Facing the human capital crisis: A systematic review and research agenda on recruitment and selection in the public sector

Abstract

As a human capital crisis poses urgent challenges across multiple countries, public administration scholars and practitioners are concerned with recruitment and selection questions. Literature evolves with an increasing pace whereby clarity over the state‐of‐the art and gaps in recruitment and selection research in the public sector is needed to direct future research and practice. We conducted a review of 59 studies to systematize and reorient research on recruitment and selection. Summarizing the state‐of‐the‐art, we identify a strong focus on individual‐level research of attraction, revealing several blind spots of research on other levels and process stages of hiring. Based on the synthesis of existing knowledge, we provide a research agenda that extends the predominant focus on attraction. By bridging public administration concepts with generic recruitment and selection research, the agenda aims at advancing the research on hiring in the public sector, offering a framework for levels, concepts/theories, processes, and key variables.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Writing impactful reviews to rejuvenate public administration: A framework and recommendations

“…We offer two studies that are directly within the human resource management paradigm. Jakobsen et al (2023) provide insight into the current human capital crisis with their review of 59 studies to systematize and reorient research on recruitment and selection. They find a strong focus on individual-level research of attraction, revealing several blind spots of research on other levels and process stages of hiring.…”