Free Essays on Falling Through the Cracks

Falling Through the Cracks: Children of Divorce Regardless of age, race, sex or religion, divorce has devastating, often long-term, consequences. The immediate effects of divorce, such as hurt, anger and confusion, are evident in both children and adults. The longer-term effects are not so easy to pin point. Adults are usually able to articulate their emotions and verbalize their distress, anger, pain and confusion to help themselves through this period of transition in their lives. As well, adults have the means and ability to seek outside professional assistance independently. Children on the other hand, are not as likely to have the ability to identify the source or kind of turmoil they are experiencing. Therefore, it is difficult for us, as adults, to be fully aware of the consequences of divorce on our children. It is estimated that nearly one half of children born today will spend time in a single parent household. Although some of these children are born into single parent families, many more are the product of divorce, and are made to endure the conflict and emotional upset that divorce brings about. At this time, when children require stability and emotional support, the pressures of growing up are often compounded by the stress of divorce and family breakdown. When divorce involves children many questions must be answered. Questions such as: With whom will the children live? How often will the non-custodial parent have access, and under what circumstances? Although simple to ask, these questions are never easy to answer, and children frequently become pawns in a game of revenge. Today, mothers make up the majority of parents who are awarded custody, with fathers making up only 13%. However, this was not always the case. Prior to the 19th century, fathers, under English common law followed in North America , received automatic custody of their children when the marriage dissolved. During the 19th century gradual... Free Essays on Falling Through the Cracks Free Essays on Falling Through the Cracks Falling Through the Cracks: Children of Divorce Regardless of age, race, sex or religion, divorce has devastating, often long-term, consequences. The immediate effects of divorce, such as hurt, anger and confusion, are evident in both children and adults. The longer-term effects are not so easy to pin point. Adults are usually able to articulate their emotions and verbalize their distress, anger, pain and confusion to help themselves through this period of transition in their lives. As well, adults have the means and ability to seek outside professional assistance independently. Children on the other hand, are not as likely to have the ability to identify the source or kind of turmoil they are experiencing. Therefore, it is difficult for us, as adults, to be fully aware of the consequences of divorce on our children. It is estimated that nearly one half of children born today will spend time in a single parent household. Although some of these children are born into single parent families, many more are the product of divorce, and are made to endure the conflict and emotional upset that divorce brings about. At this time, when children require stability and emotional support, the pressures of growing up are often compounded by the stress of divorce and family breakdown. When divorce involves children many questions must be answered. Questions such as: With whom will the children live? How often will the non-custodial parent have access, and under what circumstances? Although simple to ask, these questions are never easy to answer, and children frequently become pawns in a game of revenge. Today, mothers make up the majority of parents who are awarded custody, with fathers making up only 13%. However, this was not always the case. Prior to the 19th century, fathers, under English common law followed in North America , received automatic custody of their children when the marriage dissolved. During the 19th century gradual...

What Is a Good SAT Score A Bad SAT Score An Excellent SAT Score

What Is a Good SAT Score A Bad SAT Score An Excellent SAT Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What is a good SAT score? You took the SAT, got your scores back, and now want to know how you did. Or maybe you want to know what score to aim for next time. In this guide, we discuss how to figure out how your SAT scores stack up against those of all the other test takers. We’ll then help you determine what a good SAT score for you is based on the colleges you are interested in. Finally, we provide the SAT score ranges of 41 popular schools and discuss what to do if your score turns out to be lower than you expected. What's a Good SAT Score, Compared to the Entire Country? The SAT score range is 400-1600 for your total score, and 200-800 for each of your two section scores. One section score is Math, while the other is a combined Reading and Writing score called Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW). As you would expect, the higher your score, the better you did compared to all the other test takers. But is there a certain SAT score cutoff that marks a "good" score? To determine what makes for good SAT scores relative to everyone else, you need to know exactly how SAT scoring works. Your total score out of 1600 (as well as your two section scores out of 800) corresponds to a percentile ranking. Your SAT percentile tells you what percentage of students you scored better than. So if you got a 60th percentile score, you’ve scored better than 60% of all test takers! The mean, or average, SAT composite score is 1068. Note that the test is deliberately designed so that the mean score hovers around 1000 on the 1600-point scale- about 500 per section. The average score for Math is 531, and the average score for EBRW is 536. SAT scores follow a normal distribution. This means that student performance tends to cluster around the middle of the scale (1000 is the halfway point between the minimum score of 400 and the maximum score of 1600). Far fewer test takers score toward the higher and lower ends of the scale. Here’s an abbreviated SAT score chart with percentiles for 2018 SAT composite scores so you can check out the score distribution for yourself: SAT Composite Score (Out of 1600) Percentile 1600 99+ 1550 99+ 1500 99 1450 97 1400 94 1350 91 1300 87 1250 81 1200 74 1150 67 1100 58 1050 49 1000 39 950 31 900 23 850 15 800 10 750 5 700 2 650 1 600 and below -1 As you can see from the percentiles and corresponding scores, more students score toward the middle of the scale than at the top or bottom. For example, a score jump from 1000 to 1100 (100 points) moves you from the 39th to the 58th percentile- so you’ve moved up past nearly an entire fifth of test takers! But moving 100 points from 1250 to 1350 only brings you up 10%, from the 81st to the 91st percentile. Finally, moving from 1450 to 1550, a 100-point margin near the top of the scale, nets you only about 2%! In terms of what makes for good SAT scores based on this chart, you already know that 1070 is about average, so anything above that would be an above-average score. A 1250 places you in the 81st percentile, that is, in the top fifth of test takers, which is very good. A 1350 puts you in the top 9%, making it a strong score. A 1400 is in the 94th percentile, the top 6% of all test takers. And any score 1500+ puts you in the coveted top 1%! By contrast, anything lower than a 1070 is a below-average score. For example, a 950, which is in the 31st percentile, places you in the bottom third of test takers. And a 900, which is in the 23rd percentile, places you in the bottom fourth. Not so great comparatively. Here’s a chart showing the SAT score percentiles for both the Math and EBRW sections. The distributions are pretty similar, but there are some slight differences. For example, fewer people do really, really well on EBRW than on Math. You can tell this is the case because a 750 is a 99th percentile score for EBRW, meaning you're in the top 1% of test takers. But that same score is in the 96th percentile for Math, placing you only in the top 4%. SAT Score (Out of 800) Math Percentile EBRW Percentile 800 99+ 99+ 750 96 99 700 92 94 650 85 86 600 75 72 550 61 56 500 40 38 450 25 22 400 13 9 350 4 2 300 1 1- 250 and below -1 1- Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Bonus: Want to get a perfect SAT score? Read our famous guide on how to score a perfect 1600 on the SAT. You'll learn top strategies from the country's leading expert on the SAT, Allen Cheng, a Harvard grad and perfect scorer. No matter your level, you'll find useful advice here - this strategy guide has been read by over 500,000 people. Read the 1600 SAT guide today and start improving your score. What's a Good SAT Score for You? So far, we’ve discussed how your SAT score and corresponding percentile ranking shows how you compare with other test takers. But how well you did compared with everyone else isn’t the most important thing for you. What is more important is what makes a good SAT score for you personally, based on the schools you are interested in. A 1280 is an 84th percentile score, meaning you scored better than 84% of test takers. Thus, a 1280 would be a solid score for schools such as the University of Cincinnati (average SAT score: 1233), ASU (average: 1232), and Temple University (average: 1221). However, it would be a very low score for highly selective institutions, such as MIT, Caltech, Duke, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins. Of course, not everyone is trying to get into super selective schools. A score of 1040 (just below the 1070 average) is solid for less selective colleges such as Indiana University Northwest (average SAT score: 1015) and CSU Stanislaus (average: 1005). To sum up, a good SAT score is a score that makes you competitive for the schools you want to attend. It’s also worth noting that the higher your test scores are, the more likely colleges offering merit scholarships are to give one to you. For the purposes of this guide, we’re going to focus primarily on figuring out the score you need for admission (not scholarships), but it’s something to keep in mind. For more information, check out our guide to scholarships based on SAT/ACT scores. Another thing to consider is that a high test score can help you get admitted to certain schools if you have a lower GPA than what their typical admits have. (However, this won’t help you so much at highly selective institutions- they expect students to have high marks across the board!) Does this puppy have competitive scores for your heart? How to Find Your SAT Goal Score: 5-Step Guide In this section, we’ll walk you through how to figure out what makes a good SAT score for you based on the schools you're applying to. Our quick five-step process only requires a worksheet (linked below), a writing utensil, and an internet-browsing device! Step 1: Download This Worksheet First, you’ll need to download our worksheet so you can fill it out with information for your schools of interest. Click here to download it, or click the image below. Step 2: Fill in the Schools You're Applying To Next, fill in all the schools you want to apply to in the leftmost column. If you don't know what schools you're aiming for yet, feel free to use ones that have been suggested to you by parents, friends, teacher, or counselors. However, I recommend taking the time to do some research into schools you might want to attend first so that you have a realistic SAT goal score. The more your list reflects the schools you actually end up applying to, the more