Developments and Application of a Technique for Analysing Jobs

Abstract

The research involved a tripartite team: the sponsoring organisation (the Marketing Personnel Department, Tyre Division, Dunlop Limited), an interdisciplinary department at Aston University and the student. The team was created to consider ways of helping the company in the "development of its people". This general initial concern became more precisely defined as a need to develop a technique for analysing the marketing jobs, in order to provide information for decisions regarding aspects of personnel development. The literature on occupational analysis, in particular for executive jobs, was examined. However, none of the methods seemed to satisfy the aims of the project. The problem was reconsidered and Repertory Grid Technique was adopted as the method of analysis. The technique was used to produce job profiles and applied to four areas of the development of people:- improving job performance, organisation development, training and career development. The application of the technique allowed the Marketing Directors and the Personnel Department to be better informed about the marketing jobs. This will hopefully enable better decisions to be made regarding personnel development, Additional applications of the technique were recommended to the Personnel Department. The objectives held by each member of the tripartite team for the research were met to a large extent.