L1: Intro & Job Analysis Flashcards
1
Q
what is the predictor measure in the Binning & Barrett model?
A
a measure of the psychological construct underlying it (ex: extraversion). it tries to find an answer to this question: How can we see if a person has a potential to be successful?
predictor
(like test scores)
should align w job performance requirements
2
Q
what is the criterion measure in the Binning & Barrett model?
A
a measure of performance (ex: coming up w creative ideas). it tries to find an answer to this question: How can we see if a person is successful after being hired?
3
Q
Define the underlying psych construct domain in Binning & Barrett model & its aim
A
Conceived by researchers with reference to some theoretical framework its aim is to explain general regularities in human behaviour.
4
Q
what is the point of performance domain in the Binning & Barrett model?
A
- job behaviours or outcomes valued by an organisation
- determined/influenced by org decision makers & selection spedcialists.
Aim is toTranslate broad organizational goals into normative statements of valued behaviors & outcomes.
5
Q
what are some misconceptiosn about validity?
A
- some believe criterion validity (correlation between tests & job performance is enough, but this ignores deeper psych constructs
- test can have strong statistical validity but still be a poor predictor of performance if it lacks content or construct validity
- courts often mandate specific validity requirements for tests used in hiring, which can oversimplify the validation process
6
Q
what is the role of job analysis in validity?
A
- job analysis is critical for establishing validity - it identifies what skills & behaviours matter for the job
- without proper job analysis, selection tests may measure the wrong things
- inference based validation ensures tests measure the right constructs for the job
7
Q
what is the criterion problem?
A
defining what job performance means is challenging
- performanceratings can be biased due to unclear performance measures
- organizations should use multiple performance measures, not just supervisor ratings
8
Q
what does “criterion” mean here?
A
the measure of job performance used to evaluate whether a selection test (predictor) is valid
9
Q
What is the point of the Binning & Barrett model?
A
at its essence it has validity
it tries to answser the question: What does a test/procedure actually measure & how well does it measure it?
10
Q
What is validation?
A
The process of gathering evidence or evaluating the necessary data.
11
Q
What is validity in this context?
A
Degree to which the evidence supports the inferences made from expectations.
specifically here it referes to how well a test or assessment predicts job performance
Validity is not about the test itself, but about the inferences made from test results
12
Q
what is the importance of validity in personnel decisions?
A
Selection procedures should be based on scientific and legal validity to ensure fairness and effectiveness.
13
Q
what are the 3 types of validity in personnel seletion?
A
a unified view of validity integrates:
1. construct validity: does the test measure the intended psych construct
2. content validity: does the test reflect actual job tasks
3. criterion related validity: does the test correlate w job performance
14
Q
how is the validation process, hypothesis testing?
A
- The process of validating selection tests follows scientific theory-building.
- Tests infer a person’s abilities, but inferences must be backed by empirical evidence.
- A test is valid only if supported by multiple forms of evidence, not just one study
15
Q
what is job analysis?
A
systematic process of gathering, documenting, and analyzing job-related info
16
Q
for what purposes is job analysis used?
A
- recruitment
- training
- performance management
- compensation
- legal compliance
- help organizations redesign jobs to adapt to automation and strategic changes
17
Q
define task
A
a specific work activity (like writing reports)
18
Q
define duty
A
a collection of related tasks (like managing customer inquiries)
19
Q
define position
A
a specific job occupied by an individual (like HR assistant at company x)
20
Q
define job
A
a set of similar positions requiring the same skills (like all HR assistants
21
Q
define job family
A
a group of related jobs (like all HR roles)
22
Q
what are work oriented vs worker oriented descriptors
A
Work-Oriented: Focuses on tasks and duties (e.g., assembling products).
Worker-Oriented: Focuses on worker attributes (KSAOs) like problem-solving or communication skills
23
Q
List choices awaiting the job analyst.
