RESEARCH PAPER ON

COMPETENCY MAPPING

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Ms. RADHIKA BHUTANI VIKASH GUPTA
LECTURER, BPIT MBA IIND SEMESTER
ENROLLMENT NO: 021
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PARTICULARS PAGE NO

WHAT IS COMPETENCY……………………………………………………….. 3

HISTORY OF COMPETENCIES………………………………………………… 3

WHO IDENTIFIES COMPETENCIES…………………………………………... 4

WHAT LANGUAGE TO USE…………………………………………………… 5

AREAS OF IMPLEMENTATION……………………………………………….. 6

ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY MAPPING………………………………. 8

CURRENT SCENRIO……………………………………………………………. 9

RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………………. 11

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………… 12

BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………… 13

2 COMPETENCY MAPPING
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

RESEARCH PAPER TITLE: COMPETENCY MAPPING

NAME: VIKASH GUPTA

ENROLLMENT NO: 021

EMAIL ID: vikash.gupta47@gmail.com

History of Competencies

What is Competency?

Any underlying characteristic required

performing a given task, activity, or
A team of Educationists lead by
role successfully can be considered as
Benjamin Bloom in the USA in mid
competency. Competency may take the
fifties laid the foundation for
following forms: Knowledge, Attitude,
identifying educational objectives and
and Skill, Other characteristics of an
there by defining the knowledge
individual including: Motives, Values,
attitudes and skills needed to be
Self concept etc.
developed in education. The task force
Competency Mapping is a process of lead by Bloom took several years to
identifying key competencies for a make an exhaustive classification of the
company or institution and the jobs and educational objectives that were
functions within it. Competency grouped under the cognitive domain.
mapping is important and is an essential
exercise. Every firm should: have list of David McClelland the famous Harvard
competencies required to perform each Psychologist has pioneered the
role effectively. Such list should be competency movement across the
used for recruitment, performance world. His classic books on "Talent and
management, promotions, placement Society", "Achievement Motive", "The
and training needs identification Achieving Society", "Motivating
Economic Achievement" and "Power
the Inner Experience" brought out
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several new dimensions of the
competencies. These competencies
exposed by McClelland dealt with the
affective domain in Bloom's
terminology. The turning point for
competency movement is the article
published in American Psychologist in
1973 by McClelland titled wherein he
presented data that traditional
achievement and intelligence scores
may not be able to predict job success
and what is required is to profile the
exact competencies required to perform
a given job effectively and measure
them using a variety of tests. This
article combined with the work done by
Douglas Brey and his associates at
AT&T in the US where in they
presented evidence that competencies
can be assessed through assessment
centers an on the job success can be
predicted to some extent by the same
has laid foundation for popularization
of the competency movement.
Latter McBer a Consulting Firm
founded by David McClelland and his
associate Berlew have specialized in
mapping the competencies of
entrepreneurs and managers across the
world. They even developed a new and
yet simple methodology called the
4 COMPETENCY MAPPING
Behavior Event Interviewing (BEI) to
map the competencies. With increased
recognition of the limitations
performance appraisal in predicting
future performance potential appraisal
got focused. And Assessment centers
became popular in seventies. The
setting up an Assessment center was in
integral part of the HRD plan given to
L&T by the IIMA professors as early as
in 1975. L&T did competency mapping
and could not start assessment centers
until much latter as it was not perceived
as a priority area.
Who Identifies competencies?
Competencies can be identified by one
of more of the following category of
people: Experts, HR Specialists, Job
analysts, Psychologists, Industrial
Engineers etc. in consultation with:
Line Managers, Current & Past Role
holders, Supervising Seniors, Reporting
and Reviewing Officers, Internal
Customers, Subordinates of the role
holders and Other role set members of
the role (those who have expectations
from the role holder and who interact
with h him/her).
What Methodology is used?
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

The following methods are used in Use business language for business
combination for competency mapping: competencies. Example: Knowledge of
Interviews, Group work, Task Forces, markets for watch business or Strategic
Task Analysis workshops, thinking.
Questionnaire, Use of Job descriptions,
Use your own language or standard
Performance Appraisal Formats etc.
terms for Behavior competencies.
How are they Identified? Example: Ability to Negotiate,
Interpersonal sensitivity, Sales
The process of identification is not very techniques. Too technical and
complex. Some of the methods are conceptual knowledge align to the
given below: organization and people may create
more problems than help
1. Simply ask each person who is
currently performing the role to list the Some Tips on How to do it?
tasks to be performed by him one by
one, and identify the Knowledge, The following are some of tips to do
Attitudes, and Skills required to competency mapping at low cost:
perform each of these. Consolidate the
♦ Pick up a job or a role that is
list. Present it to a role set group or a
relatively well understood by all
special task force constituted for that
individuals in the company. Work
role. Edit and Finalize.
out for this role and give it as an
2. Appoint a task force for each role. illustration. For example Sales
Executive, Production Supervisor,
Assistant HR Manager,
Receptionist, Transport Manager,
PR Manager, etc. are known to all
What Language to Use?
and easy to profile.

