CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE EXPRESSION OF COMPETENCES AT WORK: UNDERSTANDING THE COMPETENCE CONCEPT

ABSTRACT Competence is a complex and multifaceted concept, which may assume different meanings. The objective of this paper is to discuss the nature of the human competence and the main factors that explain its expression at work, based on the framework of cognitive approaches as those related to the attribution of cause, the study of the relations between attitude and behavior and learning in organizations. Similarities and relationships between concepts and proposals from different theoretical approaches are presented, in order to understand the causes and consequences of competence. The influence of learning and organizational support on the development and the mobilization of competences is also discussed. Even thought this concept has emerged in the Business Administration area, some theories, studies and proposals from others areas of knowledge, as Social and Organizational Psychology, may help to interpret and to understand the nature of the human competence and its components. Since the study about this concept is in evidence and its theoretical support still needs empirical inquiry, a research agenda is suggested at the end of the paper.