A
- Activities (work oriented) vs attributes (worker oriented): analysing tasks vs required skills
- General vs specific level of detaill in the job description/analysis
- Qualitative vs quantitative: narrative descriptions vs numerical ratings
- Taxonomy based (PAQ, FJAS) vs blank slate: using existing job classifications vs creating new ones
- Observer (trained job analyst) vs incumbents (ppl on the job): external alsysts vs direct input from employees
- KSAs vs KSAOs (other characteristics like personality traist, values, attitudes)
- Single job vs multiple job: comparing similar jobs or analysing one in depth comparisons
- Descriptive vs prescriptive: describing existing jobs vs predicting future job needs
24
Q
what are legally defenisble minimum qualifications?
A
minimum qualifications for a job need to come from thorough job analysis, ensuring that every requirement is job-related, fair, and necessary for performance
helps prevent discrimination & ensures compliance w employment laws
25
what are some tips for asking approriate interview questions for analyzing work?
- Questions should be clear, job-related, and unbiased.
- Avoid leading or loaded questions that suggest a desired response.
- Example: Instead of asking, "Do you find this task difficult?", ask, "What challenges do you face in this task?"
.
26
when do you use personality-based job analysis?
when personality traits are essential for job performance (e.g., leadership roles).
Example: Sales jobs require extraversion and resilience, while customer service roles need patience and empathy
27
compare job analysis to competency modeling
Job Analysis: Focuses on specific tasks and KSAOs required for a job.
Competency Modeling: Focuses on broad organizational values and soft skills.
Comparison: Job analysis is more detailed and legally defensible, while competency models align more with organizational strategy
28
What are the sub-components of Job analysis?
- job description
- job specification
29
What is the aim of job analysis?
answer these 2 questions:
what is this job about & who are we looking for?
30
What is the aim of job description?
To define the job & specify what employee behaviour is necessary to complete it.
31
List the 3 components of a job description.
* Tasks
* Duties
* Responsibilities
32
What does job specification identify?
Psychological characteristics that underlie behaviour/performance. (KSAOs, minimum requirements)
33
What are KSAOs?
* Knowledge
* Skills
* Abilities
* Other characteristics
34
Differentiate between skills and abilities.
Skills are practiced acts; abilities are inherent capacities that may limit change.
35
What are the steps to establish job specifications?
* SMEs develop a list of tasks & KSAs
* SMEs judge necessity of tasks & KSAs
* SMEs finalize clarity & adequacy of level
36
What are the benefits of a thorough & competent job analysis?
It provides a deeper understanding of individual jobs & their behavioural requirements.
-> solid basis for employment decisions
37
What factors influence the accuracy of job information?
* Group decision making biases (like bias towards common info, groupthink)
* Self presentation (exaggeration, ommision)
* Cognitive overload (info overload during interview)
38
What methods can be used to conduct a job analysis?
- direct observation & actual performance of job
- interviews
- SME panels
- critical incidents technique (CI)
- questionnaires
- new developments
39
what are some developing methods to conduct a job analysis?
- Competency modelling
- Job Analysis Wizard
- O Net
- Strategic (future oriented) job analysis
- Incorporating personality
- how important is each personality dimension to job? (neo job profiler, personality related position requirements form (PPRF)
40
What is a direct observation method in job analysis?
The job analyst observes representative samples of work behaviour.
- should be unobtrusive
- works for manual standardized short cycle jobs
- doesnt work for jobs requiring mental work & concentration (so use combination of methods)
- helpful to use Functional Job Analysis (FJA) to record observed tasks, what gets done
or analyst performs job (for those easily learned)
41
What are the pros and cons of using interviews for job analysis?
Pros: worker knows job, including hidden & long term aspects
Cons: success depends on interviewer skills and interviewee honesty.
42
how to conduct good interview?
