Technical Background and Validation

The Apollo Profile was developed in 1995 by Professor Richard Hicks and Mr. James Bowden, and has since been through a series of further research and development. Version 3 was released in September 2002, and was the result of studying almost 7,000 candidates, categorised into a series of strongly identifiable homogenous subgroups, from a broader sample size of more than 30,000 assessed individuals. That update was released as the New Millennium version in September 2002.

The current Version 4 now reflects improvements since that date, and the introduction of upgraded narratives, recalibrated Call Centre scales, new Excellence Scores, Benchmarking and Organisation Capability Assessments, and other features. Almost 80,000 people from many countries are now on the Apollo database, and numerous studies have been done that further strengthens the validity and usefulness of the Apollo Profile. Version 4 contains more high level tools that enable organisation development and consultancy programs.

The developers originally saw the need for a user-friendly tool to assist professionals and managers in their human resources decisions, and for reports that individuals could read and understand to aid them in their personal careers.

The Apollo Profile is eclectic in that experienced users will recognise the application of many of the theories of well-known researchers in this field, such as Jung, Maslow, Hersey and Blanchard, Kilman, Herzberg, McClelland, Belbin, McGregor, Argyris, and the Five-Factor Model of Personality (Costa and McCrae 1992). The Apollo Profile is not pioneering any new theories, but rather applying generally accepted knowledge to the modern workplace. The Apollo Profile was designed from the outset to be used internationally.

The Apollo Profile has been designed to be a multi-purpose instrument measuring work preferences, motivations, and values. It is intended as a career assessment instrument, and for use in recruitment and selection, and the development of individuals and organisations.

The Apollo Profile is in the category of career related personality measurement, and does not measure intelligence, technical skills, numeracy, or literacy. Narrative feedback is generally expressed in behavioural terms, so that candidates can recognise their actions, and modify them if appropriate.

A Technical Manual showing details of the research and numerous statistical studies is available for appropriate use.

CV DR. Richard Hicks

Dr Richard (Dick) HICKS, MA, D Litt et Phil, ThC, PGCE (Educ), FAPsS, FBPS, FAIM, MQCA Location: Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Australia

2002-2004  Head of Psychology, Bond University 2002- 2004

1999-2001  Professor of Applied Psychology, Bond University

1998-1999  Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond University (PT)

1996-current  Principal, Pacific Testing and Career Services (Consultancy)

1993-1995  Head, School of Social Science, Queensland University of Technology

1974-1993  Senior Lecturer, Dept Management and School of Social Science, QUT 

1972-1974  Chief Psychologist/ Senior Inspector; Public Service Board, New Guinea

1968-1974  Senior Research Psychologist, Public Service Board, New Guinea.

1964-1967  Head, Psychological Services, Zambia Ministry of Education (1967, acting head, and 2 years 1964-1966, Secondary Teacher, Lusaka, Zambia

1957-1964  Vocational Guidance Officer, Department of Labour & Industry, NSW

Dick Hicks has a strong practical, professional and academic background; he has published more than 150 books, articles, tests and surveys. He has written widely on assessment and selection processes, giving special attention to the development of psychological and organisational tests and surveys. He has eclectic interests and has contributed widely in the organisational and social psychology fields. Interests have included cross-cultural testing and assessment, unemployment, selection processes, improved doctor-patient relationships (through his work on the Asthma Navigator), improved work relationships (through his development and use of questionnaires such as Decision Preference Analysis and the Apollo Profile), job satisfaction, staff mentoring, and experiential learning in teaching. His professional memberships include Fellow of three societies (Australian and British Psychological Societies, Australian Institute of Management) and Member of the Queensland Counsellors Association (former President). He is involved in consulting in management and organisational psychology and in university lecturing and student supervision.

C.V. Mr. James Bowden

Prior to co-developing the Apollo Profile with Dr. Hicks Mr. Bowden operated a diverse and successful consultancy providing a range of human resources and management services to the public and private sectors.

Services provided included recruitment and selection, management development, team building, organisation development, quality management accreditations, performance appraisals and reviews, career assessments, various organisation surveys, and design and delivery of numerous training programs.

The practice used many instruments in training programs, and career development, particularly the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership, and the Thomas Kilman conflict resolution styles.

Jim is accredited in Team Management Index, Type of Work Index, Linking Skills Index, and Team Performance Index. For a number of years, Jim was the national Accreditation and Interpretation instructor for another psychometric instrument. He is also familiar with a number of organisational psychological instruments and assessments, particularly relevant to Executive recruitment. Jim has also designed performance management systems, and conducted numerous attitude and climate surveys for client organisations.

Jim has been prominent in a number of professional and industry associations, and has studied accountancy, economics, marketing, and management, including industrial psychology.

Limitations of the Apollo Profile

Measurement or assessment appraisal tools such as The Apollo Profile can provide guidelines only for candidates and users. Because these instruments are largely based on statistically derived data and human beings are enormously complex and varied, no report can ever be 100 percent correct or apply entirely to the specific individual concerned. However, most of the time the reports from The Apollo Profile should, across the thirty-six characteristics assessed, reflect reasonably accurately the preferences and values of the individual concerned.

To be most valuable to candidates and users, the interpretations of the total scores in each category are stated in objective, clear and direct terms. The interpretations are based directly on the person’s own responses matched against others in the study.

 However, all comments or interpretations should be tested against the experiences of the candidate as well as against the experience of those who know the candidate. No single questionnaire, even an extensive questionnaire, should be used on its’ own. Information from other sources should be part of the data gathered and used, including other reports, workplace reports, interviews, and appropriate comments.

Therefore, where candidates disagree with a given interpretation of one or two of the 34 categories, and perhaps after checking with others in case the candidates are "blind" to their own impacts on others, the report comments would normally be disregarded for those characteristics. The overall profile should not be affected by this move.

There are few, if any, single instruments currently available based on experience and research which provide comment on so many significant work-related characteristics. Provided the limitations are kept in mind, The Apollo Profile can provide useful information for many aspects of the workplace where working with others is an important component of success and satisfaction.

Counsellors accredited in use of The Apollo Profile are trained to discuss alternative meanings of the category scores obtained.

Any questions or suggestions about The Apollo Profile can be directed to The Apolloneon Institute, which is maintaining an ongoing research and development base for the Profile.

Please contact our WebAdministrator with questions or comments.

Copyright 1996 The Apollonean Institute, All rights reserved.