Vincenzo Majer’s School for Selection Psychology and Assessment Centers
Annamaria Di Fabio, Marco Giovanni Mariani
The article analyses the evolution of skills assessment in the Italian organizational context, highlighting the central role of «Majer’s School» in the development of evidence-based methodologies. In response to an increasingly dynamic labor market and recent regulatory directives, there has been a shift from the assessment of knowledge to that of skills, with particular attention to individual potential. Vincenzo Majer has given a fundamental contribution to the introduction and development of Assessment Centers in Italy, underlining the importance of multi-method procedures and advanced training of assessors. His vision has materialized in the «3P» model (position, performance, potential), a guide for the assessment of human resources. The article briefly traces the historical origins of Assessment Centers, from their birth in the military to their diffusion in the civilian sector, with a focus on the Italian adaptation promoted by Majer. The transition from Assessment Centers to Development Centers is analysed, highlighting the importance of feedback and the active involvement of participants in their professional growth path. Finally, the specificities of Assessment Centers, Development Centers and skills assessment are compared, underlining the methodological differences and the areas of application in the management and development of human resources.
Keywords
Assessment Center, Development Center, Potential Assessment, Work Psychology, Organizational Psychology.
