ABSTRACT

Use of assessment centers to select personnel for managerial positions has spread rapidly since the first report of its application in industry (Bray & Grant, 1966). Moreover, assessment centers are now used for many purposes other than selection such as career management, development, and training. Teachers, engineers, school administrators, salespersons, military and police personnel, and others have been assessed. This popularity is certainly partly due to encouraging evidence regarding the criterion-related validity of the assessment center. Gaugler, Rosenthal, Thornton, and Bentson (1987) reported a metaanalysis of 50 assessment center studies in which the average validity across various performance criteria was .37.