Traditional job analysis is best described as which of the following?

Traditional job analysis is best described as which of the following?

• A. An analysis of strategic planning needs
• B. A questionnaire of tasks
• C. A competency-based approach
• D. A job-focused description of duties and responsibilities

Answer: (D)

Traditional job analysis concentrates on the job itself—what the job requires in terms of duties, tasks, responsibilities, and the conditions under which it is performed—so the output is a clear job description and a job specification. This focus on the content of the job, not on who might fill it, makes the description “job-focused.” Among the choices, the option that outlines duties and responsibilities as the core output best captures this traditional approach. The other options point to related ideas that aren’t the defining focus of traditional job analysis: strategic planning analysis is about organizational needs and plans; a task questionnaire describes a method for gathering information rather than the end product; and a competency-based approach centers on behaviors and capabilities of the person, not just the job’s duties.

Traditional job analysis concentrates on the job itself—what the job requires in terms of duties, tasks, responsibilities, and the conditions under which it is performed—so the output is a clear job description and a job specification. This focus on the content of the job, not on who might fill it, makes the description “job-focused.” Among the choices, the option that outlines duties and responsibilities as the core output best captures this traditional approach. The other options point to related ideas that aren’t the defining focus of traditional job analysis: strategic planning analysis is about organizational needs and plans; a task questionnaire describes a method for gathering information rather than the end product; and a competency-based approach centers on behaviors and capabilities of the person, not just the job’s duties.