accurate your target score will be. Step 3: For Each School, Google "[School Name] PrepScholar SAT" For example, if I'm interested in the University of Alabama, I'd do the following search: Click on the link to our SAT Scores and GPA page (or our Admission Requirements page- they’ll both have the information you need) and scroll down to the 25th and 75th percentile composite SAT scores. The 25th/75th percentile range describes the scores of the middle 50% of all students admitted to a particular school. For the University of Alabama, you'll find that the 25th percentile SAT score is 1050; this means that 25% of admitted students have a score of 1050 on the SAT. That would be a below-average score for admitted students to Alabama. The 75th percentile SAT score for Alabama is 1280. That means that students with that score did better than 75% of all other admits. In other words, scoring at 1280 or above puts you in the top quarter of admits, giving you a very competitive score for admission! If you score at or above the 75th percentile for any school, you'll have an excellent chance of getting in (assuming your other credentials are on point for the school). So that’s a good SAT score for that school. If you're at the 25th percentile, however, you'll need to have a particularly strong application to boost your odds of getting in. For each school on your list, Google the PrepScholar SAT score information and write down the 25th and 75th percentile scores in the appropriate row for that school on your goal score sheet. Step 4: Calculate Your Final SAT Target Score To calculate your target SAT goal score, look at the 75th percentile column. Find the highest SAT score in that column; that’s your SAT score goal. By scoring at the 75th percentile level for the most competitive school on your list, you’ll be competitive at all the schools you're applying to. So that is a good SAT score for you! Another advantage of choosing a high goal score is that if you end up falling 10-50 points short, it’s not a huge deal because you’ll still be competitive for most of your schools. You might be thinking, "Hey, wait! Why did I fill out that entire sheet if I was just going to pick the highest 75th percentile score?" Well, the advantage of filling out this information is that you now have it handy as a reference. You’ll be able to compare your own SAT score with the 25th-75th percentile ranges of all your schools of interest as soon as you get your scores back. Step 5: Make Your Goal Known As a last step, I suggest that you do two things with your target SAT score: #1: Share it with your parents. This can turn into a helpful conversation about your personal goals and how you want to achieve your target SAT score. Plus, your parents can help hold you accountable throughout the test-prep process! #2: Tape it to your wall. This will keep your goal score front and center in your mind, encouraging you to stay motivated to keep up with your SAT study schedule. Puppies are also a great motivator. Good SAT Scores for Popular Schools To help you determine your goal score, we're giving you an SAT score chart with the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for 2018 for 41 popular schools. I’ve also provided the current US News ranking and acceptance rate to give you an idea of how selective each school is. All schools are arranged in order of ranking. For an even longer list, check out our collection of good SAT scores for 101 popular schools. School 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score US News Ranking Acceptance Rate Princeton 1430 1570 1 6% Harvard 1460 1590 2 5% Columbia 1450 1580 3 6% MIT 1490 1570 3 7% U of Chicago 1480 1580 3 9% Yale 1420 1590 3 7% Stanford 1390 1540 7 5% Duke 1390 1580 8 10% Penn 1420 1560 8 9% Johns Hopkins 1460 1580 10 12% Northwestern 1420 1560 10 9% Caltech 1530 1590 12 8% Dartmouth 1430 1560 12 10% Brown 1405 1570 14 9% Cornell 1390 1550 16 13% Rice 1490 1580 16 16% Notre Dame 1370 1520 18 19% UCLA 1240 1490 19 16% WUSTL 1470 1570 19 16% Emory 1350 1520 21 22% Georgetown 1350 1520 22 16% UC Berkeley 1330 1530 22 17% USC 1300 1500 22 16% Carnegie Mellon 1430 1560 25 22% U of Michigan 1330 1500 27 27% NYU 1290 1490 30 28% UC Santa Barbara 1270 1500 30 33% Georgia Tech 1090 1520 35 23% U of Florida 1240 1410 35 42% Boston College 1320 1490 38 32% Boston U 1300 1480 42 25% Tulane 1330 1490 44 21% UT Austin 1160 1390 49 36% Penn State 1160 1340 59 50% U of Washington 1190 1420 59 46% George Washington 1280 1440 63 41% BYU 1210 1410 66 52% Clemson 1220 1390 66 47% American 1180 1350 78 29% Baylor 1190 1360 78 39% Indiana University 1140 1350 89 76% What If My SAT Score Is Too Low? 3 Strategies What if your SAT score ends up being lower than your goal score? What should you do? In this situation, you have a few options to consider. We’ll go over them here and help you figure out which one is best for you. Strategy 1: Retake the SAT If you have the time to do additional preparation for the SAT and retake it, this is probably your most straightforward strategy. However, keep in mind that if you really want a better SAT score, you’ll need to invest a lot of time into prep and really work on shoring up your weaknesses. These are the estimated time estimates for different total score improvements (not per section) on the SAT: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours 200-330 point improvement: 150 hours + Strategy 2: Don’t Worry About It If you were just under your goal score (think within 50 points), you might not actually need to do anything if that slightly lower score is still competitive. For example, if you were aiming for a 1560 for your most selective school, Dartmouth, but got a 1530, you’d definitely still be in the competitive range for that school. Depending on how soon you’ll be applying to college, it might make more sense to use the time and energy you'd spend preparing for and retaking the test on other parts of your application. If you were more than 50 points short of your SAT goal score, consider Strategy 1 or 3. Strategy 3: Adjust Your List of Schools If you're 50+ points short of your goal score and don’t have time to retake the test, you might need to make some adjustments in your list of schools. While you definitely should still apply to your dream schools as reach schools, it's wise to pad out your list of match and safety schools to be in like with the lower scores. For instance, maybe you were going for 1510 but got 1410 instead. With your goal score, you had NYU (middle 50%: 1290-1490) as one of your match schools. But with an actual score of 1410, this school is now more of a reach (its 75th percentile is more than 50 points higher than your score). You also had Lehigh University (middle 50%: 1270-1430) as a safety school, but with your current score, it’s better as a match school. Finally, you might consider adding some additional safety schools that align better with your 1410 score, such as American University (middle 50%: 1180-1350) and Penn State (middle 50%: 1160-1340). Read our guide to learn more about choosing appropriate safety, match, and reach schools. Thankfully, all puppies are safety puppies. Review: What Is a Good SAT Score for You? So what are good SAT scores? Your total SAT score out of 1600 corresponds to a percentile ranking that compares you to everyone else who took the test. The current mean, or average, SAT score is 1068. What is a good SAT score for you, though? The answer to this question depends on what schools you want to attend. In this article, we described a five-step process to figure out good SAT scores for you based on the middle 50% of scores for the colleges you're applying to. We also listed SAT score ranges for 41 popular schools. Finally, we provided some advice on what to do if you don't hit your goal score. You can retake the test, do nothing (if you were pretty close to your goal score), or adjust your list of schools based on what kinds of SAT scores they're looking for. All in all, what is a good SAT score? The most important thing to remember is that good SAT scores are specific to you. You won’t necessarily need the same scores as your friends or peers, so don't feel the need to compare your goals with those of other people. What ultimately matters is that your SAT score is high enough to get you into the college of your dreams! What's Next? Trying to figure out a good SAT score for the Math, Reading, and Writing sections? Or are you wondering what makes a good SAT score for super selective institutions? We can help! If you got a low SAT score, we have a low score guide! We can also help you figure out whether or not you should retake the SAT. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Genzymes CSR Dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genzymes CSR Dilemma - Case Study Example All this point out to a dire need in the market for intensive research and development of a new drug for T.B. Genzyme although incapacitated with scarce resources has been able to create good partnership with ‘The TB Alliance Partnership’. The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development provided a highly skilled biotechnology firm. The funding of the partnership by the Gates and Rockefeller foundation provides a sure way of capital funding for the rigorous and expensive venture into the development of an effective drug. Outsourcing the research to pharmaceutical giants such as Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline ensures that appropriate machinery and skill is put into play in the development. With Genzyme vast infiltration into the developing countries, potential targets could be sourced for screening although it would require sufficient funding which was possible with the funding by the two foundations. In the current context of HAND, Genzyme aims at maximizing returns as much as helping people suffering from common treatable but neglected highly infectious diseases. To do this, Termeer should consider the potential for the firm’s resources and capabilities to achieve competitive advantage over their competitors. Termeer should consider using the Resource- Based Model of Above Average Returns (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 17). This model assumes that every organization should develop its own resources that should be unique into capabilities. These capabilities arise out of integration of resources into a task that should be dynamically managed. These resources and capabilities should serve as a competitive advantage for the firm. This brews core competencies that enable the firm to produce products that are unique and non-imitable in the market place by competitors to give a leverage to the returns. Through practice and continued use of these resources, the firm creates a strong capability to develop new products that

Mass Spectrometry PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mass Spectrometry - PowerPoint Presentation Example The ions are then separated according to charge to mass ratio. They thus deflect such that those with the same mass to charge ratio experience the same deflection. The results are displayed spectra. The molecules or atoms in the sample are identified by comparing the found masses with the known masses. Mass spectrometry technology finds a wide range of applications such as in identifying unknown compounds, determining isotropic composition of element in a molecule and elucidating the structure of a compound. The ion analyser: - fragment ions as well as molecular ions are accelerated by manipulation of the charged particles. The mass analysis uses negative and positive voltages to control the path of the ions. Uncharged molecules and fragments are pumped away. The paths the ions assume are determined by their charge to mass ratio. Ionisation occurs at the ionizer stage. For soft ionisation, the bombardment which is carried out, impact very little residual energy onto the sample molecule resulting into very little fragmentation. Hard ionisation processes result into high residual energy into the sample material thereby leading t large fragmentation. The diagram above show the mass spectrum of pentan-3-one. Here the commonest fragment oin(tallest peak) is at m/x = 5 in is important to note that this isn’t produced the same ion. The m/z =5 was produced by [CH3CH2CH2CH2]+ therefore, there is possibility of getting a particular fragment from pentane. The peak with the m/z =29 is produced my the ethyl

