A study on competencies of young cadres in public sector the case of dai tu district peoples committee, thai nguyen province, vietnam

UPPSALA UNIVERSITY &
VNU UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS & BUSINESS
V N U -U E B

U PPSA LA

Vr»JL

U N IV E R S IT E T

M A ST E R T H E SIS O F M P P M

“ A STUDY ON COM PETENCIES OF YOUNG CADRES IN PUBLIC SECTOR:
THE CASE OF DAI TU DISTRICT PEOPLE’S C O M M ITTEE,
THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE V IE T N A M ”

A u th o r
CRN

: N g u y e n T uan D un g
: 9 0 0 8 0 5 - P253

S u p e rv iso r s : Dr. S v e n -E r ik Svard
A ssoc. Prof. Le Q uan
C lass

: M P P M - Intake 7

H anoi, J a n u a r y 2015

U PPSA L A U N IV E R SIT Y &
VNU Ư N IV E R SIT Y OF E C O N O M ỈC S & BU SINESS

U PPSA LA
U N IV E R S IT E T

ACKNOVVLEDGEM ENT

I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors, Dr. Sven-Erik
Svard and Assoc. Prof. Le Quan for their invaluable useful comments,
remarks, encouragement and engagement through the learning process o f this
master thesis. Furthermore I would like to thank iM r. Ho Nhu Hai for
introducing me to the topic as well for the support on the way. I sincerely thank
the lecturers who enthusiastically imparted useful knowledge on public
management during the master program to all class attendants. I also tliank the
support o f the VNU University o f Economics and Business, the coordinators
and program managers for their support and assistance.
I am using this opportunity to express my gratitude to my classmates, who
supported me throughout thc course o f this M PPM course, by their aspiring
guidance, invaluably constructive criticism and fricndy advice. 1 am sincerely
grateíul to them for sharing their truthful and illuminating vicws on a number
o f issues related to my thesis.
Also, I like to thank the participants in my survey, who have willingly
shared their precious time during the process o f interviewing. I would like to
thank my lovcd oncs, who havc supportcd me throughout cntirc proccss, both
by keeping me harmonious and helping me putting pieces together.
Thank you all very much!
Sincerelv yours,

ABSTRACT
Title: A study on competencies o f young cadres in public sector: The case
oí'Dai Tu District People’s Committee, Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam.
Level: Final assignmcnt for Master Program in Public Management.
A u th or: Nguyen Tuan Dung
Supervisors: Dr. Sven-Erik Svard; Assoc. Prof. Le Quan
Datc when the thesis is prcsented: Dcccniber 5, 2014
Aims of the study
Though has repeatedly been mentioned over the vvorld, conipetency
development based on competency framework approach are hardly found in
Vietnam in general, let alone its application to any particular localities. Thus,
the study in its application is conductcd in onc administrative unit o f the
country. The study is entitled “A study on competencies o f young cadres in
public sector: The casc o f Dai Tu District Pcople’s Committee, Thai Nguyen
Province, Vietnam” .
The study aims:
- To develop the young leader s ta f f o f the district for meeting the demand
oí' the next period.
- To idcntity the essential competencies for D PC ’s young cadres
-

To clarify the current level o f fulfillment o f the young cadres in

comparison with the near futurc’s nccds
- To indicate barriers and solutions to develop competencies o f the young
cadres bascd on the competency framework approach
Methods
Secondary data are obtained through credible sources as research joumals,
published papers, books, official documents issued by State administration
agencies or websites that associatcd with reputable institutions such as a

respectcd

university

(Harvard

University,

etc.),

a

governmcnt

body

(Government o f UK, etc.), or well-known non-governmental organizations
(UN, etc.).
With the primary data, questionnaire is applicd by using four survcy
tbrms for getting data. Questionnaire is used popularlv tor getting personal
ideas with relatively exact results, so that I choose it for my method o f
obtaining primary data. Hovvever, I focus only on staff and offícials o f the
DPC, \vho can provide the most accurate and fair results.
Results and Conclusions
The study has systematized general issues on competency framework, its
application

in

compctency

developnient;

find

out

the

core

essential

competencies needed tor the D PC ’s young cadres divided into tvvo clusters:
Cluster I: Building a successful team; Facilitating Change; and Quality
Orientation” , and Cluster II: “ Research and Analysis; Strategic Decision
Making, and Negotiation” .
Current levcl o f thc six abovc competencies is evaluated, will overall
average score o f 2.11, vvhicli is adequate for the current needs and have some
potential for the future’s demand. The most mạịor barriers are indicatcd as
“ inconsistent support ot' the senior cadres, unclear job descriptions, young
cadres’ resistance, lack o f appropriate communication and unspoken codes” .
However, the author has made out some practical solutions for applying the
competency framework in thc DPC, those are “ Maximizing support o f the top
scnior cadrcs, involving participation o f thc wholc staff, comprchensivc
communication campaign, building deserving encouragement policy, and being
closer to the young cadres” .
Suggestions for future research

