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ii
Table of Contents
S.No. Contents Page No.
List of Figures.............................iv

List of Tables................................v

1. Introduction............................1

2. ompetency............................2

2.1DeIinition.........................2
2.2History...........................2

3. omponents oI competency.....................3

3.1 Knowledge..........................4
3.2 Skill............................4
3.3 Attitude.........................4
3.4 Who IdentiIies ompetencies?................5
3.5 Behavior Indicators......................6

4. lassiIication oI ompetencies......................7

4.1Types oI Basic ompetencies..................7
4.2 Type oI ProIessional ompetencies...............8

5. Types oI Organizational ompetencies..................9

5.1 Generic ompetencies......................9
5.2 Managerial ompetencies...................11
5.3 Functional/ Technical ompetencies..............12

6. ompetency Mapping........................13

6.1 DeIinition.........................13
6.2 Process..........................13

7. Need Ior ompetency Mapping.......................14

8. Areas oI Implementation.........................16

8.1 Recruitment and Selection.....................16
8.2 Training and Development...................17
iii
8.3 areer and succession planning..................17
8.4 Rewards and Recognition.....................18
8.5 PerIormance Management System................18

9. Advantages oI ompetency Mapping.....................19

9.1 For the company......................19
9.2 For managers........................19
9.3 For employees.......................20
9.4 Traditional Job Analysis versus ompetency Approach......20

10. Disadvantages oI ompetency Mapping..................21

11. Model oI ompetency Mapping......................22

11.1 DeIinition.........................22
11.2 Developing the model.....................22
11.3 Data ollection Methods....................27

11.3.1 Literature Review...................27
11.3.2 Focus Groups...................27
11.3.3 Behavioral Event Interviews..............28
11.3.4 Surveys.......................28
11.3.5 Observations.....................28
11.3.6 Work Logs.....................29
11.3.7 360 degree Ieedback..................29

12. Process oI ompetency Mapping.....................30

12.1 Laying Down OI Objectives.................31
12.2 Preparation oI The Questionnaire...............31
12.3 ollection oI Responses....................32
12.4 Analysis ..........................32

12.4.1 The Opportunity Algorithm...............32

12.5 Findings........................33

13. ompetency Mapping at Ready-mix oncrete ompany.............34

14. ompetency Mapping at Ambuja ement..................36

15. onclusion...............................37

References................................38

iv

List oI Figures

S.No. Figure Page No.
3.1 omponents oI ompetency..................3
3.2 Iceberg Model oI components oI competency...........5
7.1 Need Ior ompetency Mapping.................15
8.1 Areas oI Implementation oI ompetency Mapping........16
11.1 Stages In Developing An Organization Wide ompetency Model...23
11.2 Steps Ior implementing the ompetency Mapping model.......24
12.1 Process oI ompetency Mapping...............30
13.1 Organization hart......................34
13.2 Hierarchy deIining various designations.............35

v

List oI Tables

S.No. Table Page

4.1 Basic ompetencies ..................8
9.1 Job Analysis versus ompetency Approach.........20

ompetency Mapping\Introduction

1

1. Introduction
Ongoing and unrelenting economic, social and technological changes have spurred the need Ior
Ilexible, skilled workers who can help their organizations succeed and sustain a competitive
advantage. To be relevant within organizations and indispensable to clients and customers alike,
workplace learning and perIormance proIessionals must continually reassess their competencies,
update their skills and have the courage to make necessary changes. Businesses and managing
business has and will always be complex. There is no denying the need to perIorm through a
combination oI utilizing predictive or Iorecasting tools, techniques and methods, yet without
trivializing the need to sustain and drive a motivated high perIorming workIorce. The company`s
need to sustain in a competitive environment, gave rise to the need to understand and learn to
establish the context oI competency mapping.
This report gives an overview oI the competency mapping. The report presents the meaning and
history oI competency approach in the Iirst section. In the Iollowing sections the components and
types oI competencies have been covered. Further the report discusses the meaning oI
competency mapping and also deIines the competency map. The section that Iollows discusses
the main advantages and disadvantages oI competency mapping. The role oI competencies in an
organization as a vital tool Ior recruitment, selection and retention and the areas oI application
are discussed in the trailing section. The next section analyses how competency Irameworks can
be designed developed and implemented. It also discusses how to develop customized
competency models based on the management philosophy, customer needs, and existing
processes oI the organization.

The report also reveals the results oI Industrial visits to Ambuja ement Ltd. and Ready
oncrete Mix Ltd. In this section the procedures Iollowed by the respective organizations have
been discussed and the stage oI implementation oI competency mapping has been analyzed and
presented Ior both the organizations.

ompetency Mapping\ompetency
2

2.Competency
2.1 Definition
A combination oI knowledge, skills, attitude and personality oI an individual as applied to a role
or job in the context oI the present and Iuture environment that accounts Ior sustained success
within the Iramework oI Organizational Values.
ompetencies include the collection oI success Iactors necessary Ior achieving important results
in a speciIic job or work role in a particular organization. Success Iactors are combinations oI
knowledge, skills, and attributes (more historically called 'KSA`s) that are described in terms
oI speciIic behaviors, and are demonstrated by superior perIormers in those jobs or work roles.
Attributes include: personal characteristics, traits, motives, values or ways oI thinking that
impact an individual`s behavior.