Assessment Centers as a Recruitment Strategy

Assessment Centers as a Recruitment Strategy SYNOPSIS TOPIC : â€Å"Assessment Centers Its Pertinence, Functionality and Application† OBJECTIVE : Primary Objective The theme permeating this research is to know about the Assessment Centers inside out, its relevance in todays businesses, functions and objectives. Secondary Objective To apprehend the application of Assessment Centers in various firms. ABSTRACT : An Assessment Center is a process designed to assess whether candidates have the skills required for the job and the future potential that the organizations are looking for. It mainly comprises a range of activities or simulations designed to test these factors. Some of the activities that are included in Assessment Center are Psychometric Tests, In-basket Exercises, Group Exercises, Role Plays, Behavioural Interviews, Case Studies et al. The primary objective of an Assessment Center is to match the right person with the available positions in an organization. The assessment center method, in its modern form, came into existence as a result of the ATT Management Progress Study In this study, which began in the late 1950s, individuals entering management positions in Bell Telephone operating companies were assessed and, from then on, their careers were followed. The chief reason the assessment center method is valid in so many different countries is that it is an easily adaptable evaluation system. Assessment Centre Method has a bearing on the following aspects of personnel management: staffing: decision making on selection, promotion, turnover and dismissal; staff development: determining educational and training requirements improving performance in management/staff relationships; bringing compensation policy in line with general policy objectives. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY : The Research will consist of Secondary Data (Reference Books, Websites, Business Journals and Articles) and Primary Data (Questionnaire, Interviews from Industry Experts) GUIDE : Prof. Arvind Rajashekar, visiting faculty, IIPM. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A Research is something that always has a question or a problem on the other side of it. The purpose behind ay research is to question through the application of Sciences or otherwise. It is a systematic and an in-depth study with the use of Primary and Secondary Instruments to gain more or complete knowledge of the subject under study. Research consists of Secondary and Primary Instruments 1. PRIMARY RESEARCH The Primary research consists of conducting a Questionnaire Survey with HR Professionals, business persons and Consultants. For this purpose, I have kept a Sample Size of 20 Respondents. The aim behind this survey is to get knowledge about Assessment Centers and its application and use by the Industry expert themselves and also Consultants who have applied Assessment Centers as a tool of Evaluation. 2. SECONDARY RESEARCH v The Secondary research consists of : a. Books on Assessment Centers b. Articles on the Internet c. Articles published in Business Journals d. HR Websites e. Research Papers by Industry experts Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT CENTERS 1.1 Assessment Centers A Gist An Assessment Center (AC) is a process designed to assess whether candidates have the skills required for the job and the future potential that the organizations are looking for. It mainly comprises a range of activities or simulations designed to test these factors. Some of the activities that are included in Assessment Center are Psychometric Tests, In-basket Exercises, Group Exercises, Role Plays, Behavioural Interviews, Case Studies et al. Traditionally an assessment centre consisted of a suite of exercises designed to assess a set of personal characteristics, it was seen as a rather formal process where the individuals being assessed had the results fed back to them in the context of a simple yes/no selection decision. However, recently definite shift is seen in thinking away from this traditional view of an assessment centre to one which stresses the developmental aspect of assessment. A consequence of this is that today it is very rare to come across an assessment centre which does not have at least some developmental aspect to it, increasingly assessment centres are stressing a collaborative approach which involves the individual actively participating in the process rather than being a passive recipient of it. In some cases we can even find assessment centres that are so developmental in their approach that most of the assessment work done is carried out by the participants themselves and the major function of the centre is to provide the participants with feedback that is as much developmental as judgmental in nature. The primary objective of an Assessment Center is to match the right person with the available positions in an organization. Assessment Centre Method has a bearing on the following aspects of personnel management: staffing: decision making on selection, promotion, turnover and dismissal; staff development: determining educational and training requirements improving performance in management/staff relationships; bringing compensation policy in line with general policy objectives. To align the strategic intent in line with the market requirements. 1.2 Definitions of an Assessment Center given by Consultants, Academicians Practitioners * Assessment Centres are often described as the variety of testing techniques that allow the candidates to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities most essential for success in a given job. Dennis A. Joiner, ‘Assessment centre in public sector: A practical approach, Public Personnel Management Journal. * An assessment center is a comprehensive standardized procedure in which multiple assessment techniques such as situational exercises and job simulation (business games, discussions, reports presentations) are used to evaluate individual employee for variety of manpower decisions. * An Assessment Centre consists of a standardized evaluation of behavior based on multiple inputs. Several trained observers and techniques are used. Judgements about behavior are made, in major part, from specifically developed assessment simulations. These judgements are pooled in a meeting among the assessors or by statistical integration process. In an integration discussion, comprehensive accounts of behavior, and often ratting of it, are pooled. The discussion results in evaluation of performance of the assessees on the dimensions/competencies or other variables that the assessment centre is designed to measure. Statistical combination methods should be validated in accordance with professionally accepted standards. ‘Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment centre operations. 28th International Congress on Assessment Centre Methods * The main feature of assessment centres is that they are a multiple assessment process. There are five main ways in which that is so. A group of participants takes part in a variety of exercises observed by a team of trained assessors who evaluate each participant against a number of predetermined, job related behaviors. Decisions are then made by pooling shared data. Iain Ballantyne and Nigel Povah * An assessment centre is a process in which individuals participate in a series of exercises, most of which approximate what they would be called upon to do in the future job. Assessors usually selected from higher management levels in the firm, are trained to observe the participants and evaluate their performance as fairly and impartially as possible. -‘Can assessment centres be used to improve the salesperson selection process, E. James Randall, Ernest E. Cooke, Richard J. Jefferies, Journal of personal selling and sales management * An assessment centre is a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional approach designed to provide reliable and valid information about a range of competencies of an individual considered to be necessary for successful performance at a target level in a specific job. ‘360 degree feedback, competency mapping and assessment centres, Radha R. Sharma * Tata Management Training Centres definition of AC: AC is an integrated standardized process in which a series of exercises are used to assess people on pre-defined parameters. These pre-definedparameters define job success in a given organizationalcontext. Most of the exercises are simulation of job activities/work challenges that the candidate is expected to perform in the next level role/job. 1.3 History of Assessment Centers Assessment Centre process was first used sometime between the two world wars. The Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War, prevented Germany from rearming and thus the traditional approach to the selection of officers, which was of observing their performance in war or in exercises was denied to them. German psychologists then devised this method which involved a combination of tests, simulations and exercises to identify the potential of officer candidates. The British Army used this methodology in the early days of Second World War when they established the War Office Selection Boards (WOSBs), again for the selection of officer candidates. However, it was brought into the private sector only in 1956 after ATT (American Telephone Telegraph Company) used it for selection of high potentials for managerial positions. This was the first industrial application of the assessment centre methodology. Both individual characteristics of young managers as well as organizational settings in which they worked were studied and evaluation at the assessment centre was used to predict whether the participant would make it to the middle management in the next ten years or less. The sample included both recent college graduates and non-management personnel who had risen to the managerial positions relatively early in their career. The dimensions assessed included managerial functions like organizing, planning, decision making, general ability such as intellectual ability, personal impression, sensitivity, and values and attitudes, both work related and social. The success of the earlier work of ATT was followed by Standard Oil which was the second to a start assessment centres. This was followed by IBM, Sears Roebuck, General Electric, and Caterpillar tractors. By 1981 more than 2500 organizations applied this methodology to select potential managers 1.4 Assessment Centers in Asia The first assessment centre in Asia was for selecting project leaders for the entrepreneurship development programme in Gujarat. Subsequently, efforts were made to introduce it in Larsen and Toubro . LT did a lot of work on job profiling but never got to the stage of developing an assessment centre