COMPETENCY MAPPING

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Right Person For The Right Job. This proverb is a dream for every manager of the company. The head of the company always desires to have a Mr. Right for the particular job, so that he does his task in an efficient way. But is this possible? The answer is Yes. In todays competitive global business environment, complex and sensitive business processes and fast moving technology systems can compromise overall quality integrity. The solution to the problem is Competency Mapping. The rising interest in competency mapping is direct fallout of the dynamic changes that the corporate world is witnessing today. Some insights into how far the concept has traveled and the reason for its current popularity has been explained. This project gives the complete theoretical knowledge about the subject Competency Mapping which includes detailed meaning, its origin, benefits and its importance. But only theoretical knowledge is not sufficient. Therefore to give a better understanding about the topic, light has been focused on the practicality part. The practical approach has been explained by taking into limelight the case study of Tata International Ltd. (TIL). The case study gives a brief idea about the mapping of competencies done in its company. This is basically done to improve the employees performance, which will result in more and better productivity. In short one can say its the RIGHT MATCH of the job and the people.

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INTRODUCTION
What is a Competency? Researchers, management consultants and HR professionals frequently use the term competency. There are nearly as many definitions of competency as there are competencies themselves, and the answer to the question What is a competency? sparks considerable debate among those familiar with the term. Origin of competencies The word competency is derived from Latin word "Competere" which means 'to be suitable'. The competency concept was originally developed in Psychology denoting individuals' ability to respond to demand placed on them by their environment. The American term "competency" has its origins in the work of David McClelland in the early 1970s. McClelland was anxious to identify underlying behavioral traits that would give superior performance to companies competing in the market place. The consultancy founded by McClelland now called Hay/McBer has refined his approach to producing generic models of competency particularly for managerial roles. In the UK, government-sponsored schemes have favored occupational standards and the idea of functional competence when standards are met. This represents task-based competence rather than a behavioural competency. Definitions And Concepts: Ulrich defined competency as knowledge, skill or ability of employees relevant for organizational performance. Fletcher defines competency on the basis of 'what does organization need for future successes? According to him competencies are business led, measurable and fiat for purpose. His model includes skills, knowledge, behaviour, task management environment and customers.

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COMPETENCY MAPPING The Wholistic Competency Profile (WCP) by Len W. Slivinski and Jennifer Miles defines competency as those characteristics of an individual, which underlie performance or behaviour at work.

A competency is what a successful employee must be able to do to accomplish desired results on a job. Dennis J. Kravetz

A competency is any demonstrated characteristic or behavior of a person that differentiates outstanding performance from a more typical performance in a given job, role, organization, or culture. - HR Manual for Tata Group Companies.

Competency as defined by Lyle M. Spencer and Signe M. Spencer in their book Competence At Work. Definition of a competency A competency is an underlying characteristic of an individual that is causally related to criterionreferenced effective and/or superior performance in a job or situation. Underlying characteristic means the competency is a fairly deep and enduring part of a persons personality and can predict behavior in a wide variety of situations and job tasks. Causally related means that a competency causes or predicts behavior and performance. Criterion-referenced means that the competency actually predicts who does something well or poorly, as measured on a specific criterion or standard. Underlying Characteristic Competencies are underlying characteristics of people and indicate way of behaving or thinking, generalizing across situation, and enduring for a reasonably long period of time. 3 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING

Five types of Competency Characteristics 1. Motives: The things a person consistently thinks about or wants. 2. Traits: Physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations or information. 3. Self-Concept: A persons attitudes, values, or self-image. 4. Knowledge: Information a person has in specific content areas. 5. Skill: the ability to perform a certain physical or mental task. The type or level of a competency has practical implication for human resource planning.

Visible Skill, Knowledge

Hidden

Self-Concept, Trait, Motive

THE ICEBERG MODEL

As illustrated in diagram, Knowledge and skill competencies of an employee tend to be visible, and relatively surface and so are relatively easy to develop. Training is the most cost-effective way to secure these employee abilities. Where as, Self-concept, trait, and motive competencies are more hidden deeper, and central to personality. As these competencies are at the base of the personality iceberg and are difficult to assess and develop, it is most cost-effective to select for these characteristics.

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Causal Relationship Motive, Trait and Self-concept competencies predict skill behaviour actions, which in turn predict job performance outcomes. Knowledge and skill competencies invariably include a motive, trait, or self-concept competency, which provides the drive or push for the knowledge or skill to be used. Intent Personal Characteristics Motive Trait SelfConcept Knowledge Action Behaviour Outcome Job Performance

Skill

COMPETENCY CAUSAL FLOW MODEL

Criterion Reference A characteristic is not a competency unless it predicts something meaningful in the real world. A characteristic or credential, which makes no difference in performance, is not a competency and should not be used to evaluate people. The criteria most frequently used on competency studies are: Superior Performance: This is defined statistically as one standard deviation above average performance. Effective Performance: This usually really means a minimally acceptable level of work, the lower cut-off point below which an employee would not be considered competence to do the job.

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COMPETENCY MAPPING Thus competencies are: - Human capabilities and work related behaviours that provide a competitive advantage to an organization. - Any quality or characteristic of a person, which underpins successful performance. A person gains competency through education, training, experience, or natural abilities. While there are many definitions of competency, most of them have two common components: 1) The competencies are observable or measurable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). 2) These KSAs must distinguish between superior and other performers.