Use Technical language for technical ♦ Work out competencies for this
competencies. For example: knowledge role if necessary with the help of
of hydraulics. job analysis specialist or an
internal member who has
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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

knowledge of competency their Reporting officers is a

mapping. Prepare this as an good enough team in most
illustration. cases.
Circulate these others and ask ♦ Once prepared even on the basis
various departments to do it on of one or two individuals inputs
their won. circulate to other role set
♦ Circulate samples of members
competencies done by others
♦ Illustrate knowledge, attitudes,
skills, values etc.
♦ Choose a sample that does not
use jargons
♦ Explain the purpose
♦ Interview of past successful job
holders helps
♦ Current incumbent who are
doing a good job along with

Areas of Implementation recruitment and selection.

Information on the level of a
The competency mapping can be competency required for effective
applied to the areas depicted in the performance would be used to
following diagram: determine the competency levels that
new hires should possess. Depending
upon the accepted definition,
competency data may take the form
1. Recruitment and
of behaviors, skills, abilities and
selection
other characteristics.

Competencies can be used to

construct a template for use in
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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

♦ A lengthy training period

may transpire before new hires
become productive. New hires
with the competencies to do a job
become fully productive faster.

Competency based selection can be a

way to gain competitive advantage.
Some of these advantages are listed 2. Training and
below: Development

♦ A firm that knows how to It involves identifying gaps and

assess competencies can helping employees develop in the
effectively hire the best at a right direction. Knowing the
reasonable price, for example competency profile for a position
hire under priced but highly allows individuals to compare their
entrepreneurial MBA’s from own competencies to those required
lesser-known business schools. by the position or the career path.
♦ There is high turnover due to Training or development plans could
high failure rate among new focus on those competencies needing
hires. The organization needs to improvement.
identify new hires with the
If the training programs can be
potential to become future
aligned to the development needs
managers or leaders.
emerging out of the appraisal system
♦ A gap between the
and to the market led training needs
competencies needed and what
they can contribute better to both
the organization can hire for
individual and business objectives.
indicates the training new hires
This can be achieved in the
will need.
following manner:

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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH PAPER

♦ Firstly determine the 4. Career and succession

competencies for a particular planning
position
♦ Secondly identify the It involves assessing employees’
competencies of the person readiness or potential to take on new
holding that position challenges. Determining a person job

♦ By mapping the fit can be based on matching the

competencies, identify gaps in competency profile of an individual

terms of the competencies for to the set of competencies required

that role and the competencies of for excellence within a profession.

the person doing that role to Individuals would know the

diagnose the training and

Competencies required for a
development needs.
particular position and therefore
♦ Identify the most appropriate
would have an opportunity to
training and development
decide if they have the potential
methodology for each trainable
to pursue that position or not
competency

3. Rewards and Recognition

♦ To attract more competent than

average employees
♦ To reward for 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 benefit by
improving its own capability to
face the future
8 COMPETENCY MAPPING
 Competency based pay is ♦ Increase in the effectiveness of
compensation for individual training and professional
characteristics for skills and development programs because of
competencies over and above the pay their link to success criteria.
a job or organizational role itself ♦ Provides a common
commands. One way of improving understanding of scope and
employee performance is by requirements of a specific role
recognizing and rewarding effort. ♦ Provides a common,
Competency pay is the best way to do organization wide standard for
so. career levels that enable
employees to move across
Various elements are considered for
business boundaries
arriving at compensation increase.
♦ Help companies “raise the
Enhancement in competencies has to
bar” of performance expectations
be one of them. There is a need for
♦ Help teams and individuals
competency based compensation
align their behaviors with key
system
organizational strategies

Advantages of
Competency Mapping
2. for Managers
1. for the company
The competency mapping provides
The advantages of competency following advantages to the
mapping for the companies or managers:
organizations are as follows:
♦ Identify performance criteria
♦ Establishes expectations for to improve the accuracy and ease
performance excellence of the selection process
♦ Improved job satisfaction and ♦ Easier communication of
better employee retention performance expectations

9 COMPETENCY MAPPING
 ♦ Provide a clear foundation for L&T InfoTech is one of the ten
dialogue to occur between the companies in the world to get the
managers and employees and PCMM level 5 certification. The
performance, development and company currently has a workforce of
career-oriented issues more than 4,000 professionals. “L&T
has always been focused on HR,”
3. for employees states Dr Devendra Nath, executive
vice president of L&T InfoTech. The
The employees in an organization get
organization believes that there are
the following advantages by
four major pillars of HR—acquiring
competency mapping:
talent, enabling talent, grooming
talent and building ‘the culture’. Nath
♦ Identify the behavioral
asserts that competency-based HR is
standards of performance
the essence of good HR.”
excellence
♦ Provide a more specific and
Training emphasis at L & T
objective assessment of their
InfoTech
strengths and the tools required to
enhance their skills
As a group, L&T has always believed
♦ Enhances clarity on career in a life-long association with its
related issues people. “Most of our top brass have
♦ Helps each understand how to joined at junior levels and risen
achieve expectations through the ranks. The organization
provides continuous learning
opportunities to its people to develop
competencies,” points out Vinod
current scenrio Khisty, associate vice president,
Human Resources, L&T InfoTech.
Competency Mapping : A
prooven Boon for L&T
Infotech

10 COMPETENCY MAPPING
 There is a lot of emphasis on training.
It is believed that all those people
who have been recruited in the
organisation after the stringent hiring
process are already champions;
consequently the entry-level training

Competency Profile of a Project Manager in an

SBU at L&T InfoTech

is called ‘Enabling the champions’.

