Analysis of professional competencies in the Spanish public administration management

AbstractThe present study aims to analyse the degree of importance civil servants in the Spanish Public Administration (SPA) attach to a set of twenty professional competencies, as well as to compare the level of managers’ self-assessed competency and that of a reference population of managers. For this purpose, a sample of 613 public servants in the SPA consisting of lower-ranking officials and managers was chosen and a survey methodology was used for data collection and analysis. The results indicate first that the most relevant competencies for both groups are self-confidence and self-assurance, communication, and teamwork. Secondly, the level of relevance attached by lower-ranking officials is in many cases greater than the level attached by managers. Finally, managers in the SPA show a self-assessed level of competency far below that of the reference population of managers. This set of results provides valuable information for the creation of a competency-based Comprehensive Human Resources Integrated Management System in the SPA