The findings from the study can be examined in a pilot process to check
its compatibility. A further research for this study can be “to monitor and
evaluate the pilot process o f the competency frame\vork in Dai Tu District


People’s Committee”, then to propose amcndment and adjustment for thc next
step of implementation.
Limitations
- Due to limitation o f time and resources, this study mainly focuses on
competency dcvclopment tbr young cadres o f Dai Tu District Committee.
- Since the sample size is relatively small, the ĩindings cannot be
generalized to the broader community.
- The results o f the study (ie: the level o f essential competcncies) can be
affccted by bias o f the respondents.
- The study solely mentions to competencies required for needs o f the
district in the next tìve years.
Cuntribution of the thesis
The thesis’s results fill in thc gap o f Dai T u ’s knowledge about
compctcncy framework, and are initial basis for dcveloping a comprehcnsive
competency framework for competency enhancement o f young cadres in the
district. The thesis also gathers valuablc íìndings on competency-bascd
approach for those who interested in studying this field.
Key \vords
Compctcncy, Compctcncy Framcwork, Dai Tu District, young cadrcs,
competency dcvelopmcnt.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction........................................................................................................

1

1.1. Background..................................................................................................

1

1.2. Research Q uestions....................................................................................

2

1.3. Research Purposc.......................................................................................

2

1.3.1. General o b jective..................................................................................

2

1.3.2. Speci/ic objectives.................................................................................

,2

1.4. Scope of stu d y ..............................................................................................

.2

2. Frame of refcren ces.........................................................................................

,2

2.1. Key con cep ts................................................................................................

.2

2.1. ỉ. C a d re s......................................................................................................

.2

2.1.2. Civiỉ se r v a n ts .........................................................................................

.3

2.1.3. Young cadres in Dai Tu D istrict P eople's C om m ittee..................

.3

2.1.4. C om petencv.............................................................................................

,3

2.1.5. Com petency fram ew ork (C F )..............................................................

.4

2.1.6. Competencv development (C D ).........................................................

.5

2.1.7. Force-field analysis...............................................................................

.5

2.2. Competency frame\vork practices in the \vo rld ...............................

.6

2 .2 .1. History and developm ent o f C F .........................................................

.6

2.2.2. Benefits o f applying C F un C D ...........................................................

.9

2.2.3. Barriers ofbuilciing and appỉying C F ..............................................

.10

2.2.4. Solutions o f building and applying C F .............................................

.11

2.2.5. Com petency Assessm ent M e th o d .......................................................

.12

2.3. Necds of developing competencies of leadcrs in Dai Tu District

.13

2.3.1. Potential developm ent oJ Dai Tu D istric t........................................

.13

2.3.2. The District 's missions in the 2015-2020 p e rio d ...........................

.13

2.3.3. Current State o f Dai Tu District 's civil servants.............................

.14

2.3.4. D em and o fC D fo r Dai Tu 's civil serv a n ts......................................

.15

2.4. Needs of CD for thc DPC’s voung c a d r e s..........................................

.16

2.4.1. Introduction to D PC ..............................................................................

.16

2.4.2. Young cađres o /D P C ...........................................................................

.18

2.4.3. Needs o fC D fo r the D P C ’s voung c a d re s........................................

.18


2.5. Research m o d c l...........................................................................................................19
3. Research m c th o d s ............................................................................................................. 19
3.1. Data collection............................................................................................................. 19
3.1.1. M ethod o f data c o lle ctio n ....................................................................................19
3.1.2. Steps o f da ta collection........................................................................................ 20
3.2. Methods of Data analysis..........................................................................................21
4. Data analysis....................................................................................................................... 21
4.1. Essential conipetencies for DPC’s young cadres.............................................. 21
4.1. ì. Two Central/ ocuses ofD cii Tu D istrict in the 2015 -2 0 2 0 p e r io d ................ 21
4.1.2. The m ost essential com petencies f o r D P C 's young c a d r e s .......................... 23
4.2. Current status of essential competencies of the D P C ’s young cadres......26
4.3. Barriers and solutions for the young cadres’C D ...........................................29
4.3.1. Bcirriers fo r th e yo u n g cadres ’ C D .....................................................................29
4.3.2. Force-field analysis................................................................................................ 31
4.3.3. Solutions Ịor the young c a d re s' C D ................................................................... 33
5. Conclusions and suggestion for further stu d ic s ..................................................... 34
5.1. C onclusions.................................................................................................................. 34
5.2. Limitations and suggestion for further stu d ie s ................................................35
R eĩercn ces................................................................................................................................36
A ppcndices.............................................................................................................................. 40


LIST O F A B B R E V I A T I O N S AND A C R O N Y M S

CF

: Competency Framework

CD

: Competency Development

DPC

: Dai Tu District People’s Committee

DFID

: Department for International

EI

: Extemal investment

Development

HUCF : Harvard University’s Competency Framework
IPAA

: Institute o f Public Administration

Pts

: Points

UK

: The

United Kingdom

UN

: The

United Nations

us

: The

United States (of America)


