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Using Assessment Center Methodology to Rebuild the New Iraqi Intelligence Agency and Implications for Industry in Establishing a Reliable Work Force in Emerging Market Countries

In WWII the Department of Defense (DOD) reached out to the field of psychology to help establish a screening program for the Office of Strategic Services - the forerunner to the CIA.   The Assessment of Men documents one of the earliest successes of the use of modern day assessment procedures to screen for our covert operants for the Office of Strategic Services. Today, modern fortune 500 companies use many of the adaptations of these early assessment techniques in their assessment program.   In the Iraq War, history repeats itself when the DOD reached out to Morris & McDaniel, a firm specializing in developing tailored screening programs for unique circumstances, to help rebuild the new Iraqi Secret Police.

This program will describe the program and its results along with how the lessons learned can be used by industry in establishing a reliable work force in the Emerging Markets of the World.

Dr. David M. Morris and Roger McMillin, retired Chief Justice of the Appellate Court in Mississippi , lived and worked in the war torn environment of post Saddam , Iraq for nearly 3 years.   With their team of expats and Iraqi nationals, they traveled extensively in all areas of the country to bring Modern Assessment procedures to bear on the daunting challenge of screening Iraqi nationals for re-establishing law and order.

One of their missions was to establish a screening program for the new Secret Police which was called the National Iraqi Intelligence Agency. 

PDF of Morris/McMillin Presentation 

 

Dr. David Morris is both a licensed industrial psychologist and a licensed attorney.  Drawing on this dual training and professional experience, Dr. Morris specializes in designing cross-cultural personnel selection tests that offer multi-national HR managers, operating in a globalized world valuable insights into the suitability of job candidates and offer candidates the security of knowing that the tests are fundamentally fair to all. These concepts, invoking fundamental considerations of validity and fairness, are important to any organization faced with significant numbers of personnel decisions in a globalized world, no matter the culture, language, ethnicity, religion, country, or legal code under which the business is operating.

Dr. Morris founded Morris & McDaniel over a quarter of a century ago and continues to serve as President of the company.  Dr. Morris spent considerable time between in Iraq and other Middle East countries from early 2004 through mid 2007.  In Iraq , Morris & McDaniel had offices in six different cities providing cross-cultural personnel tests serving candidates with different languages, religion, and ethnicities.  He and his firm provided valuable assistance in the thousands of people decisions that had to be made in rebuilding that nation. The firm also has offices in Washington , D.C. ; Atlanta , Georgia ; New Orleans , Louisiana ; and Jackson , Mississippi . 

 

Judge Roger McMillin joined the firm of Morris & McDaniel in April 2004 as the Vice-President of Operations.  At the time he joined the firm, his principal duties were related to the company’s work for the Iraqi Police Service and he was full-time in Iraq from September 2004 through early 2007.  Prior to joining Morris & McDaniel, Judge McMillin served ten years as a Judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals.  He served in the capacity of Chief Judge of the Court for the last five years of his tenure.  Prior to going on the bench, Judge McMillin was engaged in the general practice of law for over eighteen years and for most of that time served as retained corporate counsel to Morris & McDaniel.