ABSTRACT
Recruitment is crucial to an organisation in so far as it has important implications for organisational performance. The strategic impact of recruitment is great, since decisions have long-run consequences. This has a particular significance today where the labour turnover within organisations is decreasing because of dramatic unemployment problems. Another study among ten big French organisations confirmed the importance of the financial aspect of recruitment and selection, highlighting that the hiring of a young manager cost about 50000 French francs. This chapter analyses recruitment patterns existing in European organisations from twelve countries, determine the main existing or emerging trends, draw comparisons and then try to find out and account for convergences and divergences. It examines the relevance of the variable 'public sector' 'private sector' to the analysis of recruitment and selection policies and practices. The Price Waterhouse Cranfield Project gives a clear view of alternative of external recruitment vs promotion in European organisations.
