title: INVESTIGATING TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES –THE CASE OF THE ABU DHABI GOVERNMENT IN LIGHT OF THE ABU DHABI ECONOMIC VISION 2030
Creators: name: Abouabidalla, E
Publisher: name: Liverpool John Moores University
Year: 2024

description: As the literature reveals, Strategic Talent Management(STM) processes are critical to organisational success, which depends on the ability to attract, develop, and retain top talents that align with organisational goals and objectives, in order to maximize performance and sustain a competitive advantage. While managing talent remains one of the most challenging issues for key actors cross various industries, this thesis specifically explores Talent Management (TM) strategies in Abu Dhabi Government (ADG)-affiliated departments. It investigates TM adoption and implementation levels through a framework that ranks and gauges the effectiveness and influence of context-specific factors on talent retention in the Emirates, where talent is in high demand and low supply. An integrated model was developed, using nine independent factors, of which six were found to be the main determinants of talent acquisition and nurturing in the context of Abu Dhabi public service establishments. This framework integrates essential concepts from the human resources management field with job satisfaction and the employer branding, which is the contextual/organisational environment-related factor at ADG. Such multiple theoretical and Human Resources Management (HRM) lenses are TM strategies involved in the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development’s TM pipeline, the Framework for Social Exchange Theory (SET) Relationship and the Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. This study adopts a positivist philosophical stance to examine the impact of the relevant/emerging factors on talent retention. Data were collected employing a web-based survey, which returned 287 valid responses from the recruited population, comprising UAE national leaders of ADG.SPSS (version 26) was utilised n the demographic and inferential analysis to test the proposed hypotheses and rank the study factors extrapolated from the extant literature(multiple regression), and AMOS (version-26) was employed to examine the 11 measurement model (study variables/constructs) via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA),which demonstrated good construct validity. In addition, AMOS was applied for structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis to verify the theoretical propositions and test the structural model. This analysis showed that the developed model had an acceptable fit with the collected data. The findings of this study confirm that the establishment of talent management programmes at ADG is grounded by TM adaptation factors. Moreover, an effective talent management and retention strategy is influenced by various TM-related factors, in addition to other factors that impinge on the ability to deliver and obtain a competitive edge in talent enticement and retention. Such factors have a significant effect on the predicted level of talent attraction and the retention of talented Emirati leaders in local Abu Dhabi service organisations within the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Therefore, each dimension of the integrated approach provided more insight into the adoption and implementation of talent attraction and retention strategies, as well as the intention of recruited talent to remain with their employer. Talent Satisfaction was the major success factor; other influential factors were a Leadership Development Programme, Performance Appraisal, Attraction and Retention Strategies by Enabling and Empowering talents, Participative Leadership, and Supportive Leadership. All these factors have been integrated in the final model. Meanwhile, the context-specific factors of Leadership Development Effectiveness, Incentives, Work Conditions and Performance Rewards, and Instrumental Leadership had no significant impact on talent retention. Accordingly, these have been excluded. The SEM retention model offered in the study was, therefore, proven to be effective in explaining the intentions of talent to stay for the long-term future (a dependent variable).By collecting empirical evidence, this study attempts to offer theoretical and practical contributions to the under-researched field of global talent management in an emerging market context. The primary aim of this study is to assist the ADG in identifying and addressing 12 problems in order to provide a STM framework to help deliver a competitive advantage in quality service in line with the UAE Economic Vision 2030.This study demonstrates the significant potential of STM and management theory to mitigate challenges and offer solutions for decisionmakers and relevant stakeholders. It provides priority-ranked success contributors/effective strategies such as focusing on ascertaining job satisfaction–via Organisational Citizenship Behaviour, the psychological contract, and affective organisational commitment)–leveraging leadership developmental and career exposure opportunities, supportive leadership traits, and an emphasis on fair appraisals and rare talent empowerment. These strategies will have a significant and direct impact on TM effectiveness in achieving and enhancing talent retention in the UAE Public sector, while strengthening ADG’s position as the preferred employer within the UAE.