2.2 History
A team oI Educationists lead by Benjamin Bloom in the USA in mid IiIties laid the Ioundation
Ior identiIying educational objectives and thereby deIining the knowledge, attitudes and skills
needed to be developed in education. David Mclelland the Iamous Harvard Psychologist has
pioneered the competency movement across the world. His classic books on "Talent and
Society", "Achievement Motive", "The Achieving Society", "Motivating Economic
Achievement" and "Power the Inner Experience" brought out several new dimensions oI the
competencies. These competencies exposed by Mclelland dealt with the aIIective domain in
Bloom's terminology.
The turning point Ior competency movement is the article published in American Psychologist in
1973 by Mclelland, wherein he presented that traditional achievement and intelligence scores
may not be able to predict job success and what is required is to proIile the exact competencies
required to perIorm a given job eIIectively and measure them using a variety oI tests.
Latter McBer a onsulting Firm Iounded by David Mclelland and his associate Berlew have
specialized in mapping the competencies oI entrepreneurs and managers across the world. They
even developed a new and yet simple methodology called the Behavior Event Interviewing (BEI)
to map the competencies.
ompetency Mapping\omponents oI ompetency
3

. Components of Competency

ompetency has three major components which are as Iollows:

Knowledge
Skills
Attitude

Figure .1 : Components of Competency

Self Concept
Traits & Motives

Value
Attitude
Knowledge
Skill
Surface
Competencies
Most easily
developed
Core
Competencies
Most diIIicult
to develop
4

.1 Knowledge:
It reIers to the inIormation a person possesses about speciIic areas, knowledge comprises many
Iactors like memory, numerical ability, linguistic ability, and is, thereIore, a complex
competency. It can be either:
ScientiIic Knowledge
Technical Knowledge
Job Knowledge

.2 Skill:
It represents intelligent application oI knowledge, experience, and tools. This is the procedural
"know how" knowledge (what one can do), either covert (e.g., deductive or inductive reasoning)
or observable e.g. "active listening" skill in an interview. They are demonstrated abilities or
proIiciencies, which are developed and learned Irom past work and liIe experience.

. Attitudes:
Attitudes are predispositions to other individuals, groups, objects, situations, events, issues, etc.
For example attitude to a particular occupation or type oI machine or a particular technology all
inIluence our behavior. II a person does not have a positive attitude to computers or IT, he is not
likely to use a computer. II he is not positive about the uses oI ERP or SAP, he is not likely to
use the ERP or SAP. Attitudes determine the kind oI things we choose and whether we are likely
to approach a particular situation or not or whether we are open to try out the technology or meet
the customer or sell a particular product with high motivation, etc.

Attitudes decide our approach or avoidance behavior. They are normally conceptualized as
positive or negative. A positive attitude makes us to treat that object, technology, method,
situation, and person or group more positively and thereIore we appreciate it and promote the
same.

Knowledge and skills tend to be visible and relatively surIace, characteristics oI people. But
attitude, trait and motive competencies are more hidden 'deeper and central to personality.
5

SurIace knowledge and skills are relatively easy to develop. But core motive and trait
competencies are at the base oI the personality and are more diIIicult to assess and develop. This
has been depicted below in the Iorm oI an iceberg model.

Figure .2: Iceberg Model of components of competency

.4 Who Identifies competencies?
ompetencies can be identiIied by one oI more oI the Iollowing category oI people:
Experts
HR Specialists
Job analysts
Psychologists
Industrial Engineers etc.
In consultation with: Line Managers, urrent & Past Role holders, Supervising Seniors,
Reporting and Reviewing OIIicers, Internal ustomers, Subordinates oI the role holders and
Other role set members oI the role.

6

.5 Behavior Indicators
A ompetency is described in terms oI key behaviors that enables recognition oI that
competency at the work place.
These behaviors are demonstrated by excellent perIormers on-the-job much more consistently
than average or poor perIormers. These characteristics generally Iollow the 80-20 rule in that
they include the key behaviors that primarily drive excellent perIormance.
Following are some key behavior indicators in an employee:

W Independently researches Ior inIormation and solutions to issues
W Ability to know what needs to be done or Iind out (research) and take steps to get it done
W Ask questions when not sure oI what the problem is or to gain more inIormation.
W Able to identiIy the underlying or main problem.
W Shows willingness to experiment with new things.
W Develops a list oI decision making guidelines to help arrive at logical solutions.

ompetency Mapping\lassiIication oI ompetencies
7

4.Classification of Competencies

ompetencies can broadly be classiIied into two categories
Basic ompetencies
ProIessional ompetencies.

Basic competencies are inherent in all individuals. Only their degree oI existence diIIers. For
example, problem solving is a competency that exists in every individual but in varying degrees.
Professional competencies are over and above the basic competencies, and are job related. For
example, handling a sales call eIIectively is a competency that a sales personnel would be
required to have.
Hence, it can be simply said that,
Competencies Basic Competencies + Professional Competencies

4.1 Types of Basic Competencies
The basic competencies encompass the Iollowing:
1. Intellectual Competencies: Those which determine the intellectual ability oI a person.
2. Motivational Competencies: Those which determine the level oI motivation in an individual.
. Emotional Competencies: Those which determine an individual's emotional quotient.
4. Social Competencies: Those that determine the level oI social ability in a person.

It has been proved by various scholars that all individuals have competencies. Only the
combination and degree oI these competencies diIIer Irom individual to individual. Hence,
organizations have to identiIy the critical basic competencies required Ior individual employees
to deliver their best in their organization. The importance oI mapping the competencies proves
critical Ior organizational success.
ompetency Mapping\lassiIication oI ompetencies
8

These competencies have been presented below in the Iorm oI a grid.

Table 4.1: Basic Competencies

4.2 Types of Professional Competencies:
The proIessional competencies encompass the
Knowledge
Experience
Expertise gained by an individual employee.

