title: The application of job analysis, the O*NET and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations

authors: Berry, Jacqueline

subjects: Job Analysis

abstract: The present study aimed to gain an understanding of the extent to which human resource professionals are using and applying job analysis, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations. This study also explored the research-practice gap in job analysis, as examined through the O*NET and the influence of Taylor and Cable's (2004) article on the O*NET database. An online questionnaire was completed by 107 participants, who were members of the Human Resource Institute of New Zealand research stream. Findings suggest there is high awareness of job analysis, however the application of job analysis in the organisation is commonly hindered by the limited understanding and knowledge amongst human resource professionals. Findings on competency modelling suggest, there has been a possible increase in the application of competency modelling in organisations since Markus, Cooper-Thomas and Allpress (2005) study. The article by Taylor and Cable (2004) has had little influence on the application of the O*NET, suggesting a potential research-practice gap is present in the job analysis area. Specifically, the O*NET database could benefit Human Resource Management (HRM), through supporting the development of job descriptions and person specifications. Human resource professionals could benefit further from extending their awareness of job analysis and competency modelling to the application of these processes in HRM. The need for future research and practical implications for HRM and organisational psychology are discussed.

text: The application of job analysis, the O*NET and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations The present study aimed to gain an understanding of the extent to which human resource professionals are using and applying job analysis, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and competency modelling in New Zealand organisations. This study also explored the research-practice gap in job analysis, as examined through the O*NET and the influence of Taylor and Cable's (2004) article on the O*NET database. An online questionnaire was completed by 107 participants, who were members of the Human Resource Institute of New Zealand research stream. Findings suggest there is high awareness of job analysis, however the application of job analysis in the organisation is commonly hindered by the limited understanding and knowledge amongst human resource professionals. Findings on competency modelling suggest, there has been a possible increase in the application of competency modelling in organisations since Markus, Cooper-Thomas and Allpress (2005) study. The article by Taylor and Cable (2004) has had little influence on the application of the O*NET, suggesting a potential research-practice gap is present in the job analysis area. Specifically, the O*NET database could benefit Human Resource Management (HRM), through supporting the development of job descriptions and person specifications. Human resource professionals could benefit further from extending their awareness of job analysis and competency modelling to the application of these processes in HRM. The need for future research and practical implications for HRM and organisational psychology are discussed.

year: 2009

title: New Options for Hoeffding Trees

authors: Pfahringer, Bernhard

subjects: computer science

abstract: Hoeffding trees are state-of-the-art for processing high-speed data streams. Their ingenuity stems from updating sufficient statistics, only addressing growth when decisions can be made that are guaranteed to be almost identical to those that would be made by conventional batch learning methods. Despite this guarantee, decisions are still subject to limited lookahead and stability issues. In this paper we explore Hoeffding Option Trees, a regular Hoeffding tree containing additional option nodes that allow several tests to be applied, leading to multiple Hoeffding trees as separate paths. We show how to control tree growth in order to generate a mixture of paths, and empirically determine a reasonable number of paths. We then empirically evaluate a spectrum of Hoeffding tree variations: single trees, option trees and bagged trees. Finally, we investigate pruning. We show that on some datasets a pruned option tree can be smaller and more accurate than a single tree.

text: New Options for Hoeffding Trees Hoeffding trees are state-of-the-art for processing high-speed data streams. Their ingenuity stems from updating sufficient statistics, only addressing growth when decisions can be made that are guaranteed to be almost identical to those that would be made by conventional batch learning methods. Despite this guarantee, decisions are still subject to limited lookahead and stability issues. In this paper we explore Hoeffding Option Trees, a regular Hoeffding tree containing additional option nodes that allow several tests to be applied, leading to multiple Hoeffding trees as separate paths. We show how to control tree growth in order to generate a mixture of paths, and empirically determine a reasonable number of paths. We then empirically evaluate a spectrum of Hoeffding tree variations: single trees, option trees and bagged trees. Finally, we investigate pruning. We show that on some datasets a pruned option tree can be smaller and more accurate than a single tree.

year: 2007

title: The Rangatahi court

authors: Dickson, Matiu

abstract: It has become popular to use the marae setting as an alternative to the mainstream courts in dealing with young Māori offenders. The rationale is that taking young Māori offenders back to the marae to be dealt with in the youth justice system, encourages them to face up to their responsibilities and aids their rehabilitation back into the community. The expectation is that whānau will be present to support the young person and to help resolve his or her offending and bad behaviour. I supported this innovation when it was introduced but now I have second thoughts having seen that a marae that piloted this scheme was vandalised with graffiti painted on the marae buildings. In my view, when this happened the scheme to use marae should have ceased and an opportunity taken to rethink their use in this way. For a Māori the vandalism of their marae is like a physical assault on the person of their tupuna. This paper looks at the traditional role of marae in the Māori community and questions the use of marae as judicial settings. It suggests what needs to be done first to make this setting tika or appropriate.

text: The Rangatahi court It has become popular to use the marae setting as an alternative to the mainstream courts in dealing with young Māori offenders. The rationale is that taking young Māori offenders back to the marae to be dealt with in the youth justice system, encourages them to face up to their responsibilities and aids their rehabilitation back into the community. The expectation is that whānau will be present to support the young person and to help resolve his or her offending and bad behaviour. I supported this innovation when it was introduced but now I have second thoughts having seen that a marae that piloted this scheme was vandalised with graffiti painted on the marae buildings. In my view, when this happened the scheme to use marae should have ceased and an opportunity taken to rethink their use in this way. For a Māori the vandalism of their marae is like a physical assault on the person of their tupuna. This paper looks at the traditional role of marae in the Māori community and questions the use of marae as judicial settings. It suggests what needs to be done first to make this setting tika or appropriate.

year: 2011