ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the development of Assessment Center (ACs) in China. It examines the evolution of ACs in China; current practices in different economic sectors of China based firms, as well as some cultural and operational issues in implementing ACs in China. China has a long history in assessing and selecting civil service officials, which can be traced back to the Sui Dynasty. However, the AC method was first applied to China during the time of World War II. In China, the use of AC techniques is mainly for employee selection. About 20 percent of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) use AC methods in China, where the AC is primarily used for selection of senior executives as well as campus recruiting efforts. Despite the apparent need for assessment tools and methodologies in China, there are several challenges that need to be addressed in AC practices in Chinese organizations.