Motivational Competencies:
o ontinuous Learning
o Perseverance
o Achievement Orientation
o Time Management
Intellectual Competencies:
o ommunication
o reativity
o Analytical Ability
o Planning and Organizing
Social Competencies:
o Team Work
o Inter-personal Skills
o Responsibility
o ustomer SatisIaction
Emotional Competencies:
o Initiative
o Optimism
o SelI onIidence
o Leadership
o Managing Stress
o Managing hange
ompetency Mapping\Types oI Organizational ompetencies
9

5. Types of Organizational Competencies

The previous section classiIied competency as basic competencies and proIessional
competencies. This section analyses the types oI competencies in an organization. ompetencies
in organizations tend to Iall into Iollowing broad categories:
eneric Competencies
Managerial Competencies
Functional/Technical Competencies

We now delve into greater depths oI each oI these.
5.1 eneric Competencies
ompetencies which are considered essential Ior all staII, regardless oI their Iunction or level,
i.e. ommunication, program execution, processing tools, linguistic, etc. These competencies
include broad success Iactors not tied to a speciIic work Iunction or industry (oIten Iocusing on
leadership or emotional intelligence behaviors).

They can be represented as below, Iollowed by a brieI explanation oI each oI them:
Human
O ommunication
O Team Working & Interpersonal EIIectiveness
O InIluencing Ability
O Achievement Orientation
O Networking Ability

Communication: ompetency oI ommunication is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to communicate ideas, thoughts and Ieelings clearly and correctly using oral or written
means.
10

Team Working & Interpersonal Effectiveness: ompetency oI Interpersonal EIIectiveness
and Team working is deIined as the set oI human attributes required to impact team or group
working to achieve the team objectives.
Influencing Ability: ompetency oI InIluencing ability is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to Impact the outcome oI an interaction.
Achievement Orientation: ompetency oI Achievement orientation is deIined as the set oI
human attributes required to continuously seek and achieve higher goals.
Networking Ability: ompetency oI Networking Ability is deIined as the set oI human
attributes required to maintain contact and relationship with diIIerent people Irom diIIerent Iields

Conceptual
O reative Thinking
O Strategic Thinking
O Tolerance to non-compliance, non-congruence, non-conIormance

Creative Thinking: ompetency oI reative thinking is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to generate solutions.
Strategic Thinking: ompetency oI Strategic thinking is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to visualize near and distant Iuture conditions and develop appropriate organizational
response.
Tolerance to non-compliance, non-congruence, non-conformance: ompetency oI Tolerance
to non-compliance, non-congruence, non-conIormance is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to remain unIazed when encountered with unIamiliar and unacceptable situations.

11

5.2 Managerial Competencies
ompetencies which are considered essential Ior staII with managerial or supervisory
responsibility in any service or program.
They are as presented below:
O ustomer Orientation
O Organizing Skills
O ross Iunctional Perspective
O Planning Skills
O Execution Skills
O Analytical Skills
O Decision Making
O Delegation:
O Leadership
O Developing and supporting subordinates Ior eIIectiveness

Customer Orientation: ompetency oI customer orientation is deIined as the set oI human
attributes required to understand and satisIy customer`s needs and requirements.
Organizing Skills: ompetency oI organizing is deIined as the set oI human attributes required
to establish, nurture and troubleshoot organizational processes and relationships Ior eIIective
delivery oI objectives.
Cross functional Perspective: ompetency oI ross Iunctional perspective is deIined as the set
oI human attributes required to understand one`s own job in relation with other Iunctions within
the organization.
Planning Skills: ompetency oI Planning is deIined as the set oI human attributes required to
understand inter relationships and requirements oI diIIerent activities to be perIormed to achieve
the desired objectives.
12

Execution Skills: ompetency oI Job execution is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to carry out the assigned activities to the satisIaction oI the customer cost eIIectively.
Analytical Skills: ompetency oI Analytical skills is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to understand and interpret the data and inIormation.
Decision Making: ompetency oI decision making is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to decide the course oI action under any situation.
Delegation: ompetency oI delegation is deIined as the set oI human attributes required to
empower the subordinates Ior eIIective operations.
Leadership: ompetency oI Leadership is deIined as the set oI human attributes required to take
responsibility Ior accomplishing the desired objectives.
Developing and supporting subordinates for effectiveness: ompetency oI Developing and
supporting subordinates is deIined as the set oI human attributes required to enable the
subordinates to be eIIective in the assigned job and contribute to the organization.

5. Functional/Technical Competencies
SpeciIic competencies which are considered essential to perIorm any job in the organization
within a deIined technical or Iunctional area oI work.
Business Awareness: ompetency oI Business Awareness is deIined as the set oI human
attributes required to take business decisions Ior achieving business objectives.
Business Skills: ompetency oI Business Skills is deIined as the set oI human attributes required
to eIIectively perIorm the Iunctional business processes.
Technical Skills: ompetency oI Technical Skills is deIined as the set oI human attributes
required to eIIectively perIorm the technical responsibilities oI the job position. The technical
skills have to be primarily assessed through technical interview or written test.

ompetency Mapping\ompetency Mapping
13

6. Competency Mapping

6.1 Definition
ompetency mapping is the process oI identiIication oI the competencies required to perIorm
successIully a given job or role or a set oI tasks at a given point oI time. It generally examines
two areas: emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ), and strengths oI the individual in
areas like team structure, leadership, and decision-making.
It consists oI breaking a given role or job into its constituent tasks or activities and identiIying
the competencies (technical, managerial, behavioral, conceptual knowledge, an attitudes, skills,
etc.) needed to perIorm the same successIully.