for potential appraisal. Crompton Greaves attempted to use an assessment centre approach for selecting their general managers from within. It is only in the 1990s that interest in assessment centres was renewed. This was a natural response to the need to ensure competent people manning strategic positions. A large number of Asian companies have established assessment centres and many others are exploring. The companies that are trying out include : RPG Group, Escorts, TISCO, Aditya Birla Group, Eicher, Cadburys, Castrol (India), Glaxo, Grindwell Norton, ONGC, Mahindra and Mahindra, SAIL, Siemens, Wipro, Wockhardt, and Johnson Johnson. Different organizations initiated assessment centres for recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, career development, performance appraisal, and succession planning and development purposes such as identification of training needs, identification high potential managers, create a pool of managerial talent and multifunctional managers that would be available across the business group, employee recognition and fast growth. Philips, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, and Global Trust Bank are organizations that have been using assessment centres. Some of these organizations are, in the process of developing Indian managerial talent and measure it periodically. Generally the competencies that are to be measured are determined by each organization by using methods such as job analysis, managerial aptitude profile surveys, identifying competencies in star performers, etc. A variety of assessment techniques are used in Asian organizations like in-baskets, business simulations, questionnaires, group discussions, role plays, interviews, case study, individual presentations, etc. While the need is felt by all organizations to test reliability and validity of the tools used, many of them are not testing them. Both internal and external assessors are used for evaluation. Assessor training is done either through in-house training programmes or with the aid of external institutions like Academy of HRD (Hyderabad), SHL (UK), etc. Some Asian organizations have also sought assistance from organizations abroad that are using assessment centres such as GE, and Motorola. 1.5 Training and Developmental Needs Analysis The assessment centre methodology can be used to measure the abilities of individuals against certain critical criteria and identify their training and developmental needs. Such assessment centres are more diagnostic than evaluative and can be termed as development centres. In the case of use of assessment centre methodology for early identification, promotion, and selection, a final yes-no decision is critical. But in diagnostic assessment centres or development centres, final overall decision is insignificant. Each dimension must be measured with a high degree of reliability and validity because decisions are being made on each dimension. Therefore, the dimensions to be studied should be made as specific as possible. Quick, easy training methods dont change peoples skill levels. Skill acquisition requires intensive, time-consuming classroom training and must be coupled with opportunities for on-the-job practice and feedback so new behaviors are â€Å"set† in the individuals repertoire. Because skill development takes a lot of time and effort, everyone cannot be trained in every skill. The assessment center method provides an effective means to determine training or developmental needs. Individuals then can be placed in the most appropriate program. The assessment center method is an excellent diagnostic tool because it separates an individuals abilities into specific areas (dimensions) and then seeks specific examples of good and poor behavior within each dimension. This helps the assessee and his/her boss determine more precisely what training and developmental activities are required. Almost all organizations using assessment centers for selection or promotion also use the information obtained to diagnose training needs. However, a major shift in focus is the large number of firms now using assessment centers solely to diagnose training needs. 1.6 Relationship between an Assessment Center and Development Center The type of centre can vary between the traditional assessment centre used purely for selection to the more modern development centre which involves self-assessment and whose primary purpose is development. One might ask the question Why group assessment and development centres together if they have different purposes? The answer to that question is threefold. Firstly, they both involve assessment and it is only the end use of the information obtained which is different i.e. one for selection and one for development; secondly, it is impossible to draw a line between assessment and development centres because all centres, be they for assessment or development naturally lie somewhere on a continuum somewhere between the two extremes; thirdly most assessment centres involve at least some development and most development centres involve at least some assessment. This means that it is very rare to find a centre devoted to pure assessment or pure development.. Also, it purely depends upon the Organizations requirements, its policies and procedures whether it wants to conduct an AC or a DC. It is easier to think about assessment centres as being equally to do with selection and development because a degree of assessment goes on in both. Development centres grew out a liberalisation of thinking about assessment centres and it is a historical quirk that while assessment centres were once used purely for selection and have evolved to have a more developmental flavour the language used to describe them has not. Another problem with using the assessment development dichotomy is that at the very least it causes us to infer that little or no assessment goes in development centres. While you will hear centres being called assessment or development centres remember that assessment goes on in both and so to some extent at least they are both assessment centres. The end result of this is that it is not possible to talk about assessment or development centres in any but the most general terms. It is more useful to talk about the constituent parts and general processes involved in each. In these terms we can identify a number of differences between assessment and development centres that one might typically find: Assessment centres usually * have a pass/fail criteria * are geared towards filing a job vacancy * address an immediate organisational need * have fewer assessors and more participants * involve line managers as assessors * have less emphasis placed on self-assessment * focus on what the candidate can do now * are geared to meet the needs of the organisation * assign the role of judge to assessors * place emphasis on selection with little or no developmental feedback and follow up * give feedback at a later date * involve the organisation having control over the information obtained * have very little pre-centre briefing * tend to be used with external candidates Development centres usually * do not have a pass/fail criteria * are geared towards developing the individual * address a longer term need * have a 1:1 ratio of assessor to participant * do not have line managers as assessors * have a greater emphasis placed on self-assessment * focus on potential * are geared to meet needs of the individual as well as the organisation * assign the role of facilitator to assessors * place emphasis on developmental feedback and follow up with little or no selection function * give feedback immediately * involve the individual having control over the information obtained * have a substantial pre-centre briefing * tend to be used with internal candidates Chapter 2 ASSESSMENT CENTERS INSIDE OUT 2.1 Stages in a typical Assessment Center A typical Assessment Center consists of the following stages. They are : Pre AC Stage During AC Stage Post AC Stage a. PRE AC STAGE * Defining the objective of AC . * Get approval for AC from the concerned officials. * Conduct job analysis. * Define the competencies required for the target position. * Identify the potential position holder and send them invitations. * Identify the observers. * Train the observers. * Design the AC exercises * Decide the rating methodology. * Make infrastructural arrangements. * Schedule the AC. * Informing the concerned people of the schedule. b. DURING AC STAGE * Explain participants the purpose of the AC, the procedure it would follow and its outcome. * Give instructions to the participants, before every exercise. * Distribute the competency-exercise matrix sheets among observers. * Conduct all exercises. * Conduct a discussion of all observers on every participants ratings, at the end of the session. * Make a report of the strengths and improvement areas of every participant. * Give feedback to participants. * Get feedback from participants and observers about the conduction of AC. c. POST AC STAGE * Compile reports of all participants and submit the list of selected participants to the concerned authorities. * Make improvements in the design according to the recommendations. * Evaluate the validity of results after a definite period. 2.2 Sequence of Steps of an Assessment Center Sequence of Steps of an Assessment Center ( Source ‘Assessment Center for Identifying potential project managers , a Paper for the 6th European Conference on Software Quality 1999 in Vienna ) 2.3 Factors for Evaluating Assessment Center Design Five Factors for evaluating the Center Design The COLAT Model (Source Research Paper ‘Assessment of Assessment Centers by Dr. P. Sethu Madhavan) Center Design The following factors related to the centre design can be used to evaluate and compare the Assessment Centers s in the backdrop of best practices and benchmarks. * Use of qualified resource persons, assessors and support staff * Content validity of the centre and the competency profiles * Use of triangulation and corroboration of assessment results Organizational Preparedness Organizational preparedness refers to following macro level factors, that need to be addressed adequately and established in order to make an assessment or development centre to work effectively. * Policies and procedures * Structure * Clarity of organisational objectives * Buy in, commitment and change management * Communication Linkages, integration and alignment It has been observed that organizations vary considerably in ensuring the linkages, integration and alignment of ACs with the other organisational level factors and the individual level factors. ACs, therefore can be evaluated based on the following best practice anchors falling under these dimensions. * Alignment with core values, vision, mission and strategy * Alignment and linkages with other key HR systems and processes * Alignment with external professional bodies ADCs should be â€Å"purposively† aligned with and derived from the strategy, vision, mission, values and culture of the organisation or the unit. The centre should be designed in such way as to ensure that it helps to meet the strategic objectives of the organisation Quality of Assessment tools and methods In many countries, professional associations and legal requirements dictate that ACs follow some standard practices in the selection, use and administration of assessment methods, especially the psychometric tests. India perhaps has been lagging behind in imposing national level professional standards and certifications to ensure competent and ethical use of psychometric tests. In the absence of any national level qualifications