competency mapping

COMPETENCY MAPPING
Dr.J.JAYAKRISHNAN M.B.A., PhD.,
Associate Professor, Annamalai University. K.PRABAVATHY Research Scholar, Annamalai University.
Abstract
In the global economy, firms are becoming more and more aware of the need to have competent employees. It is not surprising that interest in the concept of competency mapping is rising. Many specific factors are responsible for heightened organizational focus on this critical tool. One of the main issue, companies are facing today is the increase in man power cost, coupled with this is the pressure to downsize and manage with fewer people, thus increasing efficiency and employee productivity. Companies are also realizing the need for ensuring the competent people are available for performing various critical roles. Most of the job performance problems are that people are in their wrong job. Some of on-the-job performance problems are the inability to identify the gaps between the competencies of the person and requirements of the job. There is recognition that technology, finances, customers & markets, systems & processes can all be set right or managed effectively with the right kind of human resources.
Introduction
The word competency is derived from the Latin word ‘competere’ means to be suitable. The competency concept was originally developed in psychology denoting individuals’ ability to respond to demand placed on them by their environment. Competence refers to having sufficient skill, ability, knowledge, or training to permit appropriate behavior, whether words or action, in a particular context. Competence includes cognitive (knowledge), functional (application of knowledge), personal (behavior), and ethical (principles guiding behavior) components, thus the capacity to know must be matched to the capacity to speak and act appropriately.
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough we must do.”- Goethe:

Competency Competency is a capacity of an individual that leads to the behavior, which meets the job demands within the parameters of the organizational environment and in turn brings out the desired result. The competency mix comprises knowledge, skills and attitude.
Why competencies?
 Translate the organization’s vision and goals into expected employee behavior
 Identify areas for employee development that are directly linked to desired outcomes and organizational objective
 Target training in areas that will realize the most return on investment
 Set more effective criteria for developing and evaluating performance
 Identify gap between present skill sets and future requirements.
Importance of Competencies
 Competencies, when correctly identified and used, have proved to be one of the most powerful tools for an organization to meet its business results, through its most valuable resource-its people.
 Very effective for communicating about performance because they help people frame expectations and goals in clear behavioral terms-help companies ‘raise the bar’ of performance expectations
 Help in establishing common criteria for hiring, training, measuring, and rewarding people with the right capabilities to help the company gain competitive advantage
Competency Mapping:Competency mapping is the process of identification of the competencies required for effective performance on any given job/role at a given point of time and assessment of competencies of individuals to measure the competency gaps against the desired level of competencies.

Definitions Boyatzis (1982) with Research result on clusters of competencies: “A capacity that exists in a person that leads to behaviour that meets the job demands within parameters of organizational environment, and that, in turn brings about desired results”
“Competencies are generic knowledge, motive, trait, social role or a skill of a person linked to superior performance on the job”. Hayes 1979
Process of Competency Mapping
Step 1:-Developing Competency Model: To facilitate competency profiling for each job/role
Step 2:-Identification of Competencies required: To perform successfully a given job/role or a set of tasks at a given point of time
Step 3:-Competency Assessment: To measure the extent to which a given individual or a group of individuals possess these competencies required for a given role or a set of roles.
Developing Competency Model
1. Organizational Competency Based Competency Model
This is the frame work for competency profiling for a job based on the core competencies required for an organization for its business processes.
2. Commitment and Competence Based Competency Model
This model is based on the basic premise that, Competency = Commitment + Competence
It is the demonstration of competence characteristics and commitment characteristics of an individual for making superior contributions to the organization.
3. 5 Level Competency Model
This is a frame work to profile competencies considering five components of competency; the five components are Skills, Knowledge, Perception, Traits and Motives

4. Job Based Competency Model
This competency model describes the combination of knowledge, skills and characteristics needed to effectively perform a role or job. The list of competencies required for each job will be separate and specific to that particular job consisting of various factors like mental and emotional characteristics like intelligence, natural talents, knowledge, skills and attitudes.
5. Generic and Specific Competency Model
Generic competencies: set of general competencies for all jobs having same level irrespective of the functions or departments.
Specific competencies: set of competencies specific to particular job or function based on its typical requirements.
6. Managerial, Behavioral and Functional Competency Based Model
As per this model the functional competencies will be different for different functions, managerial and behavioral competencies will remain uniform for all functions.
7. Organizational Goal Linked Competency Model
The basic premise of this model is developing a framework to identify competencies for each job by linking, its goal with the organization’s goal. It simply means that goals of individual jobs are linked with the organizational goals
8. Technical and Behavioral Competency Model
This model is applicable for a job which is manual in nature and which doesn’t involve any supervisory or managerial functions. The two sets of competencies in this model are
Technical competencies will be job specific and different for different jobs,
Behavioral competencies will be uniform for all such jobs or they may be different also for different jobs.
Competency Identification
It is the process of identification of the competencies required to perform successfully a given job/role or a set o tasks at a given point of time. There are various tools for identification of competencies namely Task forces, Benchmarking against superior performers, By self and superior, By HR specialist, Job Experts/Subject Matter specialists, Psychologist, Industrial Engineers, Task analysis workshop, Questionnaire, Interviews, Group work, Critical Incident Technique, Repertory Grid

Competency Assessment
Competency Assessment is the process of measuring the competency deficiency of an individual or group of individuals against the required competencies in relation to existing or expected job requirements or superior performance. The following tools may be used for competency assessment either alone or in combination with other tools.
Self and Superior Assessment, 360° feedback, Assessment Centre, Psychometric Tests, Interviews, Leaderless Group Discussion, In-basket Exercise, Management Games, Role play, Case Study, Scenario Discussion, Portfolio Presentation.
Conclusion
Competencies only include behaviors that demonstrate excellent performance. They do not include knowledge, but do include applied knowledge or the behavioral application of knowledge that produces success. It is the event or action planned to bring about organizational effectiveness and employee well-being.
References
Prahalad, C. K and G.Hamel. (1990). the core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review.
Sahu, R. K. (2009). Competency Mapping. New Delhi: Excel Books.
Sanghi, S. (2013). The Handbook of Competency Mapping. New Delhi: Sage Publications.
Mukherjee, D. S. (2011). Competency Mapping for Superior Results. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.
Subramanian, D. S. (2011). Identification of Executive Competencies in Hospitality Industry. Management Global Review. www.hrfolks.com www.citehr.com www.google.com

References: Prahalad, C. K and G.Hamel. (1990). the core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review. Sahu, R. K. (2009). Competency Mapping. New Delhi: Excel Books. Sanghi, S. (2013). The Handbook of Competency Mapping. New Delhi: Sage Publications. Mukherjee, D. S. (2011). Competency Mapping for Superior Results. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited. Subramanian, D. S. (2011). Identification of Executive Competencies in Hospitality Industry. Management Global Review. www.hrfolks.com www.citehr.com www.google.com