L IS T O F T A B L E S AND F I G U R E S

TABLES
Table 1: Lists o f chosen competencies for D P C ’s young cadres................................. 22
Table 2: Priority order of competencies for D PC ’s young c ad rcs................................ 24
Table 3: Assessment of competencies o f five selected young cadres.......................... 27
Table 4: Assessment o f competencies o f fíve selected young cadres.......................... 27
Table 5: Current status o f each essential co m p eten cy .....................................................29

FIGURES
Figure I : Force-field analysis m o d e l....................................................................................6
Figure 2: Organizational structure o f D PC's Administrative Branch..........................17
Pigure 3: Agc structure at the D P C ..................................................................................... 18

Figure 4: The research model............................................................................................... 19
Figure 5: Average scores o f the young cadres’ essential com petencies.....................26
Figure 6: Forcc-ficld analysis o f competency development for the D PC ’s young
cadres......................................................................................................................................... 32


1
1. Introduction
1.1. Background
Novvadays, intemational integration is an inevitable trcnd o f most countries in
the world, and Vietnam is not outside o f this trend. It brings considcrable
opportunities and challenges to Vietnam in general and each o f its localities in
particular. In order to make use o f comparative advantages and respond to
challenges o f the newly complex and dynamic environment, leadership in the public
sector must be radically transíbrmed. In a traditional context, public sector oíten
just concentrates on training competency for planning and implementing policies
tor leaders.

Hovvever, no\vadays, leaders need to have global

mind, deep

understanding on international issues, effective leadership and management skills in
a constant change world.
It can be said that improvement in quality and efficiency o f human resources
management has been one ot' the important contents in the career o f innovating
State organizations and modemizing the public sector in Vietnam. The pressing
demand o f Vietnam to enhance competencies o f the human resources is also stated
in the Strategy for developing human resources toward 2020 o f thc Government.
Thereíore, in 2008, a brand new innovative concept named “Job position'’ appcarcd

in Law on Cadres and Civil Servants. On that basis, the Government (2013)1 issued
Decree No. 36/2013/ND-C’P on ịob positions and structures o f civil ranks. The
Decrce regulated that each job position is required to have its tunctions, missions
and competencies requirements. The signiíìcance o f using that approach is to hclp
find right pcrson to do right things, then it can hclp rc-organizc thc civil servants
staff; detect ovcrlapping íunctions and duties o f the job position, agencies and
organizations; effective serve the recruitment activities, utilization o f human
resources, and assessment o f staíT training and planning.
Though this issue has repeatedly been mentioncd over the vvorld, official
research on competency development based on competency framework approach in
Vietnam are hardly found, let alone its application to any particular localities. Thus,
1 The Vietnam Governm ent (2013). D ecree N o.3 6 /2 0 1 3 /N D -C P


9.
L
the study entitled “A study on compctcncies o f young cadres in public sector: The
case of Dai Tu District People’s Committec, Thai Nguyen Province, Victnam” is
conducted.
1.2. Research questions
ì . 2.1. IVhat are the niosl essenliaỉ cum petencies req u ừ ed fo r young cadres cit
Dai Tu D istrict Peopỉe ’s Committee?
1.2.2. What are current levels o f essential com petencies o f yo u n g cadres at
Dai Tu D istrict People 's Committee?
1.2.3. Whut are the barriers and solutions to deveỉop com petencies o f the
voung cadres based on the competency fram ew ork approach?
1.3. Research Purpose
1.3.1. General objective
To develop the young leader staíĩ o f the district for meeting the demand of the
next period.

1.3.2. Spccựìc objectives
- To ideníify the essential competencies tor D PC ’s youne cadres
- To clariĩy the current level o f fulfíllment o f the young cadres in comparison
with the ncar future’s nccds
-

To indicate barriers and solutions to develop competencies o f the young

cadres based on the competency framework approach
1.4. Scope of study
Tliis study \vill conduct research on essential competencies o f D PC 's young
cadres and application o f the competency framework on competency development
in DPC.
2. Frame of refercnces
2.1. Key conccpts
2.1.1. Cadres


3
Cadres are defined in the Vietnam Law on Cadres and Civil Scrvants 2(2008)
as “ Vietnamese citizens who are elected, approved and appointcd to hold posts or
titles for a given term o f ofíìce in agencies ot' the Communist Party o f Vietnam, thc
State, socio-political organizations at the Central level, in provinces and centrally
run cities, in districts, tovvns and provincial cities (below collectively reterred to as
district level), included in the payrolls and salaried from the State budget”.
2.1.2. Civil servants
The Law on Cadres and Civil servants (2008) also speciíìes civil servants as
“Vietnamese citizens who are recruited and appointed to ranks, posts or titles in
agencies

of

the

Communist

Party

oí' Vietnam,

the

State,

socio-political

organizations at the Central, provincial and district levels”.
2.1.3. Young cadres in D PC
From my perspective, concepts about young cadres in public sector are hardly
find in the world.
Being under 40 years o f agc is one o f the cligibility for receiving the 1PAA
Young Public Sector Leader Avvard’ in Australia. The avvard o f Young Global
Leaders 4 (n.d) shared thc similarity in selection criteria with the award 0Í'1PAA in
sctting an cligiblc age o f under 40 years old.
In Vietnam, the Central Committee Party regulates in Directive 36/ C T-T W 5
that young members o f the provincial party’s executive committee are under 40
years old, and less than 35 years old at district level.
Based on those clues, I dccidc to set the criteria for being a D PC ’s young
cadres as following: (1) Undcr 40 years o f age at the present (2014), (2) under 35
years o f age at the íirst time o f being appointed to the leadcrship position, and (3)

