies/Hawthorne Effect
- History of Industrial/Organizational Psychology in Europe and the United Kingdom
- History of Industrial/Organizational Psychology in North America
- History of Industrial/Organizational Psychology in Other Parts of the World
- Human Relations Movement
- Project A
- Scientific Management
- Scientist-Practitioner Model
- Unions
- Foundations: Ethical and Legal Issues
- Adverse Impact/Disparate Treatment/Discrimination at Work
- Affirmative Action
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications
- Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act of 1991
- Comparable Worth
- Corporate Ethics
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Employment at Will
- Equal Pay Act of 1963
- Ethics in Industrial/Organizational Practice
- Ethics in Industrial/Organizational Research
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- Glass Ceiling
- Labor Law
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Race Norming
- Sexual Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment at Work
- Stereotyping
- Test Security
- Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures
- Workplace Accommodations for the Disabled
- Foundations: Research Methods
- Benchmarking
- Case Study Method
- Competency Modeling
- Content Coding
- Critical Incident Technique
- Cross-Cultural Research Methods and Theory
- Experimental Designs
- Focus Groups
- Lens Model
- Linkage Research and Analyses
- Longitudinal Research/Experience Sampling Technique
- Meta-Analysis
- Naturalistic Observation
- Nonexperimental Designs
- Organizational Surveys
- Policy Capturing
- Program Evaluation
- Qualitative Research Approach
- Quantitative Research Approach
- Quasi-experimental Designs
- Sampling Techniques
- Simulation, Computer Approach
- Survey Approach
- Verbal Protocol Analysis
- Foundations: Measurement Theory and Statistics
- Classical Test Theory
- Confidence Intervals/Hypothesis Testing/Effect Sizes
- Construct
- Criterion Theory
- Descriptive Statistics
- Differential Item Functioning
- Factor Analysis
- Generalizability Theory
- Incremental Validity
- Inferential Statistics
- Item Response Theory
- Measurement Scales
- Measures of Association/Correlation Coefficient
- Moderator and Mediator Variables
- Multilevel Modeling
- Multilevel Modeling Techniques
- Multitrait–Multimethod Matrix
- Nomological Networks
- Normative versus Ipsative Measurement
- Reliability
- Statistical Power
- Structural Equation Modeling
- Utility Analysis
- Validation Strategies
- Validity
- Industrial Psychology: Understanding and Assessing Individual Differences
- Affective Traits
- Big Five Taxonomy of Personality
- Biographical Data
- Cognitive Abilities
- Cognitive Ability Tests
- Computer Assessment
- Core Self-Evaluations
- Emotional Intelligence
- Employment Interview
- Genetics and Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Graphology
- Gravitational Hypothesis
- Hardiness
- Impression Management
- Individual Assessment
- Individual Differences
- Integrity Testing
- Job Knowledge Testing
- Letters of Recommendation
- Locus of Control
- Machiavellianism
- Motivational Traits
- Need for Achievement, Power, and Affiliation
- Optimism and Pessimism
- Personality
- Personality Assessment
- Physical Performance Assessment
- Practical Intelligence
- Protestant Work Ethic
- Self-Esteem
- Situational Judgment Tests
- Standardized Testing
- Stereotype Threat
- Trainability and Adaptability
- Type A and Type B Personalities
- Work Samples
- Work Values
- Industrial Psychology: Employment, Staffing, and Career Issues
- Dictionary of Occupational Titles
- Applicant/Test-Taker Reactions
- Banding
- Career Development
- Careers
- Compensation
- Credentialing
- Dirty Work
- Drug and Alcohol Testing
- Electronic Human Resources Management
- Employee Selection
- Executive Selection
- Exit Survey (Exit Interview)
- Expatriates
- Gainsharing and Profit Sharing
- Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues at Work
- Human Resources Strategy
- Job Advertisements
- Job Analysis
- Job Analysis Methods
- Job Choice
- Job Description
- Job Evaluation
- Job Search
- Job Typologies
- Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
- Older Worker Issues
- Person–Environment Fit
- Person–Job Fit
- Person–Organization Fit
- Person–Vocation Fit
- Placement and Classification
- Prescreening Assessment Methods for Personnel Selection
- Realistic Job Preview
- Recruitment
- Recruitment Sources
- Retirement
- Selection Strategies
- Selection: Occupational Tailoring
- Succession Planning
- Underemployment
- Industrial Psychology: Developing, Training, and Evaluating Employees
- 360-Degree Feedback
- Assessment Center
- Assessment Center Methods
- Distance Learning
- Diversity Training
- Electronic Performance Monitoring
- Employee Assistance Program
- Executive Coaching
- Feedback Seeking
- Frame-of-Reference Training
- Leadership Development
- Mentoring
- Organizational Socialization
- Organizational Socialization Tactics
- Performance Appraisal
- Performance Appraisal, Objective Indexes
- Performance Appraisal, Subjective Indexes
- Performance Feedback
- Rating Errors and Perceptual Biases
- Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Pygmalion Effect