- pre decide questions
- check for appropriateness
- questions should relate to purpose of analysis
- no personal or intimate material (→ resentment)
- do not ask about knowledge or info that interviewees dont have
- clear & unambigious wording
- no “leading” or “loaded” quetions (social desirability)
- run multiple interviews w several workers & supervisors
43
What are SME panels?
group sof 6-10 subjecgt matter experts
- should be representative (race, gender, experience etc)
- discuss issues & resolve disagreements openly
- especially good for extracting relevant KSAOs
44
What is the Critical Incidents technique (CI)?
A method where SMEs describe especially good/poor performance to cover the behavioural domain.
helps w performance management
45
what are the pros & cons of CI technique?
pros:
- absolutely job related
- forces attention to situational & personal determinations & uniqueness of job
- ideal for feedback, development, measure development
cons
- time consuming & burdensome
- qualitative, difficult to compare employees
46
What are the pros and cons of questionnaires in job analysis?
Pros: cheaper, quicker, allows quantification
Cons: time-consuming to develop, ambiguities may be missed, more difficult to follow up, impersonal
47
How do questionnaires work in job analysis?
usually standardized and require respondents to either check items that apply to a job or to rate items in terms of their relevance for the job
48
give some examples of questionnaires used in job analysis
- fleishman job analysis survey (FJAS)
- position analysis questionnaire (PAQ)
49
How has the nature of the contemporary workplace changed?
* Jobs are less stable
* Job boundaries are blurred
* Need for flexibility
* Employees must be adaptable and multi-tasking.
50
what is an organisation?
a collection of people working together in a division of labor to achieve a common purpose
or a system of inputs (including ppl), throughputs, and outputs
51
Define applied psychology
branch of psych that seeks to apply psych principles to practical problems in organizations
52
Define talent management
process through which organisations anticipate & meet their needs for talent in strategic jobs
part of broader field HR management
53
Define HR management
overall approach to management that comprises staffing, retention, development, adjustment, and managing change
54
Define personnel psychology
subfield of industrial & organizational psychology, is concerned w individual differences in behaviour & job performance & with methods for measuring & predicting such difference
55
how can applied psychology help organisation make the wisest use of the ppl who staff them?
differences in individual performance on any task/job could be due to differences in ability or motivation or both, which are psychological construct that have clear implications for the optimal use of individual talents in our society
especially in a globalized & competitive market, we need a competenet well trained workforce which HR professionals can help with
56
How does globalization change work & organisations?
- economic interdepence between whole world
- job insecurity
- competition for talent as everything is globalized
- increased worforce flux
- more diversity as workers come from greater range of backgrounds
- technical skills, tho mandatory, will be less defining of the succesful manager than cultural flexibility
57
how does technology change work & organisations?
UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING: tech is embedded in nearly all aspects of life ->
- job disruption & creation (tech displaces some jobs but creates new ones too)
- monitoring systems: workplace control (negative) but also empowerement positive)
- changes in work & competition
- digital fluency crucial
- may reduce self awarness & empathy due to less face to face interaction
- leads to "always on work culture" which increases stress
58
what is the psychological contract & how has it changed over time?
an unwritten agreement in which employee & employer develop exepctations about their mutual relationship.
corporate downsizing has changed the expectation that you will have one employer for your whole life (the old contract was characterized by stability & predictability, while now its more about change & uncertainty
59
How have the roles of managers changed over time?
- traditional management approach: 3C approach w top down authority
- modern management: fast changing, competitive environment requiring agility & collaboration & autonomy. managers must have clear vision & embrace uncertainty rather than controlling processes
-> managers go from controllers/planner to coaches/facilitators/mentors
60
what is 3-C logic?
managers ruled by COMMANd from the top, used rigid CONTROLS to ensure that fragmented tasks could be coordintated effectivtely, and partiotned into into n eat COMPARTEMENTS (department, units, functions)
this, approach is geared to achieve 3 objectives: stability, predictability, and efficiency
61
what is the rise of nonstandard work (gig economy)?
- freelancing, outsourcing, and contract work are increasingly commmon due to tech & changing work preferences
- talent on demand
- flexible employment more viable
62
how has the workplace diversity changed?
