Officer quality rating scale

Abstract

"Officer qualities were assessed on 'ad hoc' subjective Eritrea formulated by members of Selection Boards. Eventually, rationalized scale of assessment, based on statistical evaluations came to be adopted. This has made it possible for Selection Boards to state the findings on the basis of a uniform and standardized method of assessment. To begin with, three types of Officer Quality rating Scales were devised on the basis of pen pictures of the average service officer written by 205 senior and experienced officers. These scales were of 29,24 and 21 officer qualities, for the age groups of 21 years and above, 17 and half years to 21 years, and 15 to 17 and a half years respectively. These Scales were used on an experimental basis but with further experience, they were modified so as to combine items which were highly correlated and overlapping or to eliminate those which were vague and difficult to assess. More rationalized method of assessment was achieved when factorial analysis indicated four primary factors under which the different officer qualities could be sub-summed. In this way, qualities having high loading of a particular factor were grouped under that factor. Statistical analysis also brought out important points regarding the reliability of ticking by assessors, and an opinion survey revealed that certain qualities could not be assessed with the same degree of definiteness as others. In the light of these findings, the other quality scale was condensed to 15 qualities. As a further aid to the reliable assessment of officer qualities each of the combined was defined. The revised rating scale consisting of 15 qualities based on four factors was adopted for use in August 1956. Further research in order to discover possible improvements to this new rating scale is being initiated. "