DILEMMATICS IN PUBLIC-SECTOR ASSESSMENT - A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING SELECTION SYSTEMS

Working from the premise that validity is necessary but not sufficient for effective long-term selection system operation, we propose a fram ework that recognizes multiple, often conflicting standards for evalua ting public sector selection systems. Three clusters of standards that represent procedural justice-fairness, scientific-technical adequacy, and feasibility-utility are identified and discussed. Stakeholder gro ups that include political entities, management, labor unions, and sys tem designers (internal and external consultants) often order these st andards differently. When applied to a unionized environment, the fram ework suggests that optimizing all sets of standards may be a better s trategy than maximizing any one set. Advice is presented for general a nd specific cases that may confront the researcher or practitioner.