Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretically grounded model for incorporating reflective practice into the competence assessment process for measuring human capital in organizations. The literature on knowledge capital and intellectual assets contains many tools to identify, assess, and plan critical strategic knowledge resources. This paper responds to the need for determining how an assessment can activate and drive the knowledge processes, i.e., generating and sharing knowledge. We propose that reflective practice can be considered as a primary enabler for developing, structuring, and organizing knowledge resources and optimizing their use. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an explorative single-case study based on a conceptual analysis of reflective practice in organizations and the potential of reflection to further develop the existing competence assessment practices. A process model for Reflective Competence Assessment (RCA) is built and tested in a case organization. The concluding analysis enables an investigation of the gap between theoretical intentions and practical realization. The RCA process consisted of the following five parts: incorporating four necessary dimensions of reflective practice, activating reflective capacity, engaging in reflective dialogue, experimenting, and building on reflective control. The competence areas assessed included multi-professional collaboration, sharing of knowing, partner collaboration, and the meta-competence of reflective practice. Originality/value – The main contribution of this study is the RCA model for incorporating reflective practice into the process of competence assessment. The literature on reflective practice offers very little guidance for researchers or practitioners developing reflective practices as part of everyday work. Based on the four necessary elements of reflective practice, an ordinary competence assessment can be created to evaluate and actively develop the selected strategically critical competencies. The case example further explores the possibility of utilizing measurement tools in a reflective manner to activate and explore the learning process attached to measuring. Practical implications – The RCA process model is a measurement tool that evaluates critical knowledge assets while simultaneously functioning as a reflective practice itself. As a practical case description, this paper offers management practitioners and human resource development professionals a model for implementing competence assessment in a reflective manner to measure and also construct new know-how. The study also offers argumentation for considering reflective practice as a primary tool for braking away from routine thinking and extending competencies. In addition, it provides a concrete tool for arranging measurement and evaluation in a manner that activates and revives learning and renewal.
Keywords – Reflective competence assessment, business-critical competences, reflective practice, management control