Globalisation yields numerous challenges and continuous changes in the economic
environment, rapid technological advancements, and an increased emphasis on organisational
competitiveness. The existing practice in the Telecommunications company relied on
conventional recruitment-on-vacancy and training. In 1997, a customer contact research
programme was launched to review the specific competencies underlying the full range of
customer contact roles, in order to understand the constructs which would underlie effective
assessment of people for the role of sales and marketing.
The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an assessment battery in a
telecommunications company. The assessment battery measures the participants' essential
skills, behaviour and performance to bring about critical development action. The Work
Profiling System (WPS) and Subject Matter Experts in the Sales Division identified the
fifteen competencies. The assessment battery consisted of Ability Tests: Verbal Evaluation
(VCC3) and Numerical Evaluation (NCC4), and a personality questionnaire: Customer
Contact Styles Questionnaire (CCSQ7.2). The Customer Contact Competency Inventory
(CCCI) was electronically administered to the sales representatives' respective managers in
2006, to give objective 360" feedback. The study population (n=97) consisted of sales
representatives working in a Telecommunication company.
The objectives for this research were to validate the chosen selection battery for the sales
representatives, and determine its relation to manager-rated performance. Descriptive and
inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Stepwise multiple regression analyses
were carried out to determine whether the independent variables (CCSQ7.2 and Ability
Tests) hold any predictive value regarding the dependent variable (CCCI).
The results of the regression analyses showed that Verbal Evaluation (VCC3) was a
significant predictor of: Convincing, Communicating Orally, Results Driven. Problem
Solving and Organisation. Modest (R4) was a significant predictor of Convincing.
Participative (R5) was a significant predictor of Problem Solving and Organisation.
Overall, it can be stated that there is a significant relationship between the test battery and job
performance. The results in this study reflect that correlations between personality, ability
and performance were small to moderate. This is lower than expected and what is found in
similar international research. This is probably due to the flawed criterion. The results should
be used with caution to prevent making a Type I1 error.
Recommendations for future research are made.
vii / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/1281 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Smith, Antoinette Charlene |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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