6.2 Process
ompetency Mapping process is designed to consistently measure and assess individual and
group perIormance as it relates to the expectations oI the organization and its customers. It is
used to identiIy key attributes (knowledge, skills, and behavior attributes) that are required to
perIorm eIIectively in a job or an identiIied process. ompetency Mapping juxtaposes two sets
oI data. One set is based on organizational workIlow and processes. It starts with the clear
articulation oI workIlow and processes, including all quality and quantity requirements, inputs
and outputs, decision criteria, and most important, internal and external customer requirements.
The other set oI data is based on individual and group perIormance capabilities. It is collected
through the utilization oI a variety oI assessment tools and procedures (which may include a
robust 360- degree Ieedback process) to assess the extent to which individuals and groups can
consistently demonstrate over time the competencies required to meet the expectations. Where
the output Irom the organizational maps meet the individual and group perIormance capabilities,
an overall trend line is created that identiIied where in the process speciIic developmental
opportunities exists, and with what speciIic population. ompetency Mapping process can be the
Ioundation Ior aligning workIlow and process outputs with critical customer requirements with a
Ioundation oI required employee attributes and competencies. It is Iurther covered in greater
details in section
ompetency Mapping\Need Ior ompetency mapping
14

7. Need for Competency Mapping

With global economy and the world becoming a global village, Iirms have become more aware
oI the need Ior having competent employees and developing distinguished competencies Ior
every organization. This need arose due to the Iollowing reasons:

O Increased cost oI manpower
O Need Ior ensuring that competent people are available Ior perIorming various critical
roles.
O Downsizing adds to the consequent need to get a lot oI thing done with Iewer people and
thus reduce manpower costs and pass on the advantage to the customer.
O Recognition that technology, Iinances, customers and markets, systems and processes can
all be set right or managed eIIectively iI we have the right kind oI human resources.
O The need Ior Iocus in perIorming roles-need Ior time management, nurturing oI
competence, increased emphasis on perIormance management systems.
O And recognition oI the strategic advantage given by employee competencies in building
the core competencies oI the organization.

Several organizations have realized the importance oI this in the last one decade and hence the
rush Ior competency mapping.

In good organizations with competent HR managers, competency mapping should already be in
existence. Traditionally HR directors and their top management have always paid attention to
competencies and incorporated them in their appraisal system. For example when L&T, LI or
NDDB, HLL, Bharat Petroleum, etc. revised their perIormance appraisal systems, they Iocused
on the assessment oI competencies

ompetency Mapping\Need Ior ompetency mapping
15
. The Iollowing Iigure summarizes the need Ior competency mapping

Figure 7.1: Need for Competency Mapping

ompetency mapping thereIore is important and is an essential exercise. Every well managed
Iirm should have well deIined roles and list oI competencies required Ior perIorming each role
eIIectively. Such list should be used Ior recruitment, perIormance management, promotions,
placement and training needs identiIication.

ompetency Mapping\Areas oI Implementation
16

8. Areas of Implementation

The competency mapping can be applied to the areas depicted in the Iollowing diagram:

Figure 8.1: Areas of Implementation of Competency Mapping

8.1 Recruitment and selection
ompetencies can be used to construct a template Ior use in recruitment and selection.
InIormation on the level oI a competency required Ior eIIective perIormance would be used to
determine the competency levels that new hires should possess. Depending upon the accepted
deIinition, competency data may take the Iorm oI behaviors, skills, abilities and other
characteristics.
ompetency based selection can be a way to gain competitive advantage. Some oI these
advantages are listed below:
A Iirm that knows how to assess competencies can eIIectively hire the best at a
reasonable price, Ior example hire under priced but highly entrepreneurial MBA`s Irom
lesser-known business schools.
17
There is high turnover due to high Iailure rate among new hires. The organization needs
to identiIy new hires with the potential to become Iuture managers or leaders.
A gap between the competencies needed and what the organization can hire Ior indicates
the training new hires will need.
A lengthy training period may transpire beIore new hires become productive. New hires
with the competencies to do a job become Iully productive Iaster.

8.2 Training and Development
It involves identiIying gaps and helping employees develop in the right direction. Knowing the
competency proIile Ior a position allows individuals to compare their own competencies to those
required by the position or the career path. Training or development plans could Iocus on those
competencies needing improvement.
II the training programs can be aligned to the development needs emerging out oI the appraisal
system and to the market led training needs they can contribute better to both individual and
business objectives. This can be achieved in the Iollowing manner:
Firstly determine the competencies Ior a particular position
Secondly identiIy the competencies oI the person holding that position
By mapping the competencies, identiIy gaps in terms oI the competencies Ior that role
and the competencies oI the person doing that role to diagnose the training and
development needs.
IdentiIy the most appropriate training and development methodology Ior each trainable
competency
Accordingly, the person can be trained on those competencies only.
ompetency based training programs clearly tell what should be the competency level oI the
person entering the program. This would drastically reduce the training cost Ior the organization.

8. Career and succession planning
It involves assessing employees` readiness or potential to take on new challenges. Determining a
person job Iit can be based on matching the competency proIile oI an individual to the set oI
competencies required Ior excellence within a proIession. Individuals would know the
18
competencies required Ior a particular position and thereIore would have an opportunity to
decide iI they have the potential to pursue that position or not.

8.4 Rewards and Recognition
ompetency based pay is compensation Ior individual characteristics Ior skills and competencies
over and above the pay a job or organizational role itselI commands. One way oI improving
employee perIormance is by recognizing and rewarding eIIort. ompetency pay is the best way
to do so. Rewarding employees Ior their ability to make the best use oI their skills and
competencies in accordance with the organization`s needs was the logic behind this once popular
HR tool.
Various elements are considered Ior arriving at compensation increase. Enhancement in
competencies has to be one oI them. There is a need Ior competency based compensation system
To attract more competent than average employees
To reward Ior results and competencies developed
To motivate employees to maintain and enhance their skills and competencies regularly
By rewarding employees who develop relevant competencies the organization can beneIit by
improving its own capability to Iace the Iuture

8.5 Performance Management System
PerIormance has two dimensions
Achieving business results
Developing individual competencies
These days perIormance appraisal is seen by managers and employees as a bureaucratic
'paperwork exercises that they do not take seriously because it has little impact on employee
development. PerIormance appraisals do not address the employees` questions about skill
development or career advancement. ompetency based perIormance management would:
Focus on 'HOW oI perIormance and not on 'WHAT oI perIormance i.e. not on results
but how the results are achieved
Link to development oI the individual and not just rewards
ompetency based PMS shiIt the emphasis oI appraisal Irom organization results to employee
behaviors and competencies demonstrated and hence help identiIy development gaps.
ompetency Mapping\Advantages oI ompetency Mapping
19

9. Advantages of Competency Mapping

There are several advantages oI competency mapping over traditional job analysis. The
Iollowing section analyzes each oI them in relation to the company, the managers and the
individual employees. The section also gives a comparative view oI the competency based
approach and the job analysis approach.

