Ovania Case Analysis

Ovania Chemical Corporation, a producer of specialty chemicals, is taking the initiative to modernize. The modernization will include redesigning jobs performed by employees. The most critical job the company is evaluating for redesign is the position of the System Analyzer. This position is critical to operations because the system analyzer is responsible for monitoring all of the chemical components used in the production of goods. Ovania is looking to automate this position which will require system analyzers to have more technical skills. Overall, the changes the company is implementing will change the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of this position by more than 70 percent. The company anticipates that the transition to this new system will be a two year process. Ovania has already developed a committee to design the potential skill set that they feel will be needed to perform the system analyzer job and testing to evaluate that skill set was developed. Recruiting new applicants for the newly designed position was done internally and externally, with emphasis on recruiting from within the organization, as well as current system analyzers who were willing to retrain, prior to the two year implementation, for their positions. Prescreening for skills and experience were not considered as part of the application process in order to encourage a more diverse pool of applicants. Concern were raised, however, that some protected classes may find the position objectionable based on some of the requirements, such as entering treatment tanks to read gauges because the work is quite dirty. Applicants would be considered based on their performance on aptitude and ability tests. Testing would only take place for skills which the company felt it could not reasonably train an applicant for prior to the two year implementation date. The cutoff score for testing was decided upon and after testing the company has narrowed the pool of applicants to twenty, however he testing itself has been problematic for the organization, because the position is new and no validity or normative data exists to base the testing on. The key issue facing Ovania is the validity of the testing procedure for the new position. Because no prior data exists, Ovania needs to be certain that the criteria selected for testing is actually valid for the position of system analyst. How does a company such as Ovania conduct a job analysis for a position that does not exist yet? By looking at the current position requirements (duties and tasks) as well as the current job description, Ovania can develop guidelines for the new position. While this position will be different from the current job requirements, some of the areas included in the current job analysis will be valid for the new position as well. Any new skills and responsibilities the company anticipates may be required could be researched based on analysis already conducted within the industry for similar jobs. Leaving room for additional requirements and noting that the analysis methods may change as the position develops will also be key, however primary responsibilities and skill sets for applicants should be established based in research specific to the industry and based on similar positions. Did Ovania choose content-valid selection criteria? What other predictors may be useful? Selection criteria used by Ovania is content valid for this position, as it samples the knowledge and skill necessary to perform the job. Ovania may also benefit from learning about applicants previous performance in related positions and physical ability testing for this position. Given the technical nature and level of responsibility required for this position, prior job performance data will be valuable in assessing capability of the applicant. Why not hire someone fully trained now? Ovania has decided that it is willing to train any skills it deems reasonable to be acquired prior to the two year implementation date. The advantage of this approach is that the selected applicant will be trained ccording to the development of the position over that time and will be familiar with the company environment. The disadvantage is the cost of that training to Ovania should the applicant decide to leave or not work out in this position. Should the concern about women getting down into the dirty treatment tanks have been a selection issue? How might you include this factor in a selection battery? The issue of getting in the dirty treatment tanks should not be considered for just female applicants, but should be addressed with all applicants for the position as it is a required part of the position for anyone chosen for the job. This should be part of the developed job description and all applicants selected to be interviewed should be five the description for the position and emphasis made that checking the gauges in the treatment tanks is a mandatory requirement. They should have full understanding that if they are not willing to perform this part of the job they will not be considered for the position as it is necessary to the safety of the plant operations.