regarding the use of psychometric tests in India, many institutions have been doing a great service to fill this gap by offering, professional training and consultancy services. However, observations and experiences reveal that ACs still vary considerably on their eagerness to ensure quality of tools and methods. * Quality of administration * Reliability * Validity * Utility * Reactivity * Relevance * Test fairness(Statistical) * Technology and use of computers Treatment of Participants and Data Treatment of participants and data in assessment centers is very important from ethical point of view. Some variables and indicators related to this dimension are listed below. * Psychological fairness as perceived by the participants and stakeholders * Right to information, informed consent and informed decisions * Confidentiality and data protection * Feedback policy * Post assessment follow-up and support 2.4 Types of Assessment Exercises Some of the widely used Assessment Center Exercises are as follows : Assement Center Exercise An in-tray or in-basket exercise asks to assume a particular role as an employee of a fictitious company and work through the correspondence in your in-tray. This exercise is designed to measure candidates ability to organize and prioritize work. In a presentation exercise, candidate is given a topic or possibly a choice of topics and asked to make a presentation of around ten minutes with five minutes at the end for questions. This is designed to measure his presentation skills including the ability to organise and structure the information and to communicate his points clearly and concisely. Group discussion exercises involve working with other candidates as part of a team to resolve a presented issue. These exercises are designed to measure interpersonal skills such as group leadership, teamwork, negotiation, and group problem solving skills. Panel interviews are regarded as a more objective means of assessing the candidates suitability as he will be interviewed by between three and five people and therefore the decision is not reliant on just one persons opinion. In addition, they are usually more structured than a one-to-one interview as the panel need to assess all of the candidates against the same criteria. 2.5 How Assessment Center Exercises are Conducted ? The assessment centre method is utilized in a variety of settings including industry and business, government, armed forces, educational institutions, and safety forces to select individuals for supervisory, technical, sales, or management positions. One recent trend is in the development of mass testing. This is done by video-taping candidates as they perform various exercises and by using objectively scored exercises. This permits the assessment of a much larger number of candidates per day as the scoring is done later and requires far less observation and administration. Assesment Centre Procedure Assessment centres are usually used after the initial stages of the selection process, because of the large amount of time and expense in conducting them, and usually follow the initial job interview. Other measurements such as psychological tests may complement the selection process.: They are commonly held either on employers premises or in a hotel and are considered by many organizations to be the fairest and most accurate method of selecting staff. This is because a number of different selectors get to see you over a longer period of time and have the chance to see what you can do, rather than what you say you can do, in a variety of situations. Assessment Centres may be conducted by HR personnel within the employer company or by outside consultants. They are highly structured in their design, application, and assessment procedure and are specifically adapted to assess factors such as your level of skills, aptitude and compatibility with the organizations culture. Each test measures a range of indicators within these factors. During each test, a group of observers will rate the candidate on a range of set indicators, using a prescribed performance scale. Results are then cross compared against the same indicators, which are measured in other tests. Following test completion, observers meet to discuss the test results and reach a group consensus about the ratings. At the beginning of the assessment, participant should receive an initial briefing about the timetable of tests, location of rooms etc. Prior to each test, he will be given instructions describing the exercise, his role, timeframes, equipment etc. He will not be told in detail about the individual indicators which will be measured. In addition, he is unlikely to receive feedback on the results, unless he have been successfully selected. Assessment centers typically involve the participants completing a range of exercises which simulate the activities carried out in the target job. Various combinations of these exercises and sometimes other assessment methods like psychometric testing and interviews are used to assess particular competencies in individuals. The theory behind this is that if one wishes to predict future job performance then the best way of doing this is to get the individual to carry out a set of tasks which accurately sample those required in the job and are as similar to them as possible. The particular competencies used will depend upon the target job but one will often find competencies such as relating to people; resistance to stress; planning and organising; motivation; adaptability and flexibility; problem solving; leadership; communication; decision making and initiative. There are numerous possible competencies and the ones which are relevant to a particular job are determined through job ana lysis. The fact that a set of exercises is used demonstrates one crucial characteristic of an assessment centre namely that it is behaviour that is being observed and measured. This represents a significant departure from many traditional selection approaches which rely on the observer or selector attempting to infer personal characteristics from behaviour based upon subjective judgement and usually precious little evidence. This approach is rendered unfair and inaccurate by the subjective whims and biases of the selector and in many cases produces a selection decision based on a freewheeling social interaction after which a decision is made whether the individual is face fit with the organisation. 2.6 Essential Elements of an Assessment Center Assessment Centers must have the following criteria to be called so : 1. Job Analysis To understand job challenges and the competencies required for successful execution of the job. 2. Predefined competencies Modeling the competencies, which will be tested during the process. 3. Behavioral classification Behaviors displayed by participants must be classified into meaningful and relevant categories such as dimensions, attributes, characteristics, aptitudes, qualities, skills, abilities, competencies, and knowledge. 4. Assessment techniques These include a number of exercises to test the assessees of their potentials. Each competency is tested through atleast 2 exercises for gathering adequate evidence for the presence of particular competence. 5. Simulations The exercises should simulate the job responsibilities as closely as possible to eliminate potential errors in selection. 6. Observations Accurate and unbiased observation is the most critical aspect of an AC. 7. Observers Multiple observers are used to eliminate subjectivity and biases from the process. They are given thorough training in the process prior to participating in the AC. 8. Recording Behavior A systematic procedure of recording must be used by the assessors for future reference. The recording could be in the form of hand written note, behavioral checklist, audio-video recording etc. 9. Reports Each observer must make a detailed report of his observation before going for the discussion of integration of scores. 10. Data Integration The pooling of information from different assessors is done through statistical techniques. 2.7 Assessment Centers Usage Various Organizations use the data provided Assessment Centers as a Recruitment Strategy Assessment Centers as a Recruitment Strategy SYNOPSIS TOPIC : â€Å"Assessment Centers Its Pertinence, Functionality and Application† OBJECTIVE : Primary Objective The theme permeating this research is to know about the Assessment Centers inside out, its relevance in todays businesses, functions and objectives. Secondary Objective To apprehend the application of Assessment Centers in various firms. ABSTRACT : An Assessment Center is a process designed to assess whether candidates have the skills required for the job and the future potential that the organizations are looking for. It mainly comprises a range of activities or simulations designed to test these factors. Some of the activities that are included in Assessment Center are Psychometric Tests, In-basket Exercises, Group Exercises, Role Plays, Behavioural Interviews, Case Studies et al. The primary objective of an Assessment Center is to match the right person with the available positions in an organization. The assessment center method, in its modern form, came into existence as a result of the ATT Management Progress Study In this study, which began in the late 1950s, individuals entering management positions in Bell Telephone operating companies were assessed and, from then on, their careers were followed. The chief reason the assessment center method is valid in so many different countries is that it is an easily adaptable evaluation system. Assessment Centre Method has a bearing on the following aspects of personnel management: staffing: decision making on selection, promotion, turnover and dismissal; staff development: determining educational and training requirements improving performance in management/staff relationships; bringing compensation policy in line with general policy objectives. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY : The Research will consist of Secondary Data (Reference Books, Websites, Business Journals and Articles) and Primary Data (Questionnaire, Interviews from Industry Experts) GUIDE : Prof. Arvind Rajashekar, visiting faculty, IIPM. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A Research is something that always has a question or a problem on the other side of it. The purpose behind ay research is to question through the application of Sciences or otherwise. It is a systematic and an in-depth study with the use of Primary and Secondary Instruments to gain more or complete knowledge of the subject under study. Research consists of Secondary and Primary Instruments 1. PRIMARY RESEARCH The Primary research consists of conducting a Questionnaire Survey with HR Professionals, business persons and Consultants. For this purpose, I have kept a Sample Size of 20 Respondents. The aim behind this survey is to get knowledge about Assessment Centers and its application and use by the Industry expert themselves and also Consultants who have applied Assessment Centers as a tool of Evaluation. 