Being a leadcr of the D PC ’s divisions or higher.
2.1.4. Competency

2 The National A ssem bly (2008). L aw on C adres an d C ivil Servanls.
IPAA. (n.d). 1PAA Young P ublic S ecto r L ea d er A w ard.
4 Y oung Global Lcadcrs. (n.d). Youiìg G lobal L eaders N om ination Form.
5 The Central C om m ittec Party. (2014). D irective No. 36-CT/TW .


4
David

c.

McClelland6 (1973) scemed to be tlic one who official introduccd

“competency” as an assisting tool for effective work pcrformancc. Hc argued that
“best predictors o f outstanding on-the-job períormance were underlying, enduring
personal characteristics”, which he called “competencies”.
Atter that, competencies vvas characterized bv Bovatzis7 (1982., p.21) as “an
underlying characteristic o f a person in that it may bc a motive, trait, skill, aspect of
one’s self-image or social role, or body o f knovvledge vvhieh he or she uses” , or “the
behavioral characteristics o f an individual vvhich is causally related to effective or
superior performance in a jo b ” .
Homby and Thomas8 (1989) explained conipctency as the knowlcdge, skills
and qualities o f effective nianagers to períorm effectively the management
tunctions vvithin the vvorking situation.
Bartram

et al 9 (2002) had a different view

when

they considered

competencies as only “ sets o f behaviors that are instrumental in thc delivery ot'
desired results” .
A conccpt that I preĩer the most bclongs to Pcople In Aid IO(2007). This
organization đeíines competencies as integrated set o f skills, knowlcdge1 attitudes
and behaviors required to perform cffectivcly in a given job, role or situation.
2.1.5. Com petency J'ramework (or com petency model)
Chung-Hcrra and hcr co-authors "(2003) dctìncd compctency framework as
tool to determine the knovvledge, skills, compctencies and manner required for
effectively perfomi task in an organization.

6 M cClelland, D. (1973). T e stin g fo r com peten cy ra th er than intelligence. Am erican P sychologist, 28.1-14.
7 Boyatzis, R. (1982). Tlie C om petent M anager: A M o d elJ o r ejfective p e rỊo n n a n ce, Chichestcr: W ilcy,
pp.21.
8 Hom by, D. & Thomas,
‘‘ Bartram, D., Roberton,
ẹffectiveness.
10 People In Aid. (2007).
11 Chung-Hcrrcra, B. G.,
com peleiìcies m odel.

R. (1989). Tmvards a b etter Standard o f m anagem ent.
I. & Callinan, M. (2002). Introduction: Ả fra m e w o rk fo r exam ining organ isation aỉ
B ehaviours whìch le a d to effective p erịo n n a n ce in hum anitarian response.
Enz, c. A., & Lankau. M. J. (2003). G ro o m in g [u tu re /lo sp ita lilv leaders: A

5
Strebler ct al 12( 1997) statcd that a competency framework is a tool uscd to
express, assess and measure competencies; it is not merely a list o f competencies.
Reccntly, the Charter Institute o f Personnel and Dcvclopment 13 (2014) deĩines
competcncy framework as “a structure that sets out and deíìnes eacli individual
competency (such

as problem-solving

or peoplc management)

individuals working in an organisation or part o f an organisation” .

required by
3.1.6.

Competencv developm ent
According to De Vos, et al.1 (2011), competency development is “an
important feature o f compctency management which encompasses all activities
carried out by the oríỉanization and the employee to maintain or enhance the
cinployee’s functional, learning and career competencies” .
Tam poe15 (1994) found that it is crucial to tocus on the continuous
competency development o f an organization’s employees to have opportunity to
stand out to their competitors.
2.1.7. Force-field analysis
“ Force íìeld analysis model vvas developed by Kurt Levvin lh(1951), for listing,
assessing and analyzing forces for and against a proposed change.
The model is also deíìned hy Collins English Dictionary 1 (n.d) as “a
decision-making technique, often prcsentcd graphically, that identitìcs all the

positive and negative forces impinging on a problem” .