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IMPORTANCE OF COMPETENCIES
Why competency-based approach? For The Company, competency-based practices: Reinforce corporate strategy, culture, and vision. Establish expectations for performance excellence, resulting in a systematic approach to professional development, improved job satisfaction, and better employee retention. Increase the effectiveness of training and professional development programs by linking them to the success criteria (i.e., behavioral standards of excellence). Provide data on development needs that emerge from group and/or organizational composites that are an outcome of multi-rater assessments. Provide a common understanding of the scope and requirements of a specific role. Provide common, organization-wide standards for career levels that enable employees to move across business boundaries. For Managers, competency-based practices: Identify performance criteria to improve the accuracy and ease of the hiring and selection process. Provide more objective performance standards. Clarify standards of excellence for easier communication of performance expectations to direct reports. Provide a clear foundation for dialogue to occur between the manager and employee about performance, development, and career-related issues.

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For Employees, competency-based practices: Identify the success criteria (i.e., behavioral standards of performance excellence) required to be successful in their role. Support a more specific and objective assessment of their strengths and specify targeted areas for professional development. Provide development tools and methods for enhancing their skills. Provide the basis for a more objective dialogue with their manager or team about performance, development, and career related issues. Types of Competencies Competences can be at three levels: Core competencies - These apply to the organization as a whole. They refer to what the organization has to be good at doing if it is to succeed. This could include factors such as customer orientation, producing high quality products, innovation, adding value through the effective use of resources and cost management. Generic competencies These are shared by a group of similar jobs financial accountants, systems analysts, team leaders etc. they cover the aspects of the work they have in common and define the shared capabilities required to deliver the results they are expected to achieve. Role-specific competencies These are unique to a particular role. They define the special tasks that they have to be able to do, in addition to any generic competencies they may share with other people carrying out broadly similar roles.

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RESPONSIBILITY OF HR
In the last one decade the concept of the "Competency profiling" has gained much importance. Competency profiling is business/company specific. Competency profiling cannot be bought 'off the shelf '. Before undertaking competency profiling HR Professionals should pose certain questions relating to the following issues: 1. Do I have clear understanding of my company's business environment vis--vis competencies required to survive in the fast changing business scenario? What is the mission, vision of the company? 2. Why this issue of competency profiling has cropped in the organization? 3. What are we currently good at? 4. What do we have to be good at? 5. How do I assess the competencies? 6. Have I realistically assessed the +ve and -ve qualities of executives and employees? 7. Do I have ability to integrate competencies with the HR systems in the organization? 8. Do I have change management approach to support the introduction of competencies? 9. What are the likely issues that may crop up with executive associations and trade unions while introducing the competency profiling? 10. jobs? 11. As a HR professional am I conscious that competencies by definition reflect the knowledge, skills, abilities or other attributes employees require for effective or successful performance. Employers must be prepared to justify the competencies that employees are asked to posses are actually required for job effectiveness. As a HR professional can I link the competencies to the work product outcomes or tasks those employees must be able to perform to be successful in the organizations or

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The Study and Implementation Process for an organization

Clarify Organizational Context and Challenges

Design Study

Analyze Work Role /Processes

Gather Data (e.g. Behavioral Event Interviews/Focus Groups)

Benchmark

Thematic Analysis Generate Development Framework and Competency Models Validate Development Framework and Competencies

Refine and Implement Competencies

Formation of a Competency Model for an organization: Spend time with key stakeholders to define needs, outcomes, expected impact, and cultural issues and organization context. During this initial project phase determine design criteria for the competencies: - Is the focus on the level, function, or specific roles? 10 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING What is the level of validity required for desired applications? (e.g., reduction-inforce, succession planning, or selection applications require more rigor and legal defensibility than development applications)

Then there can be semi-structured interviews of a selected group of top performers. A thematical analysis of the interviews can take place and then a data integration session or sessions can be held to generate initial models. Next, is testing the models. Usually, this is done through a validation survey and/or focus groups/feedback sessions After approval, models are then framed into specific applications or tools. During this phase of tool development, there should be collaboration in designing methods for measuring impact, and for refining and updating models over time.

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COMPETENCY MODEL
A Competency Model is: The set of competencies used within an organisation to describe key roles Competencies are context bound. They answer the question What does a superior performer look like in a specific setting? In other words, effective competencies are linked to a particular organizational target or goal. Therefore, depending on the context, models may be geared toward: The total organization (e.g., core competencies or values) An entire function (e.g., finance, human resources) A career level or band (e.g., individual contributor, team leader, mid-level manager, strategist, or executive) A specific role (e.g., HR generalist) A specific job (e.g., compensation analyst)

While the focus of a competency model is one critical element in building a framework, another is the level of future orientation. The degree of future orientation depends on how the organization plans to apply the model and the pace and nature of changes occurring within the organization. In most instances, organizations currently try to develop models with factors that will produce success for several years. There are six key characteristics that ensure the success of the long-term implementation of a competency model in the organizations: 12 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING Relevance: Approaches that work answer specific, well articulated, highly felt needs of users, employing tools and approaches that have practical, day-to-day impact on performance development applications. In other words, lasting implementations are market-driven.