2. SECONDARY RESEARCH v The Secondary research consists of : a. Books on Assessment Centers b. Articles on the Internet c. Articles published in Business Journals d. HR Websites e. Research Papers by Industry experts Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT CENTERS 1.1 Assessment Centers A Gist An Assessment Center (AC) is a process designed to assess whether candidates have the skills required for the job and the future potential that the organizations are looking for. It mainly comprises a range of activities or simulations designed to test these factors. Some of the activities that are included in Assessment Center are Psychometric Tests, In-basket Exercises, Group Exercises, Role Plays, Behavioural Interviews, Case Studies et al. Traditionally an assessment centre consisted of a suite of exercises designed to assess a set of personal characteristics, it was seen as a rather formal process where the individuals being assessed had the results fed back to them in the context of a simple yes/no selection decision. However, recently definite shift is seen in thinking away from this traditional view of an assessment centre to one which stresses the developmental aspect of assessment. A consequence of this is that today it is very rare to come across an assessment centre which does not have at least some developmental aspect to it, increasingly assessment centres are stressing a collaborative approach which involves the individual actively participating in the process rather than being a passive recipient of it. In some cases we can even find assessment centres that are so developmental in their approach that most of the assessment work done is carried out by the participants themselves and the major function of the centre is to provide the participants with feedback that is as much developmental as judgmental in nature. The primary objective of an Assessment Center is to match the right person with the available positions in an organization. Assessment Centre Method has a bearing on the following aspects of personnel management: staffing: decision making on selection, promotion, turnover and dismissal; staff development: determining educational and training requirements improving performance in management/staff relationships; bringing compensation policy in line with general policy objectives. To align the strategic intent in line with the market requirements. 1.2 Definitions of an Assessment Center given by Consultants, Academicians Practitioners * Assessment Centres are often described as the variety of testing techniques that allow the candidates to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities most essential for success in a given job. Dennis A. Joiner, ‘Assessment centre in public sector: A practical approach, Public Personnel Management Journal. * An assessment center is a comprehensive standardized procedure in which multiple assessment techniques such as situational exercises and job simulation (business games, discussions, reports presentations) are used to evaluate individual employee for variety of manpower decisions. * An Assessment Centre consists of a standardized evaluation of behavior based on multiple inputs. Several trained observers and techniques are used. Judgements about behavior are made, in major part, from specifically developed assessment simulations. These judgements are pooled in a meeting among the assessors or by statistical integration process. In an integration discussion, comprehensive accounts of behavior, and often ratting of it, are pooled. The discussion results in evaluation of performance of the assessees on the dimensions/competencies or other variables that the assessment centre is designed to measure. Statistical combination methods should be validated in accordance with professionally accepted standards. ‘Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment centre operations. 28th International Congress on Assessment Centre Methods * The main feature of assessment centres is that they are a multiple assessment process. There are five main ways in which that is so. A group of participants takes part in a variety of exercises observed by a team of trained assessors who evaluate each participant against a number of predetermined, job related behaviors. Decisions are then made by pooling shared data. Iain Ballantyne and Nigel Povah * An assessment centre is a process in which individuals participate in a series of exercises, most of which approximate what they would be called upon to do in the future job. Assessors usually selected from higher management levels in the firm, are trained to observe the participants and evaluate their performance as fairly and impartially as possible. -‘Can assessment centres be used to improve the salesperson selection process, E. James Randall, Ernest E. Cooke, Richard J. Jefferies, Journal of personal selling and sales management * An assessment centre is a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional approach designed to provide reliable and valid information about a range of competencies of an individual considered to be necessary for successful performance at a target level in a specific job. ‘360 degree feedback, competency mapping and assessment centres, Radha R. Sharma * Tata Management Training Centres definition of AC: AC is an integrated standardized process in which a series of exercises are used to assess people on pre-defined parameters. These pre-definedparameters define job success in a given organizationalcontext. Most of the exercises are simulation of job activities/work challenges that the candidate is expected to perform in the next level role/job. 1.3 History of Assessment Centers Assessment Centre process was first used sometime between the two world wars. The Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War, prevented Germany from rearming and thus the traditional approach to the selection of officers, which was of observing their performance in war or in exercises was denied to them. German psychologists then devised this method which involved a combination of tests, simulations and exercises to identify the potential of officer candidates. The British Army used this methodology in the early days of Second World War when they established the War Office Selection Boards (WOSBs), again for the selection of officer candidates. However, it was brought into the private sector only in 1956 after ATT (American Telephone Telegraph Company) used it for selection of high potentials for managerial positions. This was the first industrial application of the assessment centre methodology. Both individual characteristics of young managers as well as organizational settings in which they worked were studied and evaluation at the assessment centre was used to predict whether the participant would make it to the middle management in the next ten years or less. The sample included both recent college graduates and non-management personnel who had risen to the managerial positions relatively early in their career. The dimensions assessed included managerial functions like organizing, planning, decision making, general ability such as intellectual ability, personal impression, sensitivity, and values and attitudes, both work related and social. The success of the earlier work of ATT was followed by Standard Oil which was the second to a start assessment centres. This was followed by IBM, Sears Roebuck, General Electric, and Caterpillar tractors. By 1981 more than 2500 organizations applied this methodology to select potential managers 1.4 Assessment Centers in Asia The first assessment centre in Asia was for selecting project leaders for the entrepreneurship development programme in Gujarat. Subsequently, efforts were made to introduce it in Larsen and Toubro . LT did a lot of work on job profiling but never got to the stage of developing an assessment centre for potential appraisal. Crompton Greaves attempted to use an assessment centre approach for selecting their general managers from within. It is only in the 1990s that interest in assessment centres was renewed. This was a natural response to the need to ensure competent people manning strategic positions. A large number of Asian companies have established assessment centres and many others are exploring. The companies that are trying out include : RPG Group, Escorts, TISCO, Aditya Birla Group, Eicher, Cadburys, Castrol (India), Glaxo, Grindwell Norton, ONGC, Mahindra and Mahindra, SAIL, Siemens, Wipro, Wockhardt, and Johnson Johnson. Different organizations initiated assessment centres for recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, career development, performance appraisal, and succession planning and development purposes such as identification of training needs, identification high potential managers, create a pool of managerial talent and multifunctional managers that would be available across the business group, employee recognition and fast growth. Philips, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, and Global Trust Bank are organizations that have been using assessment centres. Some of these organizations are, in the process of developing Indian managerial talent and measure it periodically. Generally the competencies that are to be measured are determined by each organization by using methods such as job analysis, managerial aptitude profile surveys, identifying competencies in star performers, etc. A variety of assessment techniques are used in Asian organizations like in-baskets, business simulations, questionnaires, group discussions, role plays, interviews, case study, individual presentations, etc. While the need is felt by all organizations to test reliability and validity of the tools used, many of them are not testing them. Both internal and external assessors are used for evaluation. Assessor training is done either through in-house training programmes or with the aid of external institutions like Academy of HRD (Hyderabad), SHL (UK), etc. Some Asian organizations have also sought assistance from organizations abroad that are using assessment centres such as GE, and Motorola. 1.5 Training and Developmental Needs Analysis The assessment centre methodology can be used to measure the abilities of individuals against certain critical criteria and identify their training and developmental needs. Such assessment centres are more diagnostic than evaluative and can be termed as development centres. In the case of use of assessment centre methodology for early identification, promotion, and selection, a final yes-no decision is critical. But in diagnostic assessment centres or development centres, final overall decision is insignificant. Each dimension must be measured with a high degree of reliability and validity because decisions are being made on each dimension. Therefore, the dimensions to be studied should be made as specific as possible. Quick, easy training methods dont change peoples skill levels. Skill acquisition requires intensive, time-consuming classroom training and must be coupled with opportunities for on-the-job practice and feedback so new behaviors are â€Å"set† in the individuals repertoire. Because skill development takes a lot of time and effort, everyone cannot be trained in every skill. The assessment center method provides an effective means to determine training or developmental needs. Individuals then can be placed in the most appropriate program. The assessment center method is an excellent diagnostic tool because it separates an individuals abilities into specific areas (dimensions) and then seeks specific examples of good and poor behavior within each dimension. This helps the assessee and his/her boss determine more precisely what training and developmental activities are required. Almost all organizations using assessment centers for selection or promotion also use the information obtained to diagnose training needs. However, a major shift in focus is the large number of firms now using assessment centers solely to diagnose training needs. 