NCJ Number
52916
Date Published
1976
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THE SIMILARITIES AND DISSIMILARITIES AMONG ASSESSMENT CENTERS DESCRIBED IN THE LITERATURE ARE REVIEWED. SHORT SUMMARIES COVER MOST OF THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHED RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD. A PLEA IS MADE FOR PROFESSIONALISM.
Abstract
IN 1956 THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY DEVELOPED PROGRAMS AT THE MANAGERIAL LEVEL DESIGNED TO SELECT FIRST LEVEL FOREMEN. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY OTHER CENTERS DESIGNED TO ASSESS HIGHER LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT IN SOME OF THE BELL COMPANIES. FROM THIS BEGINNING THE MANAGERIAL ASSESSMENT CENTER MOVEMENT HAS MUSHROOMED. BOTH INDIVIDUAL CORPORATIONS AND PRIVATE RESEARCH GROUPS HAVE SET UP SUCH CENTERS USING ASSESSMENT IN GROUPS, ASSESSMENT BY GROUPS, TESTING, SITUATIONAL EXERCISES, INTERVIEWS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER METHODS TO RATE A PERSON'S MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL. DIFFERENCES AMONG THE REVIEWED PROGRAMS ARE SEEN AS SIGNIFICANT. DEPENDING ON THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION, THERE ARE LARGE DIFFERENCES IN PURPOSE, CHOICE AND TRAINING OF THOSE WHO DO THE ASSESSING, CHOICE OF TECHNIQUES, METHODS OF COLLECTING AND INTERPRETING DATA, APPROACHES TO REPORTING AND FEEDBACK, RESEARCH CONDUCTED, AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE PROVIDED. THESE SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCES BELIE THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF UNIFORMITY AMONG MANAGERIAL TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS, MISLEADING CORPORATE OFFICIALS WHO BLINDLY RELY ON OUTWARD APPEARANCES. THE FADDISH COMMERCIALISM GROWING OUT OF THE ASSESSMENT CENTER MOVEMENT MEANS THAT USERS MUST BE WARY. MANAGERS ARE URGED TO INVESTIGATE A PROGRAM THOROUGHLY BEFORE COMMITTING TIME AND MONEY. A PLEA FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE AND RESEARCH IN THE FIELD IS MADE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)