The Development and Validation of a Self-Report Scored In-Basket Test in an Assessment Center Setting

Frederiksen originally designed the in-basket exercise as a business game in 1957. However, due to ambivalent results with the exercise, questions have arisen concerning the methodology for ascertaining a participant's in-basket performance. Thus, an in-basket validation study was conducted at an electric utility company. The scoring format consisted of a self-report questionnaire with the scoring weights determined according to subject matter experts' opinions. Among the findings of the study were: 1. In-basket performance can be scored in a systematic and objective manner so that it yields reliable and meaningful information about the ability of a prospective manager to function properly in an administrative situation. 2. It is evident that the in-basket performance of supervisors and foremen who are rated higher in on-the-job performance score significantly higher on the most relevant dimensions of in-basket performance. 3. The action report format seems to have an advantage over other in-basket scoring techniques in that it is a less costly and time-consuming procedure.