1.6 Relationship between an Assessment Center and Development Center The type of centre can vary between the traditional assessment centre used purely for selection to the more modern development centre which involves self-assessment and whose primary purpose is development. One might ask the question Why group assessment and development centres together if they have different purposes? The answer to that question is threefold. Firstly, they both involve assessment and it is only the end use of the information obtained which is different i.e. one for selection and one for development; secondly, it is impossible to draw a line between assessment and development centres because all centres, be they for assessment or development naturally lie somewhere on a continuum somewhere between the two extremes; thirdly most assessment centres involve at least some development and most development centres involve at least some assessment. This means that it is very rare to find a centre devoted to pure assessment or pure development.. Also, it purely depends upon the Organizations requirements, its policies and procedures whether it wants to conduct an AC or a DC. It is easier to think about assessment centres as being equally to do with selection and development because a degree of assessment goes on in both. Development centres grew out a liberalisation of thinking about assessment centres and it is a historical quirk that while assessment centres were once used purely for selection and have evolved to have a more developmental flavour the language used to describe them has not. Another problem with using the assessment development dichotomy is that at the very least it causes us to infer that little or no assessment goes in development centres. While you will hear centres being called assessment or development centres remember that assessment goes on in both and so to some extent at least they are both assessment centres. The end result of this is that it is not possible to talk about assessment or development centres in any but the most general terms. It is more useful to talk about the constituent parts and general processes involved in each. In these terms we can identify a number of differences between assessment and development centres that one might typically find: Assessment centres usually * have a pass/fail criteria * are geared towards filing a job vacancy * address an immediate organisational need * have fewer assessors and more participants * involve line managers as assessors * have less emphasis placed on self-assessment * focus on what the candidate can do now * are geared to meet the needs of the organisation * assign the role of judge to assessors * place emphasis on selection with little or no developmental feedback and follow up * give feedback at a later date * involve the organisation having control over the information obtained * have very little pre-centre briefing * tend to be used with external candidates Development centres usually * do not have a pass/fail criteria * are geared towards developing the individual * address a longer term need * have a 1:1 ratio of assessor to participant * do not have line managers as assessors * have a greater emphasis placed on self-assessment * focus on potential * are geared to meet needs of the individual as well as the organisation * assign the role of facilitator to assessors * place emphasis on developmental feedback and follow up with little or no selection function * give feedback immediately * involve the individual having control over the information obtained * have a substantial pre-centre briefing * tend to be used with internal candidates Chapter 2 ASSESSMENT CENTERS INSIDE OUT 2.1 Stages in a typical Assessment Center A typical Assessment Center consists of the following stages. They are : Pre AC Stage During AC Stage Post AC Stage a. PRE AC STAGE * Defining the objective of AC . * Get approval for AC from the concerned officials. * Conduct job analysis. * Define the competencies required for the target position. * Identify the potential position holder and send them invitations. * Identify the observers. * Train the observers. * Design the AC exercises * Decide the rating methodology. * Make infrastructural arrangements. * Schedule the AC. * Informing the concerned people of the schedule. b. DURING AC STAGE * Explain participants the purpose of the AC, the procedure it would follow and its outcome. * Give instructions to the participants, before every exercise. * Distribute the competency-exercise matrix sheets among observers. * Conduct all exercises. * Conduct a discussion of all observers on every participants ratings, at the end of the session. * Make a report of the strengths and improvement areas of every participant. * Give feedback to participants. * Get feedback from participants and observers about the conduction of AC. c. POST AC STAGE * Compile reports of all participants and submit the list of selected participants to the concerned authorities. * Make improvements in the design according to the recommendations. * Evaluate the validity of results after a definite period. 2.2 Sequence of Steps of an Assessment Center Sequence of Steps of an Assessment Center ( Source ‘Assessment Center for Identifying potential project managers , a Paper for the 6th European Conference on Software Quality 1999 in Vienna ) 2.3 Factors for Evaluating Assessment Center Design Five Factors for evaluating the Center Design The COLAT Model (Source Research Paper ‘Assessment of Assessment Centers by Dr. P. Sethu Madhavan) Center Design The following factors related to the centre design can be used to evaluate and compare the Assessment Centers s in the backdrop of best practices and benchmarks. * Use of qualified resource persons, assessors and support staff * Content validity of the centre and the competency profiles * Use of triangulation and corroboration of assessment results Organizational Preparedness Organizational preparedness refers to following macro level factors, that need to be addressed adequately and established in order to make an assessment or development centre to work effectively. * Policies and procedures * Structure * Clarity of organisational objectives * Buy in, commitment and change management * Communication Linkages, integration and alignment It has been observed that organizations vary considerably in ensuring the linkages, integration and alignment of ACs with the other organisational level factors and the individual level factors. ACs, therefore can be evaluated based on the following best practice anchors falling under these dimensions. * Alignment with core values, vision, mission and strategy * Alignment and linkages with other key HR systems and processes * Alignment with external professional bodies ADCs should be â€Å"purposively† aligned with and derived from the strategy, vision, mission, values and culture of the organisation or the unit. The centre should be designed in such way as to ensure that it helps to meet the strategic objectives of the organisation Quality of Assessment tools and methods In many countries, professional associations and legal requirements dictate that ACs follow some standard practices in the selection, use and administration of assessment methods, especially the psychometric tests. India perhaps has been lagging behind in imposing national level professional standards and certifications to ensure competent and ethical use of psychometric tests. In the absence of any national level qualifications regarding the use of psychometric tests in India, many institutions have been doing a great service to fill this gap by offering, professional training and consultancy services. However, observations and experiences reveal that ACs still vary considerably on their eagerness to ensure quality of tools and methods. * Quality of administration * Reliability * Validity * Utility * Reactivity * Relevance * Test fairness(Statistical) * Technology and use of computers Treatment of Participants and Data Treatment of participants and data in assessment centers is very important from ethical point of view. Some variables and indicators related to this dimension are listed below. * Psychological fairness as perceived by the participants and stakeholders * Right to information, informed consent and informed decisions * Confidentiality and data protection * Feedback policy * Post assessment follow-up and support 2.4 Types of Assessment Exercises Some of the widely used Assessment Center Exercises are as follows : Assement Center Exercise An in-tray or in-basket exercise asks to assume a particular role as an employee of a fictitious company and work through the correspondence in your in-tray. This exercise is designed to measure candidates ability to organize and prioritize work. In a presentation exercise, candidate is given a topic or possibly a choice of topics and asked to make a presentation of around ten minutes with five minutes at the end for questions. This is designed to measure his presentation skills including the ability to organise and structure the information and to communicate his points clearly and concisely. Group discussion exercises involve working with other candidates as part of a team to resolve a presented issue. These exercises are designed to measure interpersonal skills such as group leadership, teamwork, negotiation, and group problem solving skills. Panel interviews are regarded as a more objective means of assessing the candidates suitability as he will be interviewed by between three and five people and therefore the decision is not reliant on just one persons opinion. In addition, they are usually more structured than a one-to-one interview as the panel need to assess all of the candidates against the same criteria. 2.5 How Assessment Center Exercises are Conducted ? The assessment centre method is utilized in a variety of settings including industry and business, government, armed forces, educational institutions, and safety forces to select individuals for supervisory, technical, sales, or management positions. One recent trend is in the development of mass testing. This is done by video-taping candidates as they perform various exercises and by using objectively scored exercises. This permits the assessment of a much larger number of candidates per day as the scoring is done later and requires far less observation and administration. Assesment Centre Procedure Assessment centres are usually used after the initial stages of the selection process, because of the large amount of time and expense in conducting them, and usually follow the initial job interview. Other measurements such as psychological tests may complement the selection process.: They are commonly held either on employers premises or in a hotel and are considered by many organizations to be the fairest and most accurate method of selecting staff. This is because a number of different selectors get to see you over a longer period of time and have the chance to see what you can do, rather than what you say you can do, in a variety of situations. Assessment Centres may be conducted by HR personnel within the employer company or by outside consultants. They are highly structured in their design, application, and assessment procedure and are specifically adapted to assess factors such as your level of skills, aptitude and compatibility with the organizations culture. Each test measures a range of indicators within these factors. During each test, a group of observers will rate the candidate on a range of set indicators, using a prescribed performance scale. Results are then cross compared against the same indicators, which are measured in other tests. Following test completion, observers meet to discuss the test results and reach a group consensus about the