Alignment: Competencies impact systems that actively support the organizations vision, strategy, and key capabilities. Therefore, they can help individuals understand how their own behavior can support these strategies. Integration: Competency initiatives that produce the most significant change are applied systemically across a range of HR development processes. Distribution: Competency standards alone produce little effect. They must be actively and relentlessly communicated and installed with users. Self-Directed Application: Competency systems frequently fail because they are too complex or require an unsustainable level of sponsorship or program support. Implementations that work best focus on the development of tools that can produce results for users with relatively little ongoing support. Acculturation: Installing competencies should result in a significant, lasting organizational change. Too often organizations define and introduce new standards without a plan for sustainability. In competency systems that work, they become part of the culture and the mindset of leaders through repeated application and refinement over a significant period of time. In other words, competencies become a philosophy for raising the bar, producing accountability and empowerment and ensuring continuous feedback and development. TWO TYPES OF MODELS ARE EXPLAINED BELOW: A competency model can be verbal, graphic or a mixture. A verbal competency model was adapted by the Secretarys Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) project, which was initiated by the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. Department of Labor 1991a; Green, 1996) is given below.

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A Competency Model: Performance Skills

Personal qualities

1) Responsibility - Exerts a high level of effort and perseverance toward goal attainment. 2) Self Esteem- Believe in themselves and maintain a positive outlook. 3) Social - Demonstrates understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy and politeness in new and on-going group settings. 4) Self-Management - Assesses own knowledge, skills, and abilities accurately; sets welldefined and realistic personal goals; monitors progress toward goal attainment and motivates self through goal achievement; exhibits self-control and responds to feedback unemotionally and non-defensively; is a "self-starter." 5) Integrity/Honesty- Honest and ethical in all dealings

Interpersonal competencies

1) Participating as a Member of a Team - Works cooperatively with others and contributes to group with ideas, suggestions, and effort. 2) Teaching Others - Helps others learn - Demonstrating competence in teaching others includes helping others to apply related concepts and theories to task through coaching or other means; identifying training needs; conveying job information to allow others to see its applicability and relevance to tasks; and assessing performance and providing constructive feedback/reinforcement. 3) Serving Clients/Customers - Works and communicates with clients and customers to satisfy their expectations. 4) Exercising Leadership - Communicates thoughts, feelings, and ideas to justify a position, encourages, persuades, convinces, or otherwise motivates an individual or groups, including responsibly challenging existing procedures, policies, or authority. 14 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING 5) Negotiating to Arrive at a Decision - Works toward an agreement that may involve exchanging specific resources or resolving divergent interests. 6) Working with Cultural Diversity - Works well with men and women and with a variety of ethnic, social, or educational backgrounds.

Technical Knowledge and Job Skills

Technology competencies 1) Selecting Technology - Judges which set of procedures, tools, or machines, including computers and their programs, will produce the desired results. 2) Applying Technology to Task - Understands the overall intent and the proper procedures for setting up and operating machines, including computers and their programming systems. 3) Maintaining and Troubleshooting Technology - Prevents, identifies, or solves problems in machines, computers, and other technologies.

Systems competencies 1) Understanding Systems - Knows how social, organizational, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them. 2) Monitoring and Correcting Performance - Distinguishes trends, predicts impact of actions on system operations, diagnoses deviations in the function of a system/organization, and takes necessary action to correct performance. 3) Improving and Designing Systems - Makes suggestions to modify existing systems to improve products or services, and develops new or alternative systems.

Resource competencies

1) Allocating Time- Selects relevant, goal-related activities, ranks them in order of importance, allocates time to activities, and understands, prepares, and follows schedules. 2) Allocating Money - Uses or prepares budgets, including making cost and revenue forecasts, keeps detailed records to track budget performance, and makes appropriate adjustments. 15 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING 3) Allocating Material and Facility Resources - Acquires, stores, and distributes materials, supplies, parts, equipment, space, or final products in order to make the best use of them. 4) Allocating Human Resources - Assesses knowledge and skills and distributes work accordingly, evaluates performance and provides feedback.

Information competencies 1) Acquiring and Evaluating Information - Identifies need for data, obtains them from existing sources or creates them, and evaluates their relevance and accuracy. 2) Organizing and Maintaining Information - Organizes, processes, and maintains written or computerized records and other forms of information in a systematic fashion. 3) Interpreting and Communicating Information - Selects and analyzes information and communicates the results to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial, or multi-media methods. 4) Using Computers to Process Information - Employs computers to acquire, organize, analyze, and communicate information.

Another Managerial Competency Model worth nothing is the one developed by the American Management Associations (AMA) in 1982 in continuation with McBer & Company. This ambitious 5- year research project studied over 2000 managers in more than 120 organizations who were considered outstanding as measured against the standards of performance for their jobs. The AMA study was based upon these assumptions. Superior managers are separated from average managers not because of what they know but because of what they do on the job. The skills (behaviors) of superior managers can be learned. Because skills are best learned by practice, most learning will take place on the job with higher-level managerial skills guidance and a resource network. 16 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING The research identified a number of competencies, which cluster into four groups, as shown in Table given below.

