What does qualification mean?

Qualification refers to the personal characteristics that can distinguish job performance in a specific work and organizational environment. These personal characteristics include not only superficial characteristics such as knowledge and skills, but also deep personality, values and internal driving force. Now, we extend the extension of this word to legal persons (including both units and social organizations). For example, we often say that the qualification of real estate development unit refers to whether real estate development can be carried out, and the housing area and type developed with different qualifications are different.

1973, mcclelland, a professor at Harvard University in the United States, put forward the word "ability" for the first time in his paper entitled "Testing for ability rather than intelligence". There are four translations of this word in China: ability, ability characteristics, quality and qualification. Although the specific terms are different, the connotation is the same.

Mcclelland believes that personal behavior quality and characteristics can determine people's job performance more effectively than IQ, so we should change the past method of comprehensively testing people's cognitive ability and measure those characteristics that have a direct impact on people's performance in a specific job. He called these characteristics qualifications.

Since the concept of qualification was put forward, many scholars have put forward different interpretations of the word "qualification" from different angles. Generally speaking, scholars' definition of qualification can be divided into the following views in content:

1. Qualifications are the basic characteristics of individuals.

Qualification is a job-related characteristic of an individual, which determines the difference between those with excellent performance and those with poor performance. Qualification is a basic characteristic of a person or an individual, which is closely related to high efficiency and efficient work performance and can be measured. In order to distinguish ordinary employees from excellent employees, people generally divide qualifications into two categories: ordinary qualifications and special qualifications. General education refers to the necessary conditions for working, while special education is the education that can distinguish ordinary employees from excellent employees.

2. Qualification is an act.

This view emphasizes the observability of qualifications, arguing that qualifications are a predictable and measurable behavior or combination of behaviors to complete and achieve work goals, and a combination of behavior patterns that people need to show (in work), not the work itself. Qualification is an obvious behavior, which can enable an individual to complete a certain job. In other words, those personal behaviors that lead to job performance differences constitute qualifications, which are future-oriented work behaviors that can be observed, taught, acquired and measured.

3. Qualification is a kind of knowledge/skill.

Qualification is a combination of a series of job-related knowledge and skills.

Others define qualifications as the job requirements needed to complete daily and tactical work. They are knowledge, attitudes or skills that will have an impact on work, which are related to work performance and can be measured and improved. You can transfer to other jobs. Convertible qualification is the foundation and key part of any work.

4. Qualification is a complex issue.

According to this view, qualification cannot be simply reduced to a single-dimensional definition, or qualification is a synthesis of several aspects. On the one hand, qualifications include knowledge, skills and abilities, which are mainly composed of knowledge and skills needed for work. It is of guiding significance to complete those routine, planned and technical tasks, which is called technical qualification. On the other hand, qualifications also include other personal characteristics, such as motivation, attitude and personality, which are necessary to complete those less routine, planned and technical jobs.

Based on the above point of view, it is not difficult for us to draw a general definition of qualification: the so-called qualification is the synthesis of personal knowledge, ability and attitude, which leads to the difference between excellent performers and general performers. Qualifications have the following characteristics:

Qualifications are related to the performance level, and the difference in qualifications of incumbents will be reflected in the difference in work performance;

The essence and foundation of qualification is the comprehensive expression of individual characteristics, which consists of qualification elements, including individual knowledge, ability level and psychological activity process, which are indispensable organic whole;

Qualifications can be observed, graded and measured. No matter what type or form the qualification element is, it must be measured by some measuring tool, otherwise it will lose its significance to reality.

Qualification is the basis of qualification model, and the so-called high-performance qualification model is related to organizational situations, so there is no absolutely high qualification applicable to all situations.