- Socialization: Employee Proactive Behaviors
- Training
- Training Evaluation
- Training Methods
- Training Needs Assessment and Analysis
- Transfer of Training
- Industrial Psychology: Productive and Counterproductive Employee Behavior
- Contextual Performance/Prosocial Behavior/Organizational Citizenship Behavior
- Counterproductive Work Behaviors
- Counterproductive Work Behaviors, Interpersonal Deviance
- Counterproductive Work Behaviors, Organizational Deviance
- Creativity at Work
- Customer Satisfaction with Services
- Cyberloafing at Work
- Innovation
- Integrity at Work
- Job Performance Models
- Organizational Retaliatory Behavior
- Theft at Work
- Time Management
- Violence at Work
- Whistle-Blowers
- Withdrawal Behaviors, Absenteeism
- Withdrawal Behaviors, Lateness
- Withdrawal Behaviors, Turnover
- Workplace Incivility
- Industrial Psychology: Motivation and Job Design
- Action Theory
- Control Theory
- Empowerment
- Expectancy Theory of Work Motivation
- Goal-Setting Theory
- Human–Computer Interaction
- Incentives
- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Work Motivation
- Job Characteristics Theory
- Job Design
- Job Involvement
- Job Rotation
- Job Sharing
- Need Theories of Work Motivation
- Path–Goal Theory
- Positive Psychology Applied to Work
- Self-Concept Theory of Work Motivation
- Self-Efficacy
- Self-Regulation Theory
- Social Cognitive Theory
- Telecommuting
- Theory of Work Adjustment
- Two-Factor Theory
- Work Motivation
- Workaholism
- Industrial Psychology: Leadership and Management
- Abusive Supervision
- Behavioral Approach to Leadership
- Charismatic Leadership Theory
- Employee Grievance Systems
- Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Project
- Implicit Theory of Leadership
- Judgment and Decision-Making Process
- Judgment and Decision-Making Process: Advice Giving and Taking
- Judgment and Decision-Making Process: Heuristics, Cognitive Biases, and Contextual Influences
- Leader–Member Exchange Theory
- Leadership and Supervision
- Least Preferred Coworker Theory
- Life-cycle Model of Leadership
- Normative Models of Decision Making and Leadership
- Reinforcement Theory of Work Motivation
- Situational Approach to Leadership
- Spirituality and Leadership at Work
- Trait Approach to Leadership
- Transformational and Transactional Leadership
- Trust
- Industrial Psychology: Groups, Teams, and Working with Others
- Conflict at Work
- Conflict Management
- Diversity in the Workplace
- Group Cohesiveness
- Group Decision-Making Quality and Performance
- Group Decision-Making Techniques
- Group Development
- Group Dynamics and Processes
- Groups
- Groupthink
- Input–Process–Output Model of Team Effectiveness
- Intergroup Relations
- Interpersonal Communication
- Interpersonal Communication Styles
- Justice in Teams
- Meetings at Work
- Negotiation, Mediation, and Arbitration
- Networking
- Social Exchange Theory
- Social Loafing
- Social Norms and Conformity
- Social Support
- Team Building
- Team Mental Model
- Team-Based Rewards
- Virtual Teams
- Workplace Romance
- Industrial Psychology: Employee Well-Being and Attitudes
- Affective Events Theory
- Attitudes and Beliefs
- Boredom at Work
- Emotional Burnout
- Emotional Labor
- Emotions
- Eustress
- Job Satisfaction
- Job Satisfaction Measurement
- Job Security/Insecurity
- Mood
- Morale
- Organizational Commitment
- Organizational Cynicism
- Organizational Justice
- Psychological Contract
- Quality of Work Life
- Role Ambiguity
- Role Conflict
- Role Overload and Underload
- Stress, Consequences
- Stress, Coping and Management
- Stress, Models and Theories
- Theory of Reasoned Action/Theory of Planned Behavior
- Union Commitment
- Work–Life Balance
- Industrial Psychology: Organizational Structure, Design, and Change
- Attraction–Selection–Attrition Model
- Automation/Advanced Manufacturing Technology/Computer-Based Integrated Technology
- Balanced Scorecard
- Compressed Workweek
- Downsizing
- Entrepreneurship
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Globalization
- High-Performance Organization Model
- Learning Organizations
- Mergers, Acquisitions, and Strategic Alliances
- Organizational Behavior
- Organizational Behavior Management
- Organizational Change
- Organizational Change, Resistance to
- Organizational Climate
- Organizational Communication, Formal
- Organizational Communication, Informal
- Organizational Culture
- Organizational Development
- Organizational Image
- Organizational Politics
- Organizational Sensemaking
- Organizational Structure
- Outsourcing
- Shiftwork
- Sociotechnical Approach
- Strategic Planning
- Survivor Syndrome
- Terrorism and Work
- Theory of Action
- Total Quality Management
- Virtual Organizations
- Workplace Injuries
- Workplace Safety
- Professional Organizations and Related Fields
- Loading...
Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL
-
Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life -
Read modern, diverse business cases
-
Explore hundreds of books and reference titles
Read next
More like this
Sage Recommends
We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.
Have you created a personal profile? Login or create a profile so that you can save clips, playlists and searches