THE GOAL AND ACTION

COMPETENCY Efficiency orientation

SKILLS Goal-setting, planning efficient organization of resources. Problem solving, information seeking Pattern identification through concept application, deductive reasoning Symbolic influence behavior Self- presentation skills Verbal presentation skills Organization of thought and activities, sequential thinking pattern identification through concept formation, thematic or pattern analysis Alliance producing results Verbal and nonverbal skills that result in people feeling valued Instrumental affiliative behaviors, group process skills Self- assessment skills, reality 17 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

Management Cluster

Proactivity Diagnostic use of concepts

The Leadership Cluster

Concern with impact Self-confidence Use of oral presentations Logical thought Conceptualization

The Human Resource Use of socialized power Management Cluster Positive regard Managing group process Accurate self-assessment

COMPETENCY MAPPING testing skills The Directing Developing others Skills in feedback to facilitate self-development

The AMA model is an excellent one for identifying generic managerial competencies. Other organizations, such as Forum Schrello and Development Dimensions, Inc., have developed similar models. It is useful for organizations to attempt to develop their own competency models as well. Further competencies and skills, created by the impact of technology on the business world, are still to be determined. Although the research did not identify the knowledge, which is generic for superior managers, it did determine that knowledge is a threshold competency and is important for effective managers. The AMA therefore decided to include parts of the American Associations of Collegiate Schools of Businesss common body of knowledge as a fifth cluster. This includes areas such as finance and accounting, economics and marketing. The AMA model is excellent one for identifying generic managerial competencies. Other organizations such as Forum/ Schrello and Development Dimensions, Inc. have developed similar models. Summary Competencies are a valuable addition to the HR repertoire, but experience, knowledge and skills still have their place. Care should be taken not to 'force-fit' everything under the competency umbrella. Unless HR professionals can demonstrate how competencies contribute to individual and corporate outcomes that are valued by the organisation, they will remain in the realm of worthy but woolly HR-speak. 18 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

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COMPETENCY MAPPING
Every position has its duties, responsibilities and accountabilities. Also each position has some main tasks or Key Result Areas (KRAs) and a role to be performed. In order to perform this role well there are certain competencies (skills, knowledge, attitudes, abilities), which are required. Each role or position demands a specific level of these competencies. Hence it is imperative that we identify these competencies and also at what level they are needed. This requires dividing the jobs into their component parts what has to be done and to what standard and what kinds of competencies are required for this. Competency Mapping involves mapping the competencies required for a particular position (what the position demands i.e. Position Profiling), and matching them to the competencies of the position incumbent (what skill a person actually possesses i.e. Person Profiling). The "Competency Mapping " process: Step 1: Identifying Job Families All the jobs in the organization are grouped on the basis of commonality. Step 2: Identifying Competencies This is a crucial step in the "Competency Mapping" process. This involves finding out the competencies related to what the organization wants to achieve i.e. needed organizational capabilities, what do you have to be good at, the organization mission / vision / strategy. Step 3: Defining Competencies the competencies identified have to be defined concisely in order to reduce misinterpretation. Step 4: Strategizing Competencies the competencies identified are divided into Vital, Essential and Desirable competencies for each job family. 19 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING Step 5: Defining Measurement Scale the calibrations in the measurement scale of each competency are defined. Step 6: Position Profiling: Each position is profiled in terms of: Vital, Essential and Desirable Competencies. The expected calibration on the measurement scale of each competency.

Step 7: Person Profiling: Each person is profiled in terms of level of knowledge application and attitudes on the measurement scale of each competency. The superimposing of the Person profile on the Position profile has wide ranging ramifications. Integration of these two profiles enhance the effectiveness of all HR Systems.

In brief the Competency Mapping Flow Chart is:

Role Clarification

Competencies required for the job.

Competencies the jobholder has.

Competencies Mapping

Bridging the Competency Gap

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IMPORTANCE OF COMPETENCY MAPPING:

Competencies are a job database to link together various HR activities.

Recruitmen t & Selection Job Design & Grading Reward Potential Assessmen t Career Planning Performance Management Training & Developmen t Successio n Planning

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COMPETENCY MAPPING BENEFITS OF COMPETENCY MAPPING The leading companies vision of job competencies see competencies as the hub of a wheel. The competencies are a job database to link together various HR activities. Instead of conducting independent studies in compensation, training, employment, etc. to determine the "job dimensions," one single database is developed for multiple purposes. These competencies can easily be turned into training courses. You know precisely what behaviors to build. The competencies can also be turned into performance measurement tools, 360 degree evaluations, and many other things, as seen in the above figure. Competencies can be used for:

Performance Management
Competencies are ideal for performance management since they are specific and behavioral. This means they are easier to observe and measure. Competency mapping can help in performance evaluation.

Training & Development

When designing training courses, designers first ask, "What do employees need to be competent at to do this job?" Having the competency database tells the designer precisely what desired behaviors are needed. This makes it very easy to determine what the course content should be.

Career Planning & Succession Planning

For career pathing to be effective, employees need job information. While merely stating the desired education and experience for a job is helpful, it does not tell the employee what they will do on the job--what they need to be competent at. Since competencies are very behavioral, selfassessment is easy. The employee merely asks, "Do I have these competencies? Would I want to do them on a regular basis?" By answering such questions, employees can steer their development in the right direction. At the same time it would help the process succession planning for the key positions in the organization.

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Recruitment & Selection

Spencer and Spencer, in their book Competence at Work define a competency as 'a fairly deep and enduring part of a person's personality', which begs the question - if it is enduring, how can it be changed through development? This fairly 'hard-wired' characteristic of competencies is precisely what makes them so useful in selection - if they are hard to develop, then better select them in. 'You can teach a turkey to climb trees, but you're be better off hiring a a squirrel.' Job interview questions can be developed for each competency. These can be placed in a guide for use when hiring. The questions can be used to assess the competence level of the job candidate. Job simulations could also be developed for each job competency. Simulations are structured exercises that simulate a portion of the job, usually measuring 1-3 competencies at a time. Both interview guides and job simulations are objective, job-related ways to determine competence.

