The approach of companies in Slovakia to the managerial competencies and competency models.

Gyurak Babelova, Zdenka ; Vanova, Jaromira ; Holkova, Andrea 等

1. INTRODUCTION

The concept of competency is currently used in two ways of meaning. The first is competency as power, authorization granted by some authority or within an authority (an institution, individual person). The second meaning of competency accentuates the ability to perform an activity and to be qualified in the scope of work. The difference between these two understandings is simplified that the first approach emphasizes the importance of given competency from the outside, based of decision of others authorities. The second approach emphasizes the importance of internal quality of a person as a result of its development, more or less independent of the outside world, which allows him to give some performance. The term of managerial competencies from our point of view should to be associated with second meaning.

Managerial competencies are the skills and other predispositions, especially motivation, to perform management position. Managerial competencies are complex because they usually involve a large number of abilities, skills and range of knowledge. Over time, was created a large number of lists of competencies, but still lacks a clear agreement on what is competency and what actually competency consists from. Competency can be seen as behavior that leads to the result. (Kubes; Spillerova & Kurnicky, 2004)

Key competencies can be regarded as not only a set of skills and knowledge but also abilities and attitudes. Individual person acquires and develops this set throughout its life. The process of acquiring these skills is not just a matter of education but also training that he receives and the typology of human beings as individuals, their dispositions, intelligence, and to some extent also talent, especially in the areas of communication, creativity, and so on. (Birknerova & Zahatnanska, 2009)

After competencies identifying and defining should be the created competency models for various work positions. Competency model includes a set of selected competencies, which are assorted according to key into a logical structure and mutual relations. Each company management can determine which competencies will be reflected in the competency model. The significantly positive can now be considered the fact that managements of organizations operating in Slovakia realized the merits of the need not only focus on technical and economic problems, but also the human factor. (Hoghova, 2009)

Competency model so can be seen also as a connecting link between the values of company and the job description. It would thus effectively link business strategy with the recruitment strategy. Using of competency model can be seen also in other areas of human resources management, for example recruitment, training and development programs design as well as in employees planning career development or performance assessment linked to remuneration policy.

But we must not forget that the actual competency model is not an objective which we should go to, it is merely an instrument to achieving company goals as efficiency and performance increasing. (Horvath, 2007)

The essence of performance as an economic category is composed by three elements. The first is to define the target level against which is compared actual performance with the required performance. The second element is criteria of the goals evaluation--an indicator or set of indicators. The third performance element is system of its measurement and evaluation, which defines rules for indicators measurement and methods of evaluation. (Kucharova Mackayova & Zavadsky, 2006).

2. THE RESEARCH OF APPROACH OF COMPANIES IN SLOVAKIA TO THE MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES

We realized a survey focused on approach of companies in Slovakia to the managerial competencies this year. By this survey we tried to identify approaches of company managements to the issue of competencies and competency models creation. The aim of the realized research was to define the level of managerial competencies utilization in business practice. Statistical sample of questionnaire survey consisted of large industrial enterprises operating mainly in the automotive, engineering, construction and electrical industry in Slovakia. Companies for this survey were selected randomly. From total number of 350 questioned companies, in the questionnaire survey participated 84 companies, representing 24% of returned questionnaires. Data obtained from survey were examined and validated with mathematical and statistical methods.

As can showed research results, the importance of defining competencies for manager positions is based on company vision, values, strategies and needs. In the survey.. we focused on the understanding of managerial competencies by company managers. The result is illustrated graphically in the fig. 1.

According to the survey, 60% of respondents said that the competency means the power to take certain decisions, 24% understood it as the ability to perform some function and 16% understood it as the responsibility.

Next, we tried to find out if questioned companies have created competency models for management positions. We focused on to determine whether are for a specific position defined competencies needed for good performance grouped into specific competency models for specific managerial positions. The result is illustrated graphically in the fig. 2. 51% of respondents said their companies have developed competency models, 32% of companies do not and 17% of respondents did not know whether their companies have created competency models.