This includes 100 days of focused
training in classrooms. The modules
range from technical to voice
modulation to team management, etc.

The soft skills training for L&T

InfoTech professionals are conducted
at the group’s Rs 10-crore training
centre at Lonavala, near Mumbai. The
11 COMPETENCY MAPPING
 e-learning channel called Gyanpeeth
provides just-in-time technical as well
as soft skills training. “A person in
Sweden might have to make a
presentation to the customer the next
day. What he has to do is to just log in
and learn from the programme on
presentation skills. Furthermore,
based on responses the course will
keep getting updated to the next
higher level. The sense of satisfaction
with training is very high in the
company and is a great motivator,”
adds Khisty.
Innovative HR initiative at L
their training, and has done
exceptionally well,” states Nath. The
quality of training can be gauged from
the fact that many project heads are
now asking them to be included in
their team.
Every quarter, an SBU-based skills
portfolio is published. Nath says that
it has been a very rewarding
experience. As far as training and
development is concerned, instead of
asking people to attend classes, they
themselves get pulled to the classes.
Introduction of competency mapping
has also involved introducing skill

& T InfoTech appraisals in performance appraisals.

This has also led to training people on
The HR department has recently how to assess subordinates on
made an innovative initiative of competencies. Notes Nath, "The best
inducting non- human resources development is
when people in the line department do
HR. Where the HR department is the
enabler, the line people see the
Engineering graduates (BSCs) in the
advantage and drive us."
company trained them for four
Competency-based HR makes this
months and then put them on the job
almost-utopian dream attainable.
(primarily coding work). “The loyalty
of these recruits will be much higher
as this offers them an opportunity to
be a part of the IT industry. The first
batch of 30 people has just completed

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Competency-based HR is considered
the best HR. In India however
competency development and
mapping still remains an unexplored
process in most IT organisations
despite the growing level
awareness. The underlying principle
of competency mapping is not just
about finding the right people for the
right job. The issue is much more
complex than it appears, and most HR
departments have been struggling to
formulate the right framework for
their organisation.
Unless managements and HR heads
have holistic expectations from their
HR departments, the competency
movement is unlikely to succeed as it
requires lot of time, dedication and
money. Before an organisation
embarks on this journey it has to be
very clear about the business goals,
capability-building imperatives and
core competencies of the
organisation. The competency
13 COMPETENCY MAPPING
mapping process needs to be strongly
integrated with these aspects.
Experts agree that the competency
mapping process does not fit the one-
size-fits all formula. It has to be
specific to the user organisation. "My
suggestion is to develop models that
draw from but are not defined by
existing research, using behavioural
of
interview methods so that the
organisation creates a model that
reflects its own strategy, its own
market, its own customers, and the
competencies that bring success in
that specific context (including
national culture). Start with small,
discrete groups or teams, ideally in
two directions-a 'horizontal slice'
across the business that takes in a
multi-functional or multi-site group,
more or less at the same
organisational level, and a 'vertical
slice' taking in one whole department
or team from top to bottom. From
that, the organisation can learn about
the process of competency modelling,
and how potential alternative formats
for the models may or may not fit the
needs of the business
 It is important to focus on one or two office and its staff, prepare quotations
key areas of implementation rather and sales order processing, manage
than the whole HRD agenda in one Key Accounts and supervise and
scoop. Competency mapping can be motivate the field sales force. The
rather good at providing Competencies which might determine
organisational pain relief when excellence in this role could include
applied effectively-and so making the Problem Solving and Judgment; Drive
case for extending it. Further, it is and Determination; Commercial
advisable to begin with a 'horizontal' Awareness; Inter-personal skills etc,
slice of the management or senior- all of which might be described
most team as the benefits will further by Behavioral Indicators
percolate down to the whole relating specifically to that post in that
organisation. organization.

CONCLUSION

Competency is a set of knowledge,

skills and attitudes required to
perform a job effectively and
efficiently. A Competency is
something that describes how a job
might be done, excellently; a
Competence only describes what has
to be done, not how. So the
Competences might describe the
duties of a Sales Manager for
example, such as manage the sales

14 COMPETENCY MAPPING
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Articles:
• Article -“The Art and Science of Competency Mapping”- by T.V. Rao,

• “Competency Mapping: A pre- requisite for HR Excellence” by Dr. Lovy

Sarikal

Web Sources:

• www.tvrls.com
• www.citehr.com
• www.hinduonnet.com
• www.indianmba.com

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