In addition, Pate et.al (2003), distinguish individual competencies from the epistemological standpoint as
rationalist and objectivist. From rationalist perspective, competence is a specific set of attributes used in
performing a job. In rationalist perspective there is a distinction between job and worker. Thus, job oriented
side of competence is associated with characteristics of high performing employee such as motives traits and
social skills that can be learned through education, experience or vocational training. Task oriented aspect of
competence, on the contrary, deals with the behavior of particular individuals and how they act in
organizational environment. From the subjectivist perspective, worker and work are considered as one entity.
Accordingly, competency is composed of a person’s experiences and personality combined with job related
factors that stem from formal and informal organization. Hence, this approach focuses on the interaction
between the individual and the job, thereby, taking into account what the individual brings to the job and the
characteristics of the job itself.
Moreover, there is an alternative to describe competencies on basis of outcomes that a competent individual
should be able to achieve, and thus defining generic standards of performance for particular activities. This
approach considers competencies as input and concentrates on the outcomes of competencies such as