The Use and Effectiveness of Assessment Centers
Assessment Center Methods (AC) were introduced to Japan for the first time in 1972 by DDI and MSC, and they have become increasingly widespread from the time of Japan as No.1, described by Ezra F. Vogel in the late '70s, to the time of the economic bubble's collapse in the early '90s. Even after that, being burdened with heavy debt and struggling with the continuing economic slump, many organizations have been using AC at enormous expense because they recognize that developing and retaining high-potential employees are key factors in enhancing competitiveness in the globalized world economy.
In this session, data and key findings will be presented - including implementation, applications, users' perceptions, and future directions - from a comprehensive study that examined how AC has been utilized to identify and develop high-potential employees in Japanese organizations. This study, conducted on orders from the Japanese Government (which is considering implementation of AC), is based on a sample of more than 200 organizations of a variety of sizes and industries. Also, the speaker, with nearly 20 years' experience as an AC specialist, will share case examples of how AC has been used effectively in her client organizations.
Speaker
Chizuko Kanaya
Director
Management Service Center (MSC)
Chizuko Kanaya is a director of Management Service Center (MSC), which has had a relationship with DDI for over 30 years as an affiliate in Japan. In her current position, she is responsible for leading the Marketing and Product Development Department, which plans and develops both localized version of DDI's and MSC's own programs for training and development. Also, she has over 19 years of experience consulting in the area of assessment centers and training and development especially for middle managers and executives of major organizations in Japan. She supports the implementation and conducting of assessment centers for 300-500 people in her client organizations annually.
Prior to joining MSC, she worked for publishing companies as an editor and engaged in selling the Japanese version of Encylclopedia Britannica for 15 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Seijo University.
