Research Synopsis

The research for development of this Guide was undertaken by Mark Alexander, an associate of Palmer and Company, a Toronto-based organization that specializes in employee recruitment and selection. Extensive use was made of the Centre for Industrial Relations (CIR) library at the University of Toronto. The CIR facility is generally considered to be one of the top human resource reference institutions in North America. In addition to the use of the Library’s journals, three books on the topic of best practices recruitment, selection and hiring provided a substantial basis for the Guide’s development:

• High Impact Hiring by Levin and Rosse (1997, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco)
• Competency-based Recruitment and Selection by Wood and Payne (1998, John Wiley and Son, Chichester, U.K.)
• Interviewing, Selection and Orientation by Diane Arthurs (1998, AMCOM New York, NY)

Beyond the use of the Centre’s facilities, research was conducted at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the Canadian Urban Transit Association, the Human Resources Professionals’ Association of Ontario and the Motor Carrier Passenger Council of Canada. A number of the project steering committee members provided valuable input throughout the research phase in terms of current practices within the motor carrier passenger industry in Canada and North America.

This input lead to telephone, interview and e-mail information collection on industry practices from a variety of Canadian and American sources.

Beyond these sources, an extensive internet search was conducted by the CIR and Mark Alexander to determine what is available in terms of industry specific recruiting and selection practices.

The Motor Carrier Passenger Council of Canada engaged the expertise of McMillan Binch, Barristers & Solicitors, for counsel on legal considerations.