Rewards
Merit pay increase systems have been around for nearly fifty years and are extremely common. These systems have accumulated error in them. As a consequence, it is unlikely that the highest paid individual in a given job is the most competent. These inequities can take many years to straighten out if they are ever straightened out. Many merit increase systems are nothing more than cost-of-living systems since in times of low inflation a highly competent employee's increase is perhaps one percent more than someone less competent. What the leading organizations have done is craft entirely new compensation systems based on competencies. Though there are many variations, the general idea is that the more competent the individual, the higher the pay. As an example, say that the salary range for a job is from Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 per year. Assume the job has ten competencies, which are equally important. An employee having all ten competencies to the highest degree would be paid the maximum. An employee with none of the competencies would be paid the minimum. With varying degrees of competence, the salary would be somewhere between minimum and maximum.

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Job Design & Grading

It would be easier to grade and design jobs once the competencies are in place. Automated job descriptions are created by merely printing out the competencies for a particular job. Since competencies are behavioral and very specific, they lend themselves very easily to describing the job. With each competency being approximately a paragraph in length, ten of them printed back-to-back form an excellent job description. Managers and HR professionals can save writing job descriptions over and over again fore each new job. Oftentimes a new job requires merely a different mix of existing competencies. The manager can pick from a list, add any that are missing, and that is all there is to the job description process.

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CASE STUDY

Background Of Tata International Ltd.

Tata International Limited (TIL) is the international business arm of the Tata Group. The company was established on 30th November 1962 as commercial and Industrial Exports Ltd. (CIEL) to promote exports of Tata Group products and services as well as those of other reputed Indian manufacturers. The company was renamed as Tata Exports in 1968. The company assumed the name Tata International Limited (TIL) in March 1998 to reinforce its evolution from exporter to an international business company. During the 60s and 70s, in the era of self-reliance and the Government of Indias emphasis on import substitution rather than export promotion, TIL was among the pioneer exporters of nontraditional products like leather and leather products, engineering products & project services. The products were selected keeping in view long-term export prospects based on Indias competitive advantage. The company was among the first to qualify as a Trading House in 1978, Star Trading House in 1990, Super Star Trading House in 1994 and is today a Golden Super Star Trading House. TATA INTERNATIONAL - TODAY Tata International continues to be Tata Group's business gateway to the world. They have a worldwide network and infrastructure of subsidiaries, offices and associate Tata companies that span the globe. Through these they source quality products and services from the most competitive markets in the world. As India's leading global trading company, they do business in over 100 countries. Committed to the globalization of the Group's businesses, the company exports products like automobiles, steel, leather, minerals, computer software, tea and engineering goods. In addition, they trade in bulk commodities like liquid fuel, coal, limestone N.L.D.I.M.S.R 25

COMPETENCY MAPPING and chemicals. The company also conducts third country trade in Steel, Minerals and Chemicals in addition to managing global supply chain in Leather. Their vision is to be a billion-dollar company by 2004. Working toward this goal, they focus on developing leadership and team spirit by providing an environment for creativity and innovation. They aim to create an exciting, empowered, energized and knowledge rich organization that will promote the Tata Brand worldwide. BUSINESSES: The operating divisions of the Company are structured as Strategic Business Units (SBUs): A) LEATHER AND LEATHER PRODUCTS: Tata International has leather operations encompassing a number of countries. It is India's leading exporter of leather and leather products. Supply chain integration in sourcing value added products and manufacturing excellence in finished leather are key drivers of our business strategy. Their supply chain taps sources as diverse as China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Middle East and South America. The Garments Division has the capacity to produce garments of every possible range, cut and style with the aid of world class manufacturing processes and special sample lines to meet customer's requirements. The footwear division handles orders from 500 pairs to 2,50,000 pairs with equal ease. The designers at the Indian facilities cater to the customer's special design requirements, which can include new developments of lasts, styles and features based on current forecasts and fashion trends. This committed care has earned us a clientele that includes well-established European shoe brands and catalogue houses. B) STEEL: Tata International's Steel Business Unit brings to global players an international infrastructure that is the essence of our effective delivery and sourcing system. While Tata Steel is their main source of steel, they also procure steel from quality mills all over the world. These include Vizag Steel, SAIL and mills from CIS countries. Their range of 26 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING products includes Billets, Cold Rolled Coils, Deformed Bars, ETP, Galvanised Coils, Hot Rolled Coils, Plates and Sheets, Slabs, Steel Scrap, Structurals and Wire Rods. C) MINERALS: Tata International's Minerals Business Unit orchestrates a widespread international network for sourcing and supplying Minerals, Metals and Ferro Alloys. TIL is the largest supplier in the international market for chrome ore / concentrate and for metallurgical sectors. Tata International offers a wide range of products that fall under the following categories: principal ores and minerals, principal ferro alloys, non-ferrous metals, noble ferrous alloys, ores and concentrate. Their operations span the globe covering countries like Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, UK, Norway, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, USA, Brazil, and Australia. D) ENGINEERING: The Engineering Business is built around the products and manufacturing capabilities of Tata Group companies such as Tata Chemicals, Voltas, Telco Construction Equipment Company, Tata-Yodogawa and Tata Refractories. The Tata Steel Growth Shop and the Tata Engineering Forge and Foundry shop are also utilized for customized engineering products for our clients. Tata International's operations encompass diverse activities including trading, warehousing, branding and establishing strategic alliances. Our major markets for these engineering products are Asia, Australia, South America, USA and Africa. TIL caters to the requirements of various industries by supplying them high quality engineering products in the areas of: E) BULK COMMODITIES & CHEMICALS: They have a widespread presence in major markets and source countries for bulk commodities, through our global network, providing a foundation and a strong negotiating base to the Bulk Commodities and Chemicals SBU (Strategic Business Unit) for conducting its business. Their global reach gives them a decisive edge in gathering timely and accurate market information and for sourcing raw materials and products for the Tata Group of companies in India. This is done by identifying and developing cost effective sources, managing the procurement process, negotiating and finalizing competitive supply contracts.