- higher diversity: more women, multiethnic worker, older & younger, disbailities, contingent workers (gig workers & freelancers)
- ageing workforce
- lots of immigration
63
what are some of the challenges of a global workforce?
- many developed countries face an aging workforce, increasing social program costs and slowing economic growth
- talent shortages expected
- employers must focus on attracting & reatining skilled employees while managing diverse workplace demographics
64
what are the generational differences in the workplace?
- us workforce includes 5 generations: silent gen, boomers, gen x, millenials, gen z
- gens have small differences in values, work styles, leadership preferences
- ind differences larger than generational ones
- age based steroetypes exist but should be challenged by positive intergenerational interactions
65
how have workplace expectations evolved?
- job security is declining: workers prioritize employment security (having valuable skills) over lifetime jobs
- self reliance, cross training, flexible work, and continuous learning, and self managed teams emphasized
66
What is the difference between job security & employment security?
job: assurance that an employee will keep their job with the same organization until retirement or for the long term. It is based on stable employment with one employer.
employment: ability to stay employable in the job market by developing valuable skills that employers seek
-> these days employment security > job security
67
What are the implications of job & employment security for individuals & organisations?
For Individuals:
- Less reliable; focus shifts to skills & adaptability.
- More career flexibility (gig work, freelancing).
For Organizations:
- Need to retain talent through growth & benefits.
- prioritize agility over lifelong jobs.
- Use more freelancers & gig workers.
🔹 Key Takeaway: Job security is fading—skills & adaptability matter more for both workers & companies.
68
Why is it always important to take into account the costs as well as the anticipated consequenes of decisions?
- Every decision has both costs and consequences that must be considered.
- Utility theory helps decision-makers evaluate trade-offs by assigning values to possible outcomes.
- In HR, decisions like hiring, training, and promotions should align with strategic goals to maximize effectiveness.
69
What makes deicsion or utility theory unique?
- Unique because it explicitly incorporates both costs and expected outcomes into decision-making.
- Helps organizations optimize their choices by considering financial and strategic impacts.
- Ensures employment decisions (e.g., hiring, promotions) are made based on long-term utility rather than just immediate cost.
70
What is the difference between organizations as open vs closed systems?
- Closed Systems: Focus only on internal operations, ignoring external factors (e.g., Kodak failing to adapt to digital cameras).
- Open Systems: Recognize that organizations interact with dynamic environments, requiring continuous adaptation.
- Modern organizations function as open systems, integrating external inputs like technology, labor trends, and market demands.
71
How do concepts from supply chain analysis apply to the staffing process?
- trad staffing is often seen as isolated steps (recruitment, hiring, training)
- Supply-chain logic applies a holistic view, ensuring resources (employees) are efficiently selected, developed, and retained.
- Optimizing staffing investments means considering the entire employment pipeline rather than individual hiring decisions.
72
What does it mean to optimize staffing outcomes?
- Rather than maximizing individual hiring processes, organizations should balance costs, time, and quality across all staffing activities.
- Recruitment, selection, and training should work together to maintain a high-quality workforce.
- Data-driven approaches help adjust staffing strategies to improve long-term results.
73
What is the employment process? as a network of sequential, interdependent decisions
- Hiring, training, performance evaluation, and promotions are linked steps in a broader process.
- Each phase affects subsequent phases (e.g., ineffective hiring leads to higher training costs or turnover).
- A systematic, long-term approach leads to better talent management.
74
What are some key interactions among the various elements of the employment process?
- Workforce planning, recruitment, selection, training, and performance management all interact.
- Example: Changes in performance management can impact work analysis, training needs, and hiring criteria.
- Viewing HR functions as an interconnected system improves organizational effectiveness.
75
How does organizational exit influence prior phases in the employment process?
- Employee exits (voluntary or involuntary) shape future employment processes.
- Layoffs affect morale, hiring practices, and company reputation.
- Retirement can open opportunities for internal promotions but requires succession planning.
- Managing exits strategically ensures smoother transitions and minimizes negative impacts.