9.1 For the company
The advantages oI competency mapping Ior the companies or organizations are as Iollows:
Establishes expectations Ior perIormance excellence
Improved job satisIaction and better employee retention
Increase in the eIIectiveness oI training and proIessional development programs
because oI their link to success criteria.
Provides a common understanding oI scope and requirements oI a speciIic role
Provides a common, organization wide standard Ior career levels that enable
employees to move across business boundaries
Help companies 'raise the bar oI perIormance expectations
Help teams and individuals align their behaviors with key organizational
strategies

9.2 For Managers
The competency mapping provides Iollowing advantages to the managers:
IdentiIy perIormance criteria to improve the accuracy and ease oI the selection process
Provide more objective perIormance standards
Easier communication oI perIormance expectations
Provide a clear Ioundation Ior dialogue to occur between the managers and employees
and perIormance, development and career-oriented issues

ompetency Mapping\Advantages oI ompetency Mapping
20
9. For employees
The employees in an organization get the Iollowing advantages by competency mapping:
IdentiIy the behavioral standards oI perIormance excellence
Provide a more speciIic and objective assessment oI their strengths and the tools required
to enhance their skills
Enhances clarity on career related issues
Helps each understand how to achieve expectations

9.4 Traditional 1ob Analysis versus Competency Approach

Job Analysis leads to..

O Long list oI tasks and skills / knowledge
required to perIorm each oI those tasks.
O Data generation Irom subject matter
experts; job incumbents.
O EIIective perIormance.

ompetency model leads to..

O A distilled set oI underlying
characteristics.
O Data generation Irom outstanding
perIormers in addition to subject matter
experts and other job incumbents.
O Outstanding perIormance.

Table 9.1: 1ob Analysis versus Competency Approach

ompetency Mapping\Disadvantages oI ompetency Mapping
21

10. Disadvantages of Competency Mapping

In spite oI the several advantages oIIered by competency mapping, there are Iew drawbacks to
the approach. Some oI these are discussed below:

1. A problem with competency mapping, especially when conducted by an organization is
that there may be no room Ior an individual to work in a Iield that would best make use
oI his or her competencies.

2. II the company does not respond to competency mapping by reorganizing its employees,
then it can be oI little short-term beneIit and may actually result in greater unhappiness
on the part oI individual employees.
3. II too much emphasis is placed on 'inputs' at the expense oI 'outputs', there is a risk that it
will Iavor employees who are good in theory but not in practice and will Iail to achieve
the results that make a business successIul.
4. They can become out oI date very quickly due to the Iast pace oI change in organizations
and it can thereIore be expensive and time consuming to keep them up-to-date. .

ompetency Mapping\Model oI ompetency Mapping
22

11. Model of Competency Mapping

11.1 Definition
A competency mapping model is an organizing Iramework that lists the competencies required
Ior eIIective perIormance in a speciIic job, job Iamily (e.g., group oI related jobs), organization,
Iunction, or process. Individual competencies are organized into competency models to enable
people in an organization or proIession to understand, discuss, and apply the competencies to
workIorce perIormance.

The competencies in a model may be organized in a variety oI Iormats. No one approach is
inherently best; organizational needs will determine the optimal Iramework. A common
approach is to identiIy several competencies that are essential Ior all employees and then identiIy
several additional categories oI competencies that apply only to speciIic subgroups. Some
competency models are organized according to the type oI competency, such as leadership,
personal eIIectiveness, or technical capacity. Other models may employ a Iramework based on
job level, with a basic set oI competencies Ior a given job Iamily and additional competencies
added cumulatively Ior each higher job level within the job Iamily.

11.2 Developing the model
The Iollowing are the steps involved in designing and developing the competency mapping
model:
Strategize assess business needs, evaluate contextual drivers, engage stakeholders and set
goals.
Initiate identiIy methodologies, develop project plans, review existing data, benchmark
competencies, and collect competency data.
Model analyze and synthesize data, identiIy competencies and develop models, and
validate models.

23

Pilot develop implementation and evaluation plans, develop and initiate competency
applications, and continuously communicate activities.
Link link to all human resources system components, and phase in implementation oI other
competency' based applications.
Evaluate establish and evaluate measures, and continuously improve the system.

Figure 11.1: Stages In Developing An Organization Wide Competency Model

Stage 1
Data Gathering &
Preparation
Stage 2
Data Analysis
Stage
Validation

Study IdentiIied Jobs
IdentiIy major
categories oI skills
IdentiIy Probable
competencies
Review list oI probable
ompetencies
onstruct
ompetency
DeIinitions
Assign proIiciency
levels
ontent Validation
session
ReinIorce proIiciency
oI critical competencies
ReIine competency
deIinitions, iI necessary
24
These steps have been segregated in view oI implementing the model and are depicted in the
Iollowing Iigure:

Figure 11.2: Steps for implementing the Competency Mapping model
IdentiIy Departments and Organization Hierarchy
onduct Semi Structured Interview
Obtain Job Description
Preparation oI List oI Skills
Indicate ProIiciency Levels
Generate List oI ompetencies
Validate competencies & ProIiciency levels
Prepare competency matrix
Mapping oI ompetency
25

Following is a brieI description oI each oI these steps:
Step 1: Identify departments for competency mapping
Decide and select the departments within the organization which we would like to include into
our study. The departments should be chosen based on their criticality and importance to the
organization.