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F) INFORMATION TECNOLOGY & REMOTE BUSINESS SEVICES (I) IT: Tata International is focused on expanding the Tata Group's Information Technology (IT) business by providing complete marketing, technical and commercial support to customers worldwide. Sectors like healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, transport, finance and banking benefit from their range of products and solutions such as e-business, ERP, CRM, business intelligence, networking services and disaster management, systems integration and security. (II) RBS: Tata International offers Remote Business Services (RBS) to global corporations. Popularly referred to as information technology (IT) enabled services, RBS supports a company's business processes from an offshore location enabled by the developments in the telecommunications and IT industries. Tata International meets the stringent performance standards of efficiency, reliability and confidentiality required for this business. TIL offers Contact Center Services such as email management and web support, inbound and outbound voice services and engineering design. GLOBAL NETWORK: TIL does business employing its widespread overseas network of subsidiaries, offices and associate Tata companies. Tata International has wholly owned subsidiaries in Hong Kong, UAE, South Africa, Australia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana. This reach is augmented through our offices in Thailand, Bangladesh, China, Singapore, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UK and Ukraine and associate companies in Switzerland, USA and UK. This allows Tata International access to all the major trade blocs of the world. JOINT VENTURES AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES: Tata International's collaborations with some of the world's most respected companies have propelled them further into the global business arena and helped develop their operations in

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COMPETENCY MAPPING India. Powered by an international presence, Tata International has also taken on the challenge of seeking out profitable partnerships for the Tata Group. Some examples of joint ventures and alliances are: Graziella Shoes Ltd.: with Pucci SRL, Italy for leather footwear Donna Elena: with Donna Elena SRL, Italy for leather articles SITEL India Private Ltd.: with SITEL Corporation USA for contact centre services. Itochu, Australia: for marketing mining related chemicals and consumables. QUALITY POLICY Tata International is committed to ensuring customer delight by providing world-class products and services. Continuous improvement and team work will guide our pursuit for excellence. ENVIRONMENT POLICY Tata International will always remain supremely conscious of the impact of it's operations on the environment. The company will set, monitor and review objectives and targets related to environment management. VISION

To be a billion-dollar shareholder value enhancing international company by 2004. This will be achieved by aggressively pursuing globalization of Tata Groups core businesses and offering quality products and services in the world markets, sourced from the most competitive regions through strong international network and infrastructure.

To create an exciting, empowered, energized and knowledge rich organization, upholding the high standards of Tata Groups values.

MISSION

Be a market-driven company and continually strive to ensure stakeholder value and satisfaction by pursuing excellence. Promote the Tata Brand worldwide and be the international face of the Tata Group. Develop meaningful business relations and partnerships for the Group by facilitating strategic alliances, joint ventures and collaborations in India and overseas. 29 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING

Source products and services of quality-conscious Indian and overseas companies for marketing globally. Grow businesses of the company to meet Group objectives and parameters for core business.

COMPETENCY MAPPING AT TIL

Tata Interantional Ltd. has implemented an HRIS system which needs a competency based approach. They needed a competency database to integrate them with the HR systems in the organization. The competency database would help in succession planning, career planning, recruitment & selection, etc. through the HRIS system. Due to this it was necessary to find out what competencies were needed for the business and also at what level. Thus the process of Competency Mapping was initiated. Project Output: 1. Prepare list of all competencies required for all roles. 2. Define levels of each competency. 3. Identify competency levels required for all roles.

Key Inputs: 1. Performance Appraisal form. 2. Documents provided by Tata Group. 3. HR Manual for Tata Group Comapanies. 4. Books and articles. The Wholistic Competency Profile: A Model Users Kit. - Len W. Slevinski - Jennifer Miles 5. Articles from the Internet. 30 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING

Methodology: 1. Brainstorming for list of competencies. Based on the mission / vision , objectives of the company a list of competencies was prepared for all the roles. Initial list of 30+ skills. Club skills under broad categories. Also determine knowledge, attributes, attitudes, etc. Listed 13 categories of competencies. Define each competency to avoid misinterpretation.

2. Competencies identified for Key positions by a team. 3. Grading of competencies into Vital, Essential and Desirable for the particular position. Criteria Vital Essential Desirable Code V E D

Vital: These are those competencies, which are extremely crucial for the job. Essential: These are those competencies that are not crucial but at the same time are required for the job. Desirable: These are those competencies that are neither crucial nor required but would be helpful if possessed. Level of importance: Vital: High 31 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING Essential: Average Desirable: Low Eg: For a Marketing Executive: Communication skill: Vital Interperonal skills: Essential Leadership skill: Desirable Identification of competencies related to Tata International Ltd.

The Process Flowchart

Developing a dictionary of competencies

Entering these skills into the Skill Master in HRIS

Identifying competencies based on Function - Position

Consult the concerned Departmental Heads for identifying competencies and grading them into Vital, Essential, Desirable

Enter this Data into HRIS

Identifying the skills of every person in Tata International Ltd. with the help of questionnaires or personal interview or External consulting agencies

32 Enter these Personal skill details into HRIS

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LIST OF COMPETENCIES
Robust competencies help you define what was done, what is bieng done, and what needs to be done. - Paul C. Green

After studying the background, mission, vision, needs, objectives, etc. a lsit of competencies was developed.