12 Strebler, Marie, D ilys Robinson. & Paul Heron. (1997). G citin g the B est ou t o f Com petencies.
13 CIPD. (2014). C om peten ce an d c o m p eten cvfra m cw o rk s.
14 De V os, A., D e Hauvv, s. & W illem se, 1. (2011). C om peten cy D evelopm en t in organ i:ation s: Buiỉding an
m terg ra tive m o d el llìrough a qu a ỉìta tive stiuiy.
15 Tampoe, M. (1994). E xploiling the co re com peten cies o f vou r o rg a n iia tio n . Long range planning, 27(4),
pp. 66-77.
16 Lewin, K. ( 19 5 1). Fiehi Theory in S o cia l Science.
17 forcc-ficld analysis. (n.d.). C ollins Englisli D iciion arỵ - C om plete & U n a b rid g ed lOih Edition.


DRIVING PORCES

PROPOSED
CHANGE

Figure 1: Force-field analysis m odel
2.2. Competency framework practices in the world
2.2. Ị. H istoiy and developm ent o f the com petency fram ew ork
Competency framework approach is formed and developed extensively in the

us

in the 1970s in the movement o f training and education for vocational

educationers and trainers based on the task períormance, the competcncy-based
approach had strongly dcvelopcd to a new level in 1990 vvith application in numbcr
o f national organizations in the

us,

UK, Australia, Ncw Zealand, Wales, etc.

(Kerka, 2001 ) ,!i.
According to O E C D 19 (2001), thc usc o f compctency íramcvvorks is
widcsprcad throughout the public services.
Compctcncy frameworks arc vary among organizations 20 (Sanghi, 2007),
since each organization has its own job position, recruitment, development and
succession process. With the same direction, Jirasinghe and Lyons 2l(1995) assume
that competencies (framework) are devcloped through analyzing a profession or a

IKKerka, s. (2001). C om p eten cy-B a sed E d u ca tio n an d Training.
IQOECD. (2 0 0 1). P ublic S eclo r L eadership fu r the 2 1 11 Centurỵ.
Sanghi, s. (2007). The handbook o f com petencv m apping: U nderstanding, design in g a n d im plem enting
com petency m odels in organizations.
21 Jirasinghe, D.J. & Lyons, G. (1995). M anagem ent com peten cies in action: A P ra c tic a l fram ew ork.


7
particular job, that also meant each job position ncccỉ to havc its own compctcncy
framework.
OECD (2001) set those following criteria for competencies o f public sector
leaders, namely:
- Focusing on dclivery o f results;
- Challcnging assumptions;
- Understanding the environment and its impact;
- Thinking and acting strategically;
- Buildine new pattems and ways o f vvorking;
- Developing and communicating a personal Vision o f change. (pp. 15).

UNPAN22 (2006) developed the Senior Civil Service Competency Framework,
in which fivc competencies werc idcntificd including:
- Credibility: serves the nation, respects public Service ethics, respects
the rule o f law;
- Having a Vision: crcates Vision, explains strategic choices, sets
objcctivcs;
- Innovation: dcvelops his/her skills, dcvelops the organization and
implements innovations;
- Leadership: builds and cncourages the team, dcvelops co-operation
networks;
- Outcome orientation:

makes

decisions

and

takes rcsponsibility,

achieves results, uses public propcrty reasonably, follo\vs and develops the law. (pp.

The Government o f Canada23 (2007) indicated four elements o f competencies
for its public sector leaders, namclv:

22 Ư NPAN. (20 0 6 ). L eadersh ìp an d the Lisbon S tra teg v - A m issing link in the p u b ỉic secto r?
2Ì Government o f Canada. (2007). K ev L eadership C om petencies.


8

- Value and ethics: Serving vvith integrity and rcspect
- Strategic Thinking: Innovating through analysis and ideas
- Engagement: Mobilizing people, organization, partners
- Management Excellence: Delivering through action management,
pcople management, financial managcment.
The u s

Office of Personnel Management (n.đ) indicated 28 leadership

competencies divided into 06 core groups, namely the abilities to lead change, lead
people, be results driven, have business acumen, build coalitions, and liave other
fundamental competences.
The Greater London Authority24 (n.d) indicated in its competency tramevvork
compctencies that are indispensable for effective performance o f the organization.
Those competencies are divided into 04 clusters, nainely “ Working with others”,
“Leadership” , “ Delivering results” and “Organizational context” .
Harvard Univcrsity dcvclopcd a compctcncy dictionary with 42 compctencics,
which covered from job-rclcvant bchaviors, motivation to technical knowledge/
skills. This dictionary will be used as the ìnain references for building a competency
framework for dcvelopmcnt o f young cadres’ competencies in DPC.
In Vietnam, the Ministry o f Home Affairs :5(2012) issucd instruction on
building compctency framework, in vvhich competency framework o f cach job
position is built on the basis of job períbrmance requirements, are reílected in the
respective job descriptions, including the capacity and skills required to complete
the assigned task.
Recently, the Vietnam Government :6(2014) set an objectivc to enhancc
compctencies o f young cadres and civil servants in remote and disadvantaged
rcgions. No particular competency framework is deíìned, however, some preference
competencies

are

as

following:

Plan

organizing

and

implcmentation, time

24 The Grcatcr London Authority. (n.d). C om peiencv F ram ew ork G u id e fo r M an agers and staff.
25 Ministry o f Hom e A íĩairs. (2012). C ircu lar No. I4/20I2/T T -B N V .
26 The Victnam Government. (2014). D ecision No. 567/Q D -T T g.