Step 2: Identifying hierarchy within the organization and selection of levels
Study the organization hierarchy across each oI the selected departments.

Step : Obtain the job descriptions.
For all the levels at every department obtain each role`s job description. Job descriptions are a
basic human resources management tool that can help to increase individual and organizational
eIIectiveness..
For each employee, a good, up-to-date job description helps the incumbent to understand:
their duties and responsibilities;
the relative importance oI the duties; and,
how their position contributes to the mission, goals, and objectives oI the organization.
For the organization, good job descriptions contribute to organizational eIIectiveness by:
ensuring that the work carried out by staII is aligned with the organizations mission; and,
Helping management clearly identiIy the most appropriate employee Ior new duties and
realigning work loads.

Step 4: Preparation of semi structured interview
In structured interviews, careIully planned questions are asked individually oI job incumbents,
their managers, or others Iamiliar with the job. Benchmarking interviews with other
organizations are especially useIul in achieving a broader view oI the job or determining which
competencies are more universally deemed necessary Ior a particular job. However, it is
important to be cautious in applying the inIormation collected Irom other organizations as there
are many variables such as work environment, culture, and diIIerences in job responsibilities that
may limit the relevance oI the inIormation.
26

Step 5: Scheduling of interviews
Obtain a list oI employees Irom respective department heads and accordingly schedule
interviews. A minimum oI 5 candidates are to be interviewed at each level in each department.

Step 6: Recording oI interview details
The candidate`s answers and opinions have to be recorded in as much detail as possible Ior
Iurther reIerence during the project.

Step 7: Preparation oI a list oI Skills
As per the interview and the details that were generated Irom the candidate, generate a list oI
skills observed Ior the job. Thereon a list oI identiIied competencies should be drawn Ior each
interviewed candidate.

Step 8: Repeat Ior next levels and Iunctions.
The interviews and appropriate recording oI answers should be done at all remaining levels and
other departments within the Torrent Research enter.

Step 9: Make the list oI the competencies required Ior the department Ior each level and each
Iunction giving behavioral indicators.
For each position at each department a list oI competencies observed Irom both the job
description and the semi structured interview (list oI skills) should be drawn up.
Each competency should be given a name and an appropriate deIinition that clearly indicates its
meaning and essence.

Step 10: Validate identiIied competencies and proIiciency levels with Head oI Departments.
onIirm competency deIinitions with respective Head OI Department`s and obtain Irom the
required proIiciency levels oI each competency that is ideal Ior each role. Also locate any
missing competencies.

27
Step 11: Preparation oI competency matrix
Prepare a matrix deIining competencies required and corresponding proIiciency levels Ior each
level across all departments.

Step 12: Mapping oI competencies
Map the competencies oI selected employees against the competency matrix as per their
employee level and department. Here an employee`s actual proIiciency level oI a particular
competency would be mapped against the target proIiciency level.

11. Data Collection Methods
One oI the major steps in developing the model Ior competency mapping is to collect the data.
This sub-section discusses some oI these methods in detail.

11..1 Literature Review
A preliminary approach to deIining job content and identiIying required competencies is to
conduct a review oI the literature to learn about previous studies oI the job or similar jobs. Quite
oIten, no previous studies have been conducted. However, iI they do exist, they can be extremely
helpIul in providing an introduction to the job and a preliminary list oI competencies to consider.
Sources oI published literature include books, proIessional journals, association magazines,
theses, and dissertations. Unpublished studies may be available Irom proIessional associations,
consulting Iirms, colleges and universities that oIIer training programs Ior your target job, and
through the Internet. The quality oI these studies will vary widely and they need to be critically
evaluated beIore use.

11..2 Focus roups
In Iocus groups, a Iacilitator works with a small group oI job incumbents, their managers,
supervisees, clients, or others to deIine the job content or to identiIy the competencies they
believe are essential Ior perIormance. A series oI Iocus groups is oIten conducted to allow many
people in the organization to provide input. There are diIIerent approaches to conducting Iocus
groups. Typically, the Iacilitator will use a prepared protocol oI questions to guide a structured
discussion. Expert panels are a special type oI Iocus group in which persons who are considered
28

highly knowledgeable about the job and its requirements meet to develop a list oI competencies
required Ior success.

11.. Behavioral Event Interviews
In behavioral event interviews (BEI), top perIormers are interviewed individually about
what they did, thought, said, and Ielt in challenging or diIIicult situations. The competencies that
were instrumental in their success are extrapolated Irom their stories. OIten, average and low
perIormers are also interviewed to provide a comparison. The interviewer will ask questions such
as: 'Tell me about a time when you had an extremely challenging client or 'Give me an
example oI a situation at work in which you had to make a diIIicult decision.

11..4 Surveys
In surveys, job incumbents, their supervisors, and perhaps senior managers complete a
questionnaire administered either in print or electronically. The survey content is based on
previous data collection eIIorts such as interviews, Iocus groups, or literature reviews. The
respondents are typically asked to assign ratings to each listed job element or competency. For
example, respondents may be asked how critical a competency is to eIIective job perIormance,
how Irequently the competency is used on the job, the degree to which the competency
diIIerentiates superior Irom average perIormers, and iI the competency is needed on entry to the
job or can be developed over time. Survey respondents are usually asked to provide in writing
any additional inIormation that they Ieel is important.