Types of competencies:
1] Communication: It is the ability to express ideas effectively (including effective use of nonverbal communication) in individual, group situations & adjusting message & expressions to the characteristics and needs of the audience. It is a two way process of transfer of information from the sender to the receiver in a way that it is understood by the receiver. Thus it also involves active listening. 1. Communicating Verbally 2. Communicating Structure information efficiently Use both verbal and non-verbal (gestures, signs, body

language, eye contact, etc) communication effectively. in It is the ability to write clear and concise reports, letters, etc, using good grammatical form. It involves encouraging the other person to present his views while communicating and understanding his point of view. (A

Writing 3. Active Listening

4.

good conversationalist listens more than he talks) Adapts language and It involves adapting a language and style for communicating at 33 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

style for different levels 5. Presentation skills

COMPETENCY MAPPING different levels of the organization in a way that is understood by others. It is the ability to structure data and give a presentation using a variety of aids. It also comprises the ability to take complex data and distill it into information that is useful for a particular audience.

2] Leadership: Leadership is the ability of influencing and giving direction to a group of people and moulding their activities in such a way that they willingly strive to achieve organizational objectives. A good leader creates a leader. 1. 2. Inspirational & Influential Strategic perspective It is the ability to motivate individuals & teams to achieve and maintain high standards of performance. Ability to visualize emerging trends in future and anticipate change, rather than simply allowing things to happen to you. 3. 4. Develop vision, values and Set direction 5. Leading change Ability to visualize the big picture. Create and communicate a compelling shared vision to address both opportunity and threats Coach & lead others in the organization to translate that vision into reality. Creates and instills strong values and ethics within the organization Be proactive in Identifying and recognizing the influence of outside forces, which might alter the organization goals. 6. 7. Achievement Recognition & Empowerment Implement this change through system, processes, and culture. Move towards the culture of openness & proactivity. Facilitating and appreciating success and rewarding high performance. Delegate authority and responsibility to subordinates and thus enable them to perform higher duties and tasks 34 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING

3] Interpersonal skills: It is the ability to establish good and productive relationship with a wide range of people at all levels within and outside the organization. Treat people with respect, trust and dignity and at the same time create positive energy. 1. 2. Respecting others Networking It is the ability to give due respect to everyone, irrespective of his or her position in the organization. F) It is the ability of identifying and maintaining a good, productive network of contacts at all levels within and outside the organization for sharing information and 3. Conflicts Management getting help when needed. It is the ability of effectively handling disagreements and 4. Invite constructive criticism arguments, settling disputes by evaluating alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. It is the ability to invite free feedback about yourself from others, take criticism and work on improvements.

4] Selling Skills: It is the ability to sell your ideas or products. 1. Negotiation It is the ability of communicating back and forth, for the purpose of reaching a joint agreement (win-win) 2. Persuasion skills about differing needs or ideas It is the ability to adhere to an idea and convince others for the same by argument. e.g. Persuade someone to quit 3. Perseverance smoking. It is: Commitment, hard work, endurance Ability to bear difficulties calmly without complaint Trying again and again

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COMPETENCY MAPPING

5] Self Management: It is the ability to act with confidence, manage ones own learning, demonstrate flexibility, be self- motivated and also manage ones time effectively. It also involves taking charge of ones emotions and feelings(No one can hurt you unless you want them to) Confidence Self learner Enthusiasm, Energy & Optimism It is the ability to take responsibility for ones own thoughts, feelings & actions, overcome blocks, learn from ones own mistakes and experiences and actively F) Time management pursue self-development. Prioritizing the activities, deciding how much time to allocate to tasks and planning day-to-day activities taking into account special requirements, e.g. travelling G) Meticulous H) Ethics and Integrity time, delays, etc. It is the ability to give attention to details and at the same time feel comfortable while handling them. It refers to the ability to act ethically and honestly in all business practices. It also refers to the ability of being I) Stress management seen as truthful, credible and trustworthy. It is the ability to maintain calm and performance in stressful situations and under pressure.( A diamond is J) Flexibility that piece of coal which did well under pressure) It combines the ability to react quickly to cope with emergencies and changes, with the ability to vary plans taking into account new information, events and people.

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COMPETENCY MAPPING 6] Team Player: It is the ability to support and build collaborative relationships with the team and others at all levels of the organization. 1. Builds effective team The ability to build effective teams by optimizing the people skills within the team, establishing a spirit of 2. 3. 4. Team Work Cooperative Sharing Information cooperation and cohesion for achieving goals. It is the ability to work in conjunction and not in separation to reach a consensus It is the ability to sacrifice personal goals for the objectives / goals of others in the team. It is the ability of sharing knowledge, expertise, and relevant information freely.

7] Organizing: It is the ability to deploy the right structures, systems & processes to achieve ones goals, to mobilize people for the tasks & ensure the availability of all resources at the right time. Planning It is the ability to establish a course of action for self or others to accomplish a specific goal; planning proper assignments of people and appropriate allocation of Organizing & Optimizing the Utilization of Resources resources. Select, manage and organize resources for present and future needs. Making the best use of all the available resources like materials, machines, men and money. e.g. Allocation Getting job done Crisis Management of finance It is the ability of mobilizing people for completing the task at hand. It is the ability to deal with crisis and difficult situations swiftly and effectively.