9
management, communication, presentation, teamwork, and construction o f projects
for socio-economic dcvelopmcnt.
2.2.2 Benefits o f applying com petency [ramexvork on developing human
resources
Spencer and Spcnccr 27( 1993) mentioned in their book that competency
framework prescnts a widely applicable human resource method “to selection,
career pathing, períbrmance appraisal, and development in the challenging years
ahead” .
One advantage o f the competency framework is to enable organizations to
identify and describe the capabilities associated with the íunctions and tasks o f the

organization and each officer. Another advantage is to effectively support civil
servants in administrative sector in familiarizing vvith the procedures and principles,
especially when they have job rotation or is assigned more task. The nature of
competency t'ramework is to be associated with the job description. Theretore, any
decision o f rotation or assignment will come with assessment o f capacity to meet
the requirements according to the job description and training plan.
United Kingdom

is among the countries which popularly applies the

competency framework in promoting its public sector effectiveness. The Greater
London Authority 2s(n.d) states that application of competency framework can help
enhance its processes o f managing pcoplc as job role profiling, recruitment and
selection,

pertormance

management

and

revievv,

and

learning

and

career

development. The Department for International D ev elo p m e n t24 (UK) also builds up
its corc competcncy framework vvith thc purposc o f changing the organizational
culture, build team capability and boost individual períormancc.
Horton et al. 3°(2002) found out that the usefulness o f competcncy íramevvork
spread across range o f human resource management functions, “from assisting with

:7 Spencer, L.M and Spencer. S.G (1993). C om petence cit w ork: M o d e lsfo r su p erio r perform an ce.
The Grcater London Authority. (n.d). C om petencv F ram ew ork G uide f o r M an agers a n d sta ff.
The Department tor International Developm cnt. (n.d.). D FID C ore C om peten cv F ram ew ork.
30 1lorton, s ., Hondcrghem, A. & Famham, D. (2002). C om peten cv m anagem enl in the p u b lic sector.


10
dravving up jo b and personal dcscriptions for recniitment, providing morc objcctive
criteria for evaluating and assessing staff and identifying training needs” .
Streblcr et al. ''(1997) belicved that compctency tramevvork will provide a
common language and facilitating change in an organization.
Horton,

s.,

Hondertỉhem, A. and Farnham, D.

(2002) concluded that the

competency framework is used for the top civil servants’ selection and

recognize

needs for training and development. Particularly, it provides puipose and direction,
makes a personal impact, help applicants think strategically, draw experience and
Creative ideas for enhancing results, and help employer to get the best from their
people via motivate and develop them.
In his

revievv papcr, Vazirani 33(20 10) stated that the application of

competency framework enhances recruiting process, employee development and
períbrmance management; Identiíìes training needs and employee development,
unify corporate culture across organization; Establish
integration o f human resource processes, and establish

connectivity through
clear expectations fơr

success.
2.2.3. Barriers o fb u ild in g and applying com petency fram ew ork
The building and application o f competency framework are not easy and
simple. The following are some experience shared by tầmous researchers.
F u m h a m 34 (2008) indicated in his book common barriers o f using competency
f'ramework to develop the human resources, those are when there is lack o f beliet'
from senior managers; thc development phase is too long; the framework itself is
too

complicated

with

more-than-enough

number

of

competencies;

the

communication can cause misunderstanding and contusion; or thc framework also
ncctl to be updated to catch up with changes o f the organization and job positions.

11 Strebler, M aric. D ily s Robinson. & Paul Hcron. (1997). G ctlin g the B est out o f C om petencics.
Horton, s., H onderghem , A. & Farnham, D. (2002). C om peten cv M an agem en t in the p tib lic sector.
" V azirani, N. (2 0 1 0 ). R eview P aper: C om pelencies a n d C om peten cv M o d el - A b r ie f o veriew o f its
d evelo p m en t a n d a p p lica tio n .
14 Furnham. A. (2 0 0 8 ). P erso n a lity an d Intelligence at work: E xploring an d expiaining individual differences
at w ork.


Potter ct al. 35(n.d.) sharcd a similar idea with Furnham about barriers of
competency framcwork application, most o f the time it is disagreement betwccn
managers and staff, duc to lack o f communication or lack o f clarity within the
frameworks. The framework cannot \vork well vvithout involvement o f the \vholc
organization.
In the book “Competency Management in the Public Sector: European
Variations

on

a

theme”,

Horton

et

al.36 (2002)

explained

diffículties

of

implementing and using competcncy framework were lack o f understanding among
staff, absence o f line manager commitment, lack o f support from senior managers.
Some other difficulties are on identitying needed competencies, and describing the
behaviors.
Vazirani37 ( 20 10) found that competencies related to personal characteristics,
traits and motivation are hard to dctìne, and therefore tough to assess. He suggestcd
that we can indirectly measure those competencies by assessing behaviors which
associatc with.
2.2.4. Solutions oJ building and applying com petency fram ew ork
Spcnccr and Spcncer'8 (1993) put an emphasis on the point that competencics
are requircd to bc closely-conncctcd to performance in the workplacc. They
experienced that suríầcc knowledge and skill competencies are quitc simple to
develop compared to personal competencies as scll-concept, traits and motivcs.
Thcretore, tliey believed tliat knowledge and skill training for the personal

competencies vvill be more worthwhile than for the others.