In the survey, we also tried to find out whether in the companies human resource specialists investigate the consistency between the attained level of competency among managers and the required level for their job. The result is illustrated graphically in the fig. 3. The question was answered by 10% of respondents positively, by 76% of respondents negatively and 14% of respondents do not know if their human resource specialists measure the level of manager competencies.

3. DISTRIBUTION OF ENTERPRISES THROUGH APPROACH TO THE COMPETENCIES

After research realization we found out that companies in Slovakia can be divided into four categories according to the understanding of the managerial competencies philosophy and approach to the use of competencies.

1) Managerial competency = responsibility

To this category belong companies in which is the competency seen as the responsibility to perform a specific task, activity. Assessment of competency is to review the responsibilities of particular jobs.

2) Managerial competency = authorization to take certain decisions

This category includes companies, in which is competency understood as eligibility of activities and authorization to make certain decisions. Assessment of competency means to examine and review the powers given to the manager in relation to his position in the company hierarchy and job tasks.

3) Managerial competency = described required skills and behavior

This category involves companies in which the competency model is created, but has no operational foundation.

Using a competency model is used only for purposes of human resources department as a tool to compare candidates in recruiting process or creating a new job position.

Manager is informed about required managerial competencies when taking up the job. Competency model of each job position is defined in the employment contract. Assessment of competencies in these companies is only on general level. Managerial competencies are clearly defined in a brief characterization but lacks scale range of behavior to the individual competencies.

4) Managerial competency = know, use and develop the required behavior

This category consists of companies that understand and accept competencies as a complex system for performance management. The operation of the system is supported by company management. Performance management extends to all areas of employees work life.

Competencies are processed in a competency model that is widely used. Actively used in creating new jobs, to recruit job applicants, evaluating staff performance linked to compensation. In addition competency models are used in training and development activities design and planning next career of employees.

Positive finding from this research is that companies in Slovakia are trying to create competency models although measurements of competencies realize only 10% of enterprises. The most part of surveyed companies is included in the third category of companies, which do not yet fully aware the competency approach but understand the importance of competencies for the manager work.

4. CONCLUSION

Based on the survey, we concluded that not every company management understands the managerial competency in the same connotation. The system of interdependence of competencies with performance management, which has an impact on other areas of employee work life is not used in all companies in the survey. Using competencies and skills assessment remains only on formal level in most companies. Our further research will focus on efficiency of methods used for competency development in companies in Slovakia.

This contribution is a part of research project VEGA 1/0156/08 "Key managerial competencies in the range of specific functional management areas and their applicable development concepts".

13. REFERENCES

Birknerova, Z. & Zahatnanska, M. (2009). Komunikativne kompetencie v edukacnom procese. In: Multikulturalita a komunikativne kompetencie, FHPV PU, ISBN 978-80-555-0089-8, Presov

Hoghova, K. (2009). Comprehensive analysis of Organizational Culture--the basic condition of its forming. In: CO-MAT-TECH 2009, Industrial Engeneering, Management and Quality for 21st century. Trnava: AluminiPress, pp. 119-124, ISBN 978-80-8096-100-8

Horvath, L. (2007). Kompetencni model a rizeni podle kompetenci. Personal--casopis pro rozvoj lidskych zdroju, Vol. 13, No. 5, 2007, pp. 5-7, ISSN 1213-8878

Kubes, M.; Spillerova, D. & Kurnicky, R. (2004) Manazerske kompetence--Zpusobilosti vyjimecnych manazeru, Grada publishing, ISBN 80-247-0698-9, Praha

Kucharova Mackayova, V. & Zavadsky, J. (2006). Vysoko vykonni zamestnanci--nositelia klucovych znalosti. Forum manazera, VIVAEDUCA o.z., Vol. II., No. 1., 2006, pp. 20-22, ISSN 1336-7773, Trnava

Fig. 1. Understanding of competency in companies in Slovakia

authorization 60%
ability 24%
responsibility 16%

Note: Table made from pie chart.

Fig. 2. Existence of competency models in companies

Yes 51%
no 32%
I do not know 17%

Note: Table made from pie chart.

Fig. 3. Measurement of achieved level of competencies for
Specific managerial positions.

Yes 10%
no 76%
I do not know 14%

Note: Table made from pie chart.