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Arne Evers, Neil Anderson, and Olga Voskuijl (Editors). The Blackwell Handbook of Personnel Selection. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing 2005, 558 pages, $124.95 hardcover.
The Handbook covers both classic and emerging topics in the field of selection psychology. The editor's stated purpose for the Handbook is to serve as (a) an update and extension to the International Handbook of Selection and Assessment published in 1997, and (b) to focus on topics of burgeoning interest such as globalization, use of technology, person-organization fit, and applicant reactions to the selection process. The 2005 Handbook retains an international perspective with authors including preeminent researchers from eight countries. However, the list of 36 distinguished authors is dominated by academicians, with only about 5 from the corporate and consulting domains.
This Handbook is quite comprehensive and includes 23 chapters divided into five parts: Part I: Preparing for Selection; Part II: Developments in the Use of Different Kinds of Predictors; Part III: Decisions and Their Context; Part IV: Criterion Measures; and Part V: Emerging Trends and Assessment for Change.
The Handbook is prefaced by a thought-provoking chapter on the relationships between practice and research in personnel selection. The author outlines a case for specialization of function as the inevitable future of the rapidly growing field of selection psychology. He presents a compelling argument for the need to study the process of the science-practice interface and presents a four-quadrant model for research with axes of practical relevance and methodological rigor.
Part I: "Preparing for Selection," includes four chapters focused on job analysis, recruitment research, selection system design, and ethical considerations.
(1) Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive overview of job analysis. Of particular interest was the focus on differentiating job analyses from competency modeling and their review of future-oriented techniques. However, it was disappointing that job analyses procedures to support person-organization fit were not addressed.
(2) Chapter 3 summarizes the historical research on the "3 Rs of recruitment:" (a) RJPs, (b) recruitment sources, and (c) recruiter characteristics. The author concludes that given the projected labor shortages, we have a long way to go before we can translate recruitment practice to science.
(3) Chapter 4 discusses design of the selection system that includes attention to context including stakeholders and factors beyond prediction of performance. The...