11..5 Observations
In this data collection method, the research team visits high perIorming incumbents and observes
them at work. The more complex the job and the greater the variety in job tasks, the more time is
required Ior an observation. For a very routine job in which the same task is repeated over and
over throughout the day, an observation oI a couple hours might suIIice. For very complex jobs,
observation oI a week or more may be required. II the job changes based on work cycles,
seasons, or other Iactors, the observations may have to be conducted over a period oI weeks or
29

months. The observation process may include asking employees to explain what they are doing
and why. Sometimes observations oI average and low perIormers are also conducted to establish
a basis Ior comparison. The competencies required Ior eIIective perIormance are then inIerred
Irom the observations by persons who are experts in competency identiIication.

11..6 Work Logs
In the work log method oI data collection, job incumbents enter into logs or diaries their daily
work activities with stop and start times Ior each activity. Depending on the complexity and
variety oI the job, incumbents may be asked to make log entries Ior several days, weeks, or
months.

11..760 degree feedback
It`s a process whereby an individual (the recipient) is rated on their perIormance by people who
know something about their work (the raters). This can include direct reports, peers and
managers and in some cases customers or clients, in Iact anybody who is credible to the
individual and is Iamiliar with their work can be included in the Ieedback process. This is usually
in addition to completing a selI-assessment on perIormance. The resulting inIormation is
presented to the individual with the aim oI helping them to gain a better understanding oI their
skills and development areas. Each source can provide a diIIerent perspective on the individual`s
skills, attributes and other job relevant characteristics and thus help to build up a richer, more
complete and accurate picture than could be obtained Irom any one source.

ompetency Mapping\Process oI ompetency Mapping
30

12. Process of Competency Mapping

ompetency mapping requires a lot oI planning and eIIorts oI the HR department as it`s a
lengthy and a time consuming process. It is essential to lay down the entire plan Iirst, and then
take it Iorward.

Preparation of
Questionnaire
Collection
of Responses
Analysis Findings
30
Figure 12.1: Process of Competency Mapping
31
The diagram explains the Ilow oI the ompetency Mapping Methodology. Each oI the stages is
explained in detail below:

12.1 Laying Down Of Objectives
BeIore conducting any research it is very essential to understand the reason or the objectives one
is planning to establish through the research. ThereIore it is vital to list down the objectives
which will help to plan the exercise in accordance with the objectives and ultimately establish
what we desire to arrive at.
The objectives oI ompetency Mapping are as Iollows:
To establish a Competency Model, which will create a benchmark Ior all the
employees in the organization and will help in perIorming all HR Iunctions more
eIIiciently.
To map the competencies oI the existing employees and understand where they Iall
low or average in comparison to the competencies essential Ior their job/role. This
will help in identiIying training and development needs Ior the employees.

12.2 Preparation of The Questionnaire
The data required Ior competency mapping Ior the middle management is collected by
undertaking ~1OB EVALUATION which includes the preparation oI a ~Role Profile
Questionnaire. This questionnaire is designed keeping in mind the objectives oI the project.
The questions are Iramed in such a way so as to derive accurate and appropriate responses
relevant to the project.

There are various tools oI ompetency Mapping Ior the employees as discussed earlier in the
report. The application oI these tools is visible in the questionnaire. These tools include:

Rank Order Rating
Behavioral Event Interview
Rank Order Rating is used to Iind out which competencies are required Ior each job/role and
their order oI importance to each proIile. The Behavioral Event Interview is a set oI open ended
questions to Iind out the STAR`s (Situation, Task, Action and Results).
32

Once the questionnaire is prepared, the responses are collected Irom the employees belonging to
the middle level management by a one on one interaction with each respondent.

12. Collection of Responses
This stage consumes the maximum time. As the employees to be interviewed belong to the
middle management, they are usually pre-occupied with their work and thereIore it becomes
diIIicult Ior them to spare time Ior the questionnaire. Hence this stage takes almost a month to
complete.

12.4 Analysis
Once the data is collected Irom all the employees belonging to the middle level management, the
data is then analyzed manually.

To establish the Competency Model, the analysis is based on the ratings provided by each
employee to the diIIerent competencies. The highest rated competencies Iorm the critical
competencies in the model and the others Iollow in the other categories.

Another technique used is called the Opportunity Algorithm which is used to map the current
competencies oI the employees in relation to the competencies rated by the employees in
question 2. The Opportunity Algorithm was introduced by the Harvard School oI Business and is
one oI the most successIul Iormulae used by many big organizations. The Opportunity Algorithm
is explained in brieI below:

12.4.1 The Opportunity Algorithm
How can a company discover and prioritize the most promising skills and opportunities in their
Human Resources to achieve their desired goals/objectives.

Executives struggle with this question every day and an outcome based on research oIIers a
surprisingly simple answer. The best outcomes spring Irom those skills that are important to the
job/role but are not satisIied entirely or that are partially satisIied by the existing job/role holders.
33

Selecting the richest areas oI opportunity Irom a long list oI outcomes is critical since chasing the
less promising ones is a drain on one`s resources. Fortunately, a simple mathematical Iormula
known as 'Opportunity calculation makes it possible to discover the most promising areas. The
Iormula |Importance (Importance SatisIaction) Opportunity| yields highly accurate results.
The companies ask the job/role holders to quantiIy on a scale, the importance oI each desired
outcome (skill) and the degree to which it is currently satisIied (how they assess themselves on
each oI the desired outcome). Those rankings are inserted into the Iormula, resulting in an
overall opportunity score.

AIter the application oI the Iormula one arrives at various opportunity scores Ior each oI the
job/role holders. The highest score depicts the skills which the job/role holder should give his
immediate attention and look Ior improvement in those areas. The job/role holder then looks at
the second highest score and sharpens those skills later, aIter successIul improvement in the Iirst
area where he scored the highest score. These scores will diIIer Irom individual to individual and
Irom job/role to job/role.

