SBIR-STTR Award

In the future, employees in both the military and civilian sectors will have to be highly adaptable. In the proposed Phase I effort, PDRI will develop a conceptual model of adaptability. The model will specify the characteristics that contribute to adaptability and how those characteristics inter-relate. It will also specify the type of situations to which military and civilian personnel must adapt. We will develop the model by (1) reviewing the literature, (2) interviewing military personnel will define what adaptability means in a military context and how military personnel will need to be adaptable in the future, and (3) collecting descriptions of situations that require adaptability. Next, we will identify one or more predictor measures of adaptability to be developed in further research. An interactive video-based tool may work best for measuring adaptability in a manner that is useful for, and thus highly appealing to both government and private sector organizations. To make certain the predictor measure(s) has commercial appeal, we will gather input from representatives of non-military federal government and civilian organizations. Finally, we will develop a plan for validating the measure(s) of adaptability.

The military as well as civilian organizations are facing major changes that are significantly impacting the nature of work. These occupational and organizational changes require workers to be adaptable to operate effectively in uncertain and changing situations. PDRI proposes an innovative approach to adaptability predictor and criterion development. In Phase I, we identified eight adaptability dimensions and 29 individual attributes that underlie effectiveness in these dimensions. The purpose of Phase II is to develop and validate new, innovative measures specifically targeted to predict the eight adaptability dimensions. Phase II includes the development of: (1) a Job Adaptability Inventory (JAI) that will be used to describe the different types of adaptation that are required on a given job; (2) an Adaptive Response Questionnaire (ARQ); (3) a Self-reported Profile of Adaptive Response Qualities (SPARQ); and (4) adaptability performance rating scales. We intend to administer and score the ARQ and SPARQ via computer. Phase II also includes a concurrent criterion related validation study which will involve administering predictors and criteria and conducting analyses. After we have a comprehensive picture of the empirical validity of the adaptability predictors, we will refine the tests for commercial application. This program will provide new and sound selection measures designed to facilitate the identification of individuals who can adapt effectively to the types of change and stress involved in their jobs. Additional research products resulting from this project are job analysis tools and performance appraisal scales. The scientific benefits include integration of multidiscipline research into an innovative conceptual model of adaptability, which offers a valuable framework for future research.