[savio13]

A centre can be an end in itself - for assessment of need, potential and appointability -- or it can be a means to an end.
These means can be diagnostic tools by which appropriate action can be taken to help an individual and or group of individuals to upgrade their managerial performance against an agreed set of criteria. If the criteria have been drawn from the job through job analysis and the current level of performance assessed against them in job-relevant but unfamiliar situations, good quality information can be gathered from which one can draw up developmental plans. Developmental applications of assessment centres represent an emerging exciting area for practitioners interested in maximizing the benefits of assessment centres. . If the centre has been well designed and closely related to the needs of the jobs and the organizations, it should generate a follow-up action, which is acceptable to the individuals and organizations and readily applicable.
While these may seem to be obvious conclusions, they are not necessarily followed. Follow-up actions do not have to be restricted to traditional training solutions. The environment of line managers enables them to act as coaches and mentors. The whole process can be used to contribute to the development of the organization in addition to the intended individual and management development. ¬


Most researches seem to be focused on the validity or the predictability of the technique as a selection device, rather than on the usefulness of the information gathered for development.