AN ALTERNATIVE SELECTION PROCEDURE - THE LOW-FIDELITY SIMULATION

From critical-incident analysis and judgments by subject-matter experts, a low-fidelity simulation was developed for selecting entry-level managers in the telecommunications industry. The simulation presents applicants with descriptions of work situations and five alternative responses for each situation. It asks them to select one response they would most likely make and one they would least likely make in each situation. In a sample of approximately 120 management incumbents, simulation scores correlated from .28 (p <.01) to .37 (p <.01) with supervisory ratings of performance. These results show that samples of even hypothetical work behavior can predict performance, without the props, equipment, or role players often required by high-fidelity simulations, such as work-sample tests or assessment centers.