Organizational analysis and the Information Commons
The work of an Information Commons has many and varied dimensions. The library
staff best suited for this innovative and ever-changing work must likewise be
multi-dimensional. Ensuring a successful organization/employee fit can be difficult
even in relatively traditional and static employment venues. An Information Commons
LHT
26,2
234
is neither, but the field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology offers some
guidance. Here, research is undertaken to better understand the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) which can be utilized by an organization to improve service delivery, to make best use of knowledge-based resources and to use these resources for competitive advantage (Jackson et al., 2003). While industrial and organizational psychology considers all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, the focus here will be limited to an analysis of the organization and those jobs which may fall within a library context and, specifically, the Information Commons. A recurring theme in organizational analysis is the necessity to hire for the organization and not the job. Therefore, a framework is required to better understand the particularneeds of the organization (Bowen et al., 1991).