Evaluation of Assessment Centre Technique

The assessment centre technique has several advantages. The flexibility of content and form, standardised ways of interpreting behaviour, the utilization of a variety of techniques and pooled assessor judgements account for its acceptance as a precious selection tool for managerial jobs. It is praise for content validity and broad acceptance in corporate circle.

The technique helps a candidate make suitable career choice by providing a realistic job preview. In nature the performance ratings are more objective and could be willingly used for promotion and career growth decisions. However, the method is costly to design and administer. Blind acceptance of assessment data without considering of other information on candidates (previous and current performance) is always in advisable.

• Graphology tests: Graphology involves by using a trained evaluator to verify the lines, hooks, loops, curves, strokes and flourishes in a person's handwriting to measure the person's personality and emotional level. The recruiting company can, for instance, ask applicants to complete application forms and write regarding why they want a job. These samples can be finally sent to a graphologist for analysis and the results can be put to use while choosing a person. However the use of graphology is based on the training and expertise of the person doing the analysis. In real practice, questions of validity and only plain scepticism have restricted its use.
• Polygraph (lie-detector) tests: The polygraph (The lie detector contain a rubber tube round the chest, a cuff around the arm, and sensors associated to the fingers that record the physiological variation in the examinee as the examiner asks questions that call for an answer of no or yes) records physical changes in the body since the test subject answers a series of questions. It records fluctuations in, blood pressure, respiration & perspiration on a moving roll of graph paper. The polygraph operator gives a judgement as to whether the subject's response was honest or misleading by checking the biological movements recorded on the paper. Polygraphs, in spite of strong resistance by various applicants, are enhancing being used by companies which have difficulty with inventory and safety of funds. Government agencies have started to use the polygraph, though in a restricted way, after the passage of the workers Polygraph Protection Act in USA in the year1988, especially for appointing in police, security and fire and health positions. However, Critics question the appropriateness of polygraphs in establishing the truth regarding an applicant's behaviour. The fact is that polygraph observed biological reaction in response to stress and does not record ask lying or even the conditions essentially accompanying lying. Is it possible to establish that the responses recorded by the polygraph happen only because of lie has been told? What about that situation in which a person lies without any guilt (a pathological liar) or lies believe as the response to be true? The fact of the topic is that polygraphs are not reliable and valid. As they invade the privacy of that tested, various applicants vehemently oppose the utilization of polygraph like a selection tool.
• Integrity tests: These are designed to measure workers' honesty to predict those who are more likely to steal from worker or otherwise act in a manner unsuitable to the organisation. The candidate who take these tests are hoped to answer several 'yes' or 'no' type questions, such as following:

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Frequently these tests contain questions that repeat themselves in some way and then evaluator check the consistency in responses. Companies that have utilized integrity tests have reported success in tracking workers who indulge in 'theft'. However, these tests finally suffer from the similar weaknesses like polygraph and graphology tests.