MOVING BEYOND THE MECHANISTIC MODEL - AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO STAFFING FOR CONTEMPORARY ORGANIZATIONS

The currently accepted model of employee staffing is grounded in tradi tional principles of industrial psychology which stem from concepts as sociated with a view of organizations as machines. This perspective is incompatible with modern organizations that are frequently structured around networks and teams rather than around individuals performing j obs. A new staffing model based on the notion of organizing through em ergent relationships is developed to explain how modern organizations select new members and develop agreements that define their roles. Thi s model acknowledges the fact that individual roles emerge around idio syncratic characteristics of individuals and can not be adequately def ined through prehire job analysis. Implications of this model for rese arch are discussed.