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COMPETENCY MAPPING 8] Entrepreneurship: It is the ability to create and innovate, to build something of recognized value around perceived opportunities. Creative & Innovative Proactive It is the ability to be imaginative with things, ideas, and ability to visualize projects and find creative solutions to problems, Lateral thinking. It is the ability to act in anticipation of an event in future and take action to address future problems or 1. Initiative opportunities. The ability to take immediate and independent action when appropriate without being prompted or reminded.

9] Professional Competencies: It refers to the skill of having up-to-date knowledge of a specific field or several fields of specialization e.g. R&D, Sales, Marketing, Finance, etc. Technical & Functional Expertise Computer knowledge Documentation Banking It refers to the skill of having complete knowledge and expertise in a particular field e.g. Computer programming, production management, maintenance management, shop floor management, etc. Having basic computer knowledge like using MS Office, lotus notes, etc. Having pre-shipment and post-shipment knowledge, FOB, CIF calculations, LC, Bill of Lading etc. It is the ability to negotiate with international banks for obtaining the best deal for foreign exchange also having knowledge about banking Selling skill Logistics Management EXIM policy Taxation knowledge rules and regulations. It the ability to sell ones ideas or products to others effectively. It is the ability to have proper logistic knowledge and decide on the optimum logistics approach. Having knowledge about the export-import policy and procedures of the country. Having thorough knowledge about both direct and indirect taxes and their implications on ones business.

10] Customer Focus: Making efforts to understand the customer, anticipate customer needs and giving high priority to customer satisfaction. 1. Passionate & Proactive about Anticipate and forecast customer requirements and 38 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING 2. serving the customers. needs. Responds actively and sensitively to the needs of the customer. 3. 4. Client Servicing Speed of response Create new solutions to meet customer needs. Building effective partnerships with customers.

Defining high quality standards for customer service. Understands and uses speed as a competitive advantage. E.g. McDonalds delivers orders within one minute or gives French fries free to the customer.

11] Decision-Making: It is the ability to make the best possible rationale choice from a number of alternatives available by gathering information, utilizing experiences and analyzing the situation. It is the ability to make sound and timely decision in accordance with the organizations vision, mission, core purpose, and strategic thrusts. Systematic approach 2. 3. Time-Bounded Decisions Taking calculated risks Gathering all the information

Analyzing the situation It refers to the ability to take timely decisions It refers to the ability to evaluate the risks associated with each decision, anticipate obstacles and their impact on the decision. It involves weighing the pros and cons of the decision. It involves understanding a situation by fragmentation of the problem in hand into smaller problems and attempting to read the implications in a logical perspective.

Logical thinking

12] Quality Consciousness: It refers to a clear understanding of the TBEM framework, active participation not only in the relevant work area but in the whole organization. Proactively Implements TBEM Framework Clear understanding of the TBEM framework. Emphasizing and implementing quality procedures in his 39 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING Provides leadership in TQM work area. It refers to the ability of spreading a culture of total quality awareness and directing people towards this 1. Improvement orientation framework. It refers to an individual drive for constant improvement e.g. Strive to improve ones past performance.

13] Achievement Oriented: It is the ability to focus on the delivery of goals, setting high standards of performance for self, others & organization. 1. 2. 4. Sets, monitors and achieves 3. It is the ability to set Specific, Measurable, Attainable, stretched targets efficiently Optimum work approach Competitiveness Relevant, Timed (SMART) and challenging targets for self and others and achieve them within the time limit. It is the ability to identify gaps, overcome them and decide on the optimum work approach. It is refers to the drive in an individual to remain ahead of others by benchmarking with the best.

POSITION MAPPING
The second step was that of position profiling. Here 9 Key positions of Tata International Ltd. were mapped. These key positions were those of business / function heads who had a high level of authorities, responsibilities, duties and accountabilities. This was done by the HR department 40 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING with the help of Job Description Questionnaires (JDQs). Also a position profiling was done by asking the jobholders themselves about the required competencies. In this way position profiling was done in consensus with the chief, SBU heads and HR department.

Job Requirements (work activities and their relative importance, skill? Knowledge and other requirements for performance)

What employees say they actually do on the job and competencies needed.

POSITIO N MAPPING

What bosses say should be performed on the job and the competencies needed.

Position Mapping Chart

CONCLUSION
The rising interest in competency mapping is direct fallout of the dynamic changes that the corporate world is witnessing today. Some insights into how far the concept has traveled and this is the reason for its current popularity 41 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING The entire project was dealt with understanding the term competency, to know its importance in any organization and then map it with the particular job cadre. Hence a thorough theoretical approach was done to understand the basic fundamentals. Here we saw that the competencies required for managers, employees and the company as a whole itself. To give it a better understanding the light was focused on some practical knowledge by understanding the job profile in Tata International Ltd. (TIL). The key positions of TIL were Mapped. The Person Profiling is still in process hence the results are not yet available. Once the person profiling is done the gaps would be identified. The employee would be given training, coaching, mentoring, special assignment or projects to reduce those gaps and become more competent and deliver higher performance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Building robust competencies, Paul C. Green, Jossey-Bass Publishers 42 N.L.D.I.M.S.R

COMPETENCY MAPPING

The Wholistic Competency Profile: A Model Users Kit, Len Slivinski & Jennifer Miles Competence At Work, Lyle M. Spencer & Signe M. Spencer The Competent Manager: A model foe effective performance, Boyatzis Internet sites www.google.com www.compinfo.com

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