Purpose: This study seeks to develop and validate an Assessment Centre (AC) tool for the evaluation and selection of Owner-Managers of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), focusing on the identification of competencies that influence producting and job creating outcomes. International research supports the creation of Assessment Centres to select candidates for these roles, due to their superior predictive capacity over traditional methods.
Research methodology: In terms of goal, the research is applied-development and in terms of research method, it is mixed. In this research, a model composed of six face-to-face instruments (an individual interview, oral presentation, group discussion, truth discovery, cartable simulation and role playing) was designed and validated which simulated the key tasks of an Owner-Manager.To establish the desired performance outcomes, four competencies and 10 indicators were selected, based on international and local standards. The analysis of performance results was obtained from a sample of 60 participants made up of Experts, industrial owners and owner-managers.
Findings: The results suggest positive evidence for construct validity, concurrent criteria validity, and reliability between evaluators. Moreover, the data obtained from a sub-sample of Owner-Managers, with three or more years of experience in their role, allowed for the association of their AC scores with the results of their Industrial organisations, as measured by the small industries and industrial parks organisation.
Conclusion: Validated Designed AC can also be used to evaluate the managerial skills of other owners and managers of SME’s.