5 Potter, J. & Cotter, N. (n.d). G etting the m ost ou t o f a com peten cy fram ew ork.
}b Horton, s ., Honderghem, A. & Farnham, D. (2002). C om peten cy M an agem en t in the Public
Sector. E uropean Variations 011 a Theme.
17 Vazirani, N. (2010). R eview P aper: C om petencies a n d C om pelen cv M odel - A b r ie /o v e r v ie w o f its
developm en t an d application .
'* Spenccr, L.M and Spcnccr, S.G (1993). C om pelence a t w ork: M o d e lsfo r su p e rio r p er/o n n a n ce.


12
As statcd by Potter and C o tte r 9 (n.d), a good competency framework should
go along with good communication about its purpose, and should bc supported by
good training.
Ashvvorth and Saxton4" (1990) advised not to consider competency framework
as

an

outcome,

hecause

developmental

resource

for

assisting

competency

acquisition can be neglected.
Lucia and Lepsinger41 (1999) urged the participation o f the entire organization
to involve in designing, deíĩning competencies needed for the organization, and in
providing avvareness about the competency model.
Butlcr and Flemming42 (2002) drcvv valuablc experience

on applying

competency framework. According to their study, thc identiíìcation o f competencies
need to be clearly linked with the organizational strategy; competencies should be
explained in understandable and clear way, and mechanism should be establishcd
for individuals to measure the desired leveỉ and their ovvn levcl o f accomplishment
betbrc offícially introducing the competencics.
2.2.5. C om petency Assessm ent M ethod
The most popular way to assess competencies o f human resources nowadays
is to use 360-degree íeedback tools (or 360 degree assessment).
According to Center for Creative Leadership 43(n.d), 360-degree feedback is a
method o f systematically gather opinions about an individual's períbrmance from

a

wide range o f colleagues, including peers, the boss, even the boss's peers - or can be
anyone outside of the organization, such as clients. The beneíìt o f this data
collection type is that we can sec a panorama o f perceptions about an individual,
rather than just his/her self-perception, then the overall picture can reveal broader
and clearer.
39 Potter, J. & Cotter, N. (n.d). G etling the m ost out o f a com peten cv ỷramevvork.

40 A shworth, P .D ., & Saxton, J. (1990). O ii 'com petence'.
41 Lucia, A. D ., & Lepsinger, R. (1999). T h ea rt an d Science o f co m p eten cv niodels: P inpointing critic a l
su ccess /ìic to rs in o rg a n iza tio n s.
Butler, M., Flem ing, s. (2002). Tlie EỊỊecúve U se o f C om petencies in the Irish C ivil Service.
43 Center for C reative Leadership. (n.d.). D ẹ/ìnition o f 3 6 0 A ssessm ent.


13
2.3. Needs of dcvcloping competencies of lcaders in Dai Tu District
2.3.1. Potential developm ent o /D a i Tu D istrict
Dai Tu44 is a mountainous district in the Northvvestem o f Thai Nguyen
province, whicli is 25 kilometers far from Thai Nguyen City. The district has a total
o f 17,000 people, in vvhich 27% belong to ethnic minority groups, and 80% live in
rural areas. This is the district with the rnost administrative branches o f Thai
Nguyen Province, with 28 communes and 02 tovvns divided into 482 hamlets. The
district has strengths in production o f food and tea. Witli total output o f seed food of
72,155 tons in 2011-2013 period, the district was considered as the food focal area
o f Thai Nguyen Province. The total areas o f tea plantation in Dai Tu are account for
one third o f those areas in the province. Tea Products in the district have certiíìed
their premium quality in and out the country. In addition, the district is rich in
natural mineral resources; 23/30 administrative areas in Dai Tu has mineral mines
as coal, zinc, titanium, iron, etc.
2.3.2. The district 's missions in the 2015-2020 period
In the 2015-2020 period, the district concentrates on accomplishing tliose
following missions:
* On personnel affairs: To

innovatc

the personnel

management and

development to meet the demand o f strongly shift the economic structure to
direction of industry - services - agriculture, create a finn base for tourism
dcvelopment, rural construction, etc.
* On investm ent attraction: To mobilize and effectively use resources

to

maintain and accelerate economic growth and shift economic structurc towards
sustainability, continue to propcrly implement administrative reform, improve the
investment environment to encourage and call on domestic and foreign enterprises
to invest in the district; iinplement solutions to remove diffículties for enterprises,
assist the market, and resolve bad debt.