12.5 Findings
With the help oI the Opportunity Algorithm and the ratings provided by the employees, the
ompetency Model and the ompetency Scorecard Ior each employee can be established.

ompetency Mapping\ompetency Mapping at Ready Mix oncrete ompany
34

1. Competency Mapping at Ready-mix Concrete Company
Ready-mix oncrete industry is a Iast growing and booming industry, so the employees working
in this well known ready mix concrete company should not only possess basic knowledge about
the concrete and cement industry but also be competent enough to contribute in the development
and growth oI the company. This is where 'ompetency Mapping comes into picture, which
helps to discover what kind oI competency is required to deliver superior perIormances and
eventually help the company grow leaps and bounds.
The company has its plants spread across various cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Goa, hennai, Kolkata, Nasik, handigarh, Jaipur and NR.
The Iollowing is the general organization chart oI the company:

Figure 1.1: Organization Chart

C.E.O &
E. D.
eneral
Manager
(Eng. & Dev.)

Vice President

C.F.O &
C. S

Vice President

Dy. .M.
Engineering
Aggregate
Division

Reg/ Dy. .M.
of
Maharashtra
ujarat
NCR
Kolkata
oa

Head H.R
A..M
Accounts
Project Team
T.N.
Lucknow
1aipur
M.P.
Chandigarh

ompetency Mapping\ompetency Mapping at Ready Mix oncrete ompany
35

Each region Iollows a normal hierarchy which deIines various designations in each department.
The hierarchy is explained with the help oI the Iollowing diagram:

Figure 1.2: Hierarchy defining various designations

The RM ompany is in the initial stage oI implementing the ompetency Mapping Process.
The procedure Iollowed is as Iollows:
O Laying down oI Objectives
O Preparation oI questionnaire and distributing it amongst all the employees
O ollecting oI data and responses through Experts and Resource Panels, ritical event
interviews and generic competency dictionaries.
O Analysis oI data to build up a model.
O Building up oI Model

Middle
Management
1unior Management
eneral Manager
Dy. eneral
Manager
Asst. eneral
Manager
Senior Manager
Manager
Dy. Manager
Asst. Manager
CEO & ED
CFO & CS
VP`s

Senior Officer
Officer
Asst. Officer
Top Management
ompetency Mapping\ompetency Mapping at Ambuja ement
36

14. Competency Mapping at Ambuja Cement

At Ambuja ements, competency mapping is at its nascent stage. Here perIormance
management is a cyclical process aimed at improving perIormance (e.g.: achievement oI
business objectives). This process is implemented by Iollowing the principles underlying
PerIormance Management, namely:
O Measurement
4 establish perIormance measures
4 establish measurable behavioral goals that will improve perIormance
4 measure current behaviors
O Appraisal
4 compare the current behaviors with the behavioral goals and identiIy the main
diIIerences
O Action
4 For each diIIerence, you plan how to bring actual behaviors in line with the goals,
in order to improve the perIormance
4 implement the plan

O Monitoring
4 heck that the new plans are being Iollowed
4 At an appropriate time, you return to the appraisal stage to assess the impact oI
the changes on the behavioral and perIormance measures

ompetency Mapping\onclusion
37

15. Conclusion

ompetency Mapping thereIore, is a process oI identiIying key competencies Ior an organization
and/or a job and incorporating those competencies throughout the various processes (i.e. job
evaluation, training, recruitment) oI the organization.

A lot is going on in recent times on the issue oI competency mapping. A lot oI resources are
spent and consultants are being invited to do competency mapping. Increased manpower costs,
need Ior ensuring that competent people man critical positions, and the need to be competitive
and recognition oI the strategic advantages oI having good human resources have compelled
Iirms to be more competency driven.

In the report we have discussed how competent employees have become need oI the hour in
every organization and it is now essential that they undertake competency mapping, identiIy
models, gaps and imbibe this as an every day practice in an organization.

OIten competency mapping runs the risk oI being just another new-Iangled process that happens
to be the Ilavour oI the season. Such a powerIul organisational tool is oIten resorted just because
rival organisations have implemented it and not because there is genuine appreciation oI its
beneIits. ompetency mapping should not be seen as just another means to apportion and
dispense rewards.

All the stakeholders must see in the exercise an opportunity Ior long-term growth. The key is to
look at competency mapping as going beyond mere processes. And to see in it an exercise that
has a signiIicant and lasting value to project managers as well as to the organisation.

References
Industries Visited

1. RMC India Ltd.
InIocom Network Ltd,
194, Arvind hambers,
2
nd
Iloor, Sai Service ompond,
W.E. Highway, Andheri (E)
2. Ambuja Cements Limited
Elegant Business Park
Behind Kotak Mahindra Bank
MID ross Road - B, oII Andheri Kurla Road
Andheri (E), Mumbai - 59

Books and 1ournals:
1. T.V.Rao, !erformance management and appraisal systems. HR tools for global
competencies, Sage publications.
2. Sudipta, 'ompetency based HR, press Computer, 10 Jan 2005.
3. Sudipta, 'ompetency mapping, press Computer, 10 Jan 2005.
4. M. Verma, V. Sinha, 'Don`t take your junior colleagues Ior granted: os Using Feedback
From Peers & Subordinates To Assess Executives, conomic Times Mumbai, Sep 3, 2007.

Website references:
www.tvrls.com
www.careertrainer.com
www.indianmba.com
www.citehr.com
www.hrworkbench.in/eng
en.allexperts.com/q/Human-Resources-2866/competency-mapping-1.htm
i
ompetency Mapping\ReIerences
38

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