A study of critical competencies among senior public sector human resource executives in China

This research investigated the perceptions of the Chinese senior human resource executives in the public sector regarding the current and the future importance of human resource competency categories Strategic Management Perspective, Internal Consulting Skills , Human Resource Functional Competence, Human Resource Planning Perspective, Ability to Design and Implement Plans, and Management and Leadership Skills. A total of 87 survey questionnaires were mailed to participants in China, who were asked to do survey either by using the electronic version in the author's personal website or by mailing back the questionnaires. The response rate was 24 (27.6%). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.;The study revealed that the respondents perceived all the six competency categories to be important at a very high level. Particularly, the Competency Category Management and Leadership Skills was rated most important both currently and in the future five years. The study also identified that there was statistically significant difference between current and future importance for each competency category and the later was rated higher. The findings in this study suggested that the Chinese senior human resource executives were putting more emphasis to the six competency categories in the future and need to have strong management and leadership skills, develop a strategic management perspective and remain functionally competent in human resource. The findings also proved that the ongoing Sino-Swiss Management Training Program met the senior human resource professionals' increasing demands for more management and leadership skills training both currently and in the future five years.