44 D ivision o f Hom e Affairs. (2014). S tatistìcs on D ai Tu D islricl.


14
* On agricuỉtural developm ent: To strongly develop agriculturc with
oricntation on coinm odity production; enhance the application o f Science and new

technologies to produce, encourage businesses associate with farmers to invest in
the development o f production, Processing and marketing o f agricultural Products.
* On new rural construction: To strengthen advocacy, niobilizing the powcr o f
the people in building new rural areas, continue to direct the implementation o f the
project, to develop scientiíìc - technological models for developmcnt o f production;
construct rural infrastructure

by funding o f the national target on new rural

construction.
* On developm ent o f trade and services: to upgrade the communal market
system; 8 communes and tovvns have soliditled market; promote Dai Tu market to
become a Trade Center.
* On poverty reduction: To mobilize resources lo poverty reduction targets
and implement eíTective policies and mechanisms to encourage developing
liouscholds’ economy, strengthen propaganda and education to raise awarcness,
self-consciousness for the poor, community and society in poverty reduction.
2.3.3. Current S ta te o f Dai Tu district 's civil servants a n d public employees
Up to now, thcre arc total o f over 600 civil servants and public employces in
Dai Tu District45. According to report o f thc district in 2013, those are somc
characteristics o f the civil servants and public employees in particular, and o f the
personnel atTairs in thc district in general.
* Stroitg puints
Personnel affairs are regularly and closelv directed by the district authority.
The quality o f personnel work has many positive changes; implementation o f staff
alvvays ensure the principle, the provisions o f the Central Government, vvhile
promoting dcmocracy, collectivc responsibility, and responsibility o f the head of
committees, agencies and units.

45 Di V isio n o f Hom e Affairs. (2014). S tatistics on D ai Tu D istricl.


15
Cadres, civil servants and cmployees o f the district have been challengcd
through practical training; liave strong political spirit, have good moral quality and a
healthy liĩestyle. Professional qualiĩications, leadership abilities, management,
períormance tasks continue to be enhanced, contributing to decisions to successíully

implement the Resolution o f the district in the last tenure (from 2011 to 2015 ).
* Weak points
Despite o f having achieved good progress, the pcrsonnel affairs o f the district
does not have strong innovation, no long-term strategy, and focus mainly on
meeting requirements o f the current situation.
The rcvicw and evaluation staff in somc units o f low quality, gcncric
expression, one-sided, and compliant, vvhile the staff planning is generally
inconsistent;

some being-planned

staff are unable to ensure standards and

conditions prescribed.
The training and retraining o f existing staff do not express lonu-term strategy,
in some places those affairs are not well-attached to the planning staff. Lastly, cadre
rotation has not been donc írequently, and the district does not tìrmly replace civil
servants with w eak sense o f rcsponsibilily and vvork capability.
2.3.4. D em and o f com petency developm ent for Dai Tu 's civil servants
Ho Chi Minh (n.d) 46 emphasized that “civil servants are the root o f every
work” , and “works succecd or fail dcpcnding on whether civil servants are good or
bad” . Indeed, officers and managers are the core torce that creates development o f
any district.
The Resolution No. 0 4 /2 0 12/NQ-HDND o f Thai Nguyen province 47 (2012)
also considered personnel development is one o f the core tasks in the 2012 - 2020,
for meeting the needs o f the province’s future development.

J(’ Hồ Chí Minh toàn tập. (2002). Hanoi: National Political Publishing House.
47 Thai N guycn P co p ]c’s Council Committec. (2012). R esolution N o.0 4 /2 0 1 2/N Q -H D N D .

16
For a fast-growing, strong and stablc economy, and a stablc political situation,
one o f the prerequisites is to have staff in gencral and lcaders in particular witli
good morality and sufficient quaiiílcation in accordance \vith the assigned tasks.
Thereíore, planning issues o f cadres and leaders is one o f the key tasks o f the
district.
2.4. Needs of competency development for the D PC ’s young cadres
2.4. ì. Introduction to Dai Tu District P eople's Committee (DPC)
DPC is the highest administrative agency in the district. It is responsible fbr
executing Constitution, law, and official documents o f the higher State agcncies and
Resolutions o f thc District People's Council to cnsurc the implementation of
policies and measures for socio-economic development, national detense - security
and implement other policies in the locality. DPC períorms the State management
locally, and contributes to maintaining the unified đirection and management o f the
State administrative apparatus from the Central to grassroots lcvel.
The DPC is composed o f administrative branch and civil Service branch. This
research only mentions to the administrative branch.
The DPC lias 01 administrative division and 11 functional divisions (see
details in Figurc 2 below).
The specialized divisions o f the DPC advise and assist thc DPC in períbrming
the State management in thc local and períorm a number o f tasks and authorities
under the mandate o f the DPC in accordance with law; contribute to cnsuring the
uniíìed management o f the sectors or ílelds o f works from the Central to grassroots
levels.