Degree Project Defense - Business Administration & HR Competency Model

Vocabulary practice cards based on the project defense Q&A covering business concepts, competency-based recruitment, methodology, legal/financial figures, and psychological testing.

Organization

A group of people coordinating efforts to achieve a common goal, which may or may not be for-profit.

Company (Empresa)

A for-profit organization aimed at generating revenue and profit.

Administration

The process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources to achieve organizational goals.

Commercial Engineering

A branch of engineering combining management, economics, and marketing to plan, manage, and optimize business resources.

Process

A structured series of steps or stages followed to reach a specific outcome.

Procedure

The specific and orderly method of carrying out an activity within a process.

Organigram

The simplified visual representation of an organization's formal structure.

Organizational Structure

The distribution of functions, responsibilities, authority, and formal relationships within an organization.

Position (Puesto)

The official title or position assigned to a placement within a company.

Role (Cargo)

The collection of specific responsibilities and duties assigned to a worker within a position.

Manual of Functions

A document defining general responsibilities corresponding to each job role or department.

Job Description Manual

A detailed document specifying characteristics, requirements, responsibilities, and competencies for a specific position.

Human Capital

The economic and productive value represented by people's knowledge, skills, and aptitudes when invested in them.

Intellectual Capital

The collective knowledge, experiences, and professional capabilities that add value to an organization.

Social Capital

The cohesion, integration, and collaborative capabilities of people working together toward shared goals.

Competency-Based Recruitment

A recruitment process focused on identifying candidates possessing required knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values for a position.

Competencies

Integrated capabilities of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors required to perform a task effectively.

Soft Skills

Interpersonal and personal abilities—such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability—that foster a positive work environment.

Hard Skills

Technical knowledge and specific procedural expertise gained through formal education or experience.

$90^\text{o}$ Performance Evaluation

A performance evaluation conducted exclusively by the worker's direct supervisor.

$180^\text{o}$ Performance Evaluation

A performance evaluation process involving both direct supervisor assessment and worker self-evaluation.

$360^\text{o}$ Performance Evaluation

A comprehensive performance appraisal gathering feedback from supervisors, peers, subordinates, and self-assessment.

Training (Formación)

A broad, continuous development process building overall knowledge, capabilities, and attitudes for long-term growth.

Capacitation (Capacitación)

A targeted learning process focused on strengthening specific skills required to improve performance in a job.

Theory X and Theory Y

Douglas McGregor's motivational theories: Theory X views employees as unmotivated requiring strict control; Theory Y views employees as responsible and self-motivated under right conditions.

Organizational Culture

The core set of shared values, beliefs, norms, habits, and traditions that guide behavior in an organization.

Organizational Climate

Employees' perceptions of their daily work environment, including management style, communication, and interpersonal relations.

Socio-critical Paradigm

A research approach focused on identifying real-world problems and actively transforming them through participation and critical action.

Deductive Method

A reasoning process that applies general theoretical concepts to analyze a specific individual case.

Inductive Method

A reasoning process starting from detailed data collection and observation to derive general conclusions.

Census

A research method that collects data from 100\text{\null}\% of elements within the target population.

Problem Tree

A diagnostic method organizing a central problem along with its underlying root causes and resulting effects.

Personnel Mobility

Internal shifts or reassignments of employees across positions, departments, tasks, or physical locations within an organization.

Personnel Turnover (Rotación)

The rate of employee exits and subsequent hiring replacements within an organization during a specific period.

Gestora Contribution (Bolivia)

The employee labor contribution withheld for long-term social security/pensions, equaling 12.71\text{\null}\% of total earnings.

National Minimum Wage (Bolivia 2026)

The legal monthly minimum salary threshold in Bolivia set at $Bs\text{ }3,300$.

Border Subsidy (Subsidio de Frontera)

A monetary allowance of 20\text{\null}\% of monthly salary for employees stationed within $50\text{ }km$ of an international border.

Lactation Subsidy (Bolivia 2026)

A maternity protection benefit provided as the Prenatal and Lactation Subsidy valued at $Bs\text{ }2,000$.

Law 1178 (SAFCO)

Bolivian law governing Governmental Administration and Control of public resources, including the Public Personnel Administration System.

Limited Liability Company (SRL)

A commercial corporate entity where partner financial liability is strictly limited to their capital contributions.

Psychological Test

An assessment tool exploring internal psychological features such as personality traits and emotions (e.g., Machover, HTP).

Psychometric Test

A standardized quantitative tool evaluating cognitive abilities, numerical reasoning, and specific aptitudes (e.g., Raven's Matrices, 16PF).

Situational Judgment Test

An assessment evaluating how applicants respond and solve problems when presented with realistic workplace scenarios.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational framework arranging human needs into 5 levels: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization.

Kelsen's Pyramid

A legal hierarchy model placing the Constitution at the top, followed by Laws, Legislative Resolutions, Supreme Decrees, and Supreme Resolutions.