ratings. At the beginning of the assessment, participant should receive an initial briefing about the timetable of tests, location of rooms etc. Prior to each test, he will be given instructions describing the exercise, his role, timeframes, equipment etc. He will not be told in detail about the individual indicators which will be measured. In addition, he is unlikely to receive feedback on the results, unless he have been successfully selected. Assessment centers typically involve the participants completing a range of exercises which simulate the activities carried out in the target job. Various combinations of these exercises and sometimes other assessment methods like psychometric testing and interviews are used to assess particular competencies in individuals. The theory behind this is that if one wishes to predict future job performance then the best way of doing this is to get the individual to carry out a set of tasks which accurately sample those required in the job and are as similar to them as possible. The particular competencies used will depend upon the target job but one will often find competencies such as relating to people; resistance to stress; planning and organising; motivation; adaptability and flexibility; problem solving; leadership; communication; decision making and initiative. There are numerous possible competencies and the ones which are relevant to a particular job are determined through job ana lysis. The fact that a set of exercises is used demonstrates one crucial characteristic of an assessment centre namely that it is behaviour that is being observed and measured. This represents a significant departure from many traditional selection approaches which rely on the observer or selector attempting to infer personal characteristics from behaviour based upon subjective judgement and usually precious little evidence. This approach is rendered unfair and inaccurate by the subjective whims and biases of the selector and in many cases produces a selection decision based on a freewheeling social interaction after which a decision is made whether the individual is face fit with the organisation. 2.6 Essential Elements of an Assessment Center Assessment Centers must have the following criteria to be called so : 1. Job Analysis To understand job challenges and the competencies required for successful execution of the job. 2. Predefined competencies Modeling the competencies, which will be tested during the process. 3. Behavioral classification Behaviors displayed by participants must be classified into meaningful and relevant categories such as dimensions, attributes, characteristics, aptitudes, qualities, skills, abilities, competencies, and knowledge. 4. Assessment techniques These include a number of exercises to test the assessees of their potentials. Each competency is tested through atleast 2 exercises for gathering adequate evidence for the presence of particular competence. 5. Simulations The exercises should simulate the job responsibilities as closely as possible to eliminate potential errors in selection. 6. Observations Accurate and unbiased observation is the most critical aspect of an AC. 7. Observers Multiple observers are used to eliminate subjectivity and biases from the process. They are given thorough training in the process prior to participating in the AC. 8. Recording Behavior A systematic procedure of recording must be used by the assessors for future reference. The recording could be in the form of hand written note, behavioral checklist, audio-video recording etc. 9. Reports Each observer must make a detailed report of his observation before going for the discussion of integration of scores. 10. Data Integration The pooling of information from different assessors is done through statistical techniques. 2.7 Assessment Centers Usage Various Organizations use the data provided

Isp – Internet Service Provider

Internet service provider * ISP (Internet service provider) * Regional ISPs provide Internet access to a specific geographical area * National ISPs provide Internet access in cities and towns nationwide * Online service provider (OSP) * Has many members-only features * Popular OSPs include AOL (America Online) and MSN (Microsoft Network) * Wireless Internet service provider (WISP) * Provides wireless Internet access to computers and mobile devices * May require a wireless modem An Internet service provider (ISP) is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. [1] Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers (colocation). Transit ISPs provide large amounts of bandwidth for connecting hosting ISPs to access ISPs. [2] Internet connectivity options from end-user to Tier 3/2 ISPs * | History The Internet started off as a closed network between government research laboratories and relevant parts of universities. As it became more popular, universities and colleges started giving more of their members access to it. As a result of its popularity, commercial Internet service providers sprang up to offer access to the Internet to anyone willing to pay for the service, mainly to those who missed their university accounts. In 1990, Brookline, Massachusetts-based The World became the first commercial ISP. [3] Access provider ISPs employ a range of technologies to enable consumers to connect to their network. For users and small businesses, traditional options include: dial-up, DSL (typically Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, ADSL), broadband wireless, cable modem, fiber to the premises (FTTH), and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) (typically basic rate interface). For customers with more demanding requirements, such as medium-to-large businesses, or other ISPs, DSL (often Single-Pair High-speed Digital Subscriber Line or ADSL), Ethernet, Metropolythian Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Frame Relay, ISDN (B. R. I. or P. R. I. ), ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and upload satellite Internet access. Sync-optical cabling (SONET) are more likely to be used. [citation needed] Typical home user connectivity * Broadband wireless access * Cable Internet * Dial-up * ISDN * Modem * DSL * FTTH * Wi-Fi Business-type connection: * DSL * Metro Ethernet technology * Leased line * SHDSL Locality When using a dial-up or ISDN connection method, the ISP cannot determine the caller's physical location to more detail than using the number transmitted using an appropriate form of Caller ID; it is entirely possible to e. g. connect to an ISP located in Mexico from the USA. Other means of connection such as cable or DSL require a fixed registered connection node, usually associated at the ISP with a physical address. Mailbox provider A company or organization that provides email mailbox hosting services for end users and/or organizations. Many Mailbox Providers are also Access Providers. Hosting ISPs Hosting ISPs routinely provide email, FTP, and web-hosting services. Other services include virtual machines, clouds, or entire physical servers where customers can run their own custom software. Transit ISPs Just as their customers pay them for Internet access, ISPs themselves pay upstream ISPs for Internet access. An upstream ISP usually has a larger network than the contracting ISP and/or is able to provide the contracting ISP with access to parts of the Internet the contracting ISP by itself has no access to. In the simplest case, a single connection is established to an upstream ISP and is used to transmit data to or from areas of the Internet beyond the home network; this mode of interconnection is often cascaded multiple times until reaching a Tier 1 carrier. In reality, the situation is often more complex. ISPs with more than one point of presence (PoP) may have separate connections to an upstream ISP at multiple PoPs, or they may be customers of multiple upstream ISPs and may have connections to each one of them at one or more point of presence. Peering Main article: Peering ISPs may engage in peering, where multiple ISPs interconnect at peering points or Internet exchange points (IXs), allowing routing of data between each network, without charging one another for the data transmitted—data that would otherwise have passed through a third upstream ISP, incurring charges from the upstream ISP. ISPs requiring no upstream and having only customers (end customers and/or peer ISPs) are called Tier 1 ISPs. Network hardware, software and specifications, as well as the expertise of network management personnel are important in ensuring that data follows the most efficient route, and upstream connections work reliably. A tradeoff between cost and efficiency is possible. Derivatives The following are not a different type of the above ISPs, rather they are derivatives of the 3 core ISP types. A VISP is reselling either access or hosting services. Free ISPs are similar, but they just have a different revenue model. Virtual ISP Main article: Virtual ISP A Virtual ISP (VISP) is an operation which purchases services from another ISP (sometimes called a â€Å"wholesale ISP† in this context)[4] which allow the VISP's customers to access the Internet using services and infrastructure owned and operated by the wholesale ISP. Free ISP Free ISPs are Internet Service Providers (ISPs) which provide service free of charge. Many free ISPs display advertisements while the user is connected; like commercial television, in a sense they are selling the users' attention to the advertiser. Other free ISPs, often called freenets, are run on a nonprofit basis, usually with volunteer staff. Related services * Broadband Internet access * Fixed wireless access * Cable * Triple play * Internet hosting service * Web hosting service * E-mail hosting service * DNS hosting service * Dynamic DNS

The Best And Worst Parts Of Society - 1367 Words

Comic book characters represent the best and worst parts of society as seen through the eyes of the writers. Heroes emanate what the writers perceive as the ideal human, someone attractive with a strong moral code and a high tolerance for pain. Villains represent what the writers perceive as problematic, people who are overly ambitious, immoral and represent the â€Å"other†, both in appearance and beliefs. These characterisations reflect the views of society’s majority, white men, essentially the creators and controllers of pop culture. Captain America was a hero, the epitome of American Patriotism. He was strong, smart and morally sound and he fought American enemies, the Nazis and communism. Magneto, from the same comic universe as Captain America, was a villain aiming for the eradication of all non-mutants. The interesting thing about his evil acts is that they’re almost justified by his previous experiences with oppression, he’s the comic book represe ntation of a victim fighting back and he’s represented as villainous for that. Disabilities are represented atrociously in comic books because they’re represented atrociously in pop culture. Steve Rogers was useless to the army until he was injected with an untested serum and was no longer frail. Superman used glasses to imply vision impairment, because, no superhero could be physically inadequate in any way, so his secret was safe. In Steve’s case, his diagnoses are represented as things that need fixing before he can beShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Plato s Republic And Aristotle s Politics1375 Words   |  6 PagesPolitical Society Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics both accredit nature to the teleological functions of men, women, and children. 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