Clinical Case Stories

Case 18: From the lowest rating to a rising star—a Vietnamese man transformed by creative work | Uchida-Kraepelin

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Case 18: From the lowest rating to a rising star—a Vietnamese man transformed by creative work

Case 18: From the lowest rating to a rising star—a Vietnamese man transformed by creative work

He is a Vietnamese man responsible for merchandise displays and inventory management at a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City. At first, he seemed unmotivated, and his supervisor gave him the lowest performance rating.

However, his Uchida-Kraepelin Test results showed an unusually high amount of work, far above the Southeast Asian average. This suggested the possibility that he privately found the simple tasks and the people around him insufficiently stimulating.

Taking notice of these results and believing in his potential, his supervisor decided to entrust him with work that called for more creativity and ingenuity. His challenge was to design the layout around the checkout area for events. He exceeded expectations, surprising those around him with his flair and initiative.

“Even a rough diamond is just a stone unless it is properly polished.” When his potential was brought out in an appropriate way, its brilliance finally became apparent.

He now works with enthusiasm in a setting where he can exercise his creativity and ingenuity, and others’ assessments of him have improved considerably.

The Uchida-Kraepelin Test is a psychological test using a work-performance method. Examinees perform single-digit addition for a total of 30 minutes, changing rows every minute, with a 5-minute break between the two halves.

Connecting the final calculation position for each minute produces a graph characteristic of the individual examinee.

The upper graph shows the first 15 minutes; the lower graph shows the second 15 minutes.

The red line is the examinee’s own work curve. In this case, the blue line is a comparison indicator created by averaging work curves with a similar amount of work to his, drawn from recent test results in the ASEAN region.

Interpreting the red line provides insight into the examinee’s latent behavioral characteristics.

Editorial note: This is an individual case in Vietnam, not a generalization about nationality. The explanation of his feelings is a possibility, not an established fact or a diagnosis. Test output is not identical to intelligence or workplace productivity, and this case does not establish a causal effect or guarantee performance. The ASEAN comparison indicator is not automatically a norm for other populations. Hiring and placement should also consider skills, experience, observed work and job requirements.


To arrange the Uchida-Kraepelin Test, a work-based aptitude and personality test that can be used in the same way in Japan and overseas, please contact your nearest distributor in your country or region.

Distributors in East Asia

  • South Korea
    • Korea Management Association
      • Main areas served: Seoul, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju, Jeju
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Management consulting
      • Languages supported: Korean
  • Mainland China
    • Shanghai Oracle Bay Enterprise Group, Co., Ltd.
      • Main areas served: Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Yancheng, Nantong, Nanning, Ningbo, Bengbu, Xining, Yinchuan
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Human resource development
      • Languages supported: Chinese
    • NINGBO NAPU TRADE CO., LTD.
      • Main areas served: Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dongguan
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Manufacturing consulting, Fabless manufacturing
      • Languages supported: Chinese, Japanese
  • Hong Kong
    • N-ERVE TECHNOLOGY
      • Main areas served: Hong Kong
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Manufacturing consulting, Fabless manufacturing, Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Chinese
  • Taiwan
    • Pasona Taiwan
      • Main areas served: Taipei, Hsinchu, Kaohsiung
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: HR consulting, Human resource development, Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Chinese

Distributors in Southeast Asia

  • Thailand
    • Krung Asia Insight
      • Main areas served: Bangkok, nationwide Thailand
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Thailand market entry consulting
      • Languages supported: Thai, Japanese
    • Waguri
      • Main areas served: Bangkok, Chon Buri, Rayong, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Lamphun
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: HR consulting
      • Languages supported: Japanese
    • Pasona HR Consulting Recruitment (Thailand)
      • Main areas served: Bangkok
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment, HR consulting
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Thai
    • TRAINING AND SEMINAR KOTSUKOTSU
      • Main areas served: Bangkok
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Human resource development, Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Thai
  • Vietnam
    • Kosaido HR Vietnam
      • Main areas served: Hanoi (on-site visits available for Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and other locations)
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment, Human resource development, Vietnam market entry consulting
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Vietnamese
    • Success Partner
      • Main areas served: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Organizational development
      • Languages supported: Vietnamese
  • Myanmar
    • J-SAT CONSULTING
      • Main areas served: Yangon, Mandalay
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment, Myanmar market entry consulting, Japanese language education
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Burmese
  • Cambodia
    • Creative Diamond Links
      • Main areas served: Phnom Penh
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Khmer
  • Malaysia
    • Pasona HR MALAYSIA
      • Main areas served: Kuala Lumpur
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Malay, English
  • Laos
    • Lao-Japan Gateway
      • Main areas served: Vientiane
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Cybozu Kintone, Laos market entry consulting
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Lao
  • Indonesia
    • Bruggen Batavia Indonesia
      • Main areas served: Jakarta, Bekasi
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: HR consulting, Legal consulting, Visa consulting
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Indonesian, English
    • Japan Asia Consultants
      • Main areas served: Jakarta, Bekasi
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Indonesia market entry and company incorporation, Accounting and bookkeeping, Tax services, Labor affairs, Legal services, Visa services
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Indonesian, English
  • Philippines
    • One World Human Resources Development
      • Main areas served: Manila, Quezon
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Japanese language education, Human resource development
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Tagalog, English
  • Singapore
    • Pasona Singapore
      • Main areas served: Singapore
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment, HR consulting
      • Languages supported: English

Distributors in South Asia

  • India
    • Pasona India
      • Main areas served: Delhi, Gurugram, Chennai, Bengaluru
      • Other services available alongside the Uchida-Kraepelin Test: Recruitment
      • Languages supported: Japanese, Hindi, English

If you cannot find a nearby distributor or would like to arrange testing in multiple regions, please contact us using the contact form.