The value of talent management architectures to multinational companies
Creators: name: Makram, Heba
Publisher: name: Lancaster University
Year: 2018

description: The purpose of this research is to examine the perceptions and
      understandings of two groups of strategic actors (HR and talent leaders as
      system designers and business leaders as system implementers) in
      multinational companies (MNCs). Moreover, to contribute to the knowledge
      and understanding of how multinational organisations think about and
      define Talent Management (henceforth shortened to TM) and whether and how
      they perceive their TM architectures to add value to the organisation. It
      examines two research questions. First, ‘do strategic actors believe that
      the TM architectures implemented within their organisations add value to
      the organisation, and if so, what value do they believe it adds?’ Second,
      ‘how may TM architectures add value?’ This question is examined through a
      sub-set of four research propositions in relation to a series of
      theoretically established value processes (value creation, capture,
      leverage and protection). The research draws upon ideas from three
      academic disciplines: Strategic Management and the role of strategic
      actors and the nature of strategy-as-practice, Strategic Human Resources
      Management (henceforth shortened to SHRM) and the study of HR systems,
      High Performance Work Systems (henceforth shorted to HPWS) and TM
      architectures, and the resource-based view (henceforth shortened to RBV)
      of the firm in relation to value and value creation - in order to address
      the problem of value and TM. It develops a series of propositions to
      suggest how TM architectures might add value through four enabling value
      processes. The findings are used to draw inferences about these potential
      value-adding processes. 
      
      
      The research uses an 'explanatory' multi-case study design based
      on an empirical study conducted in five MNCs. The study uses a qualitative
      research approach, drawing on 52 in-depth interviews. The findings show
      that the absence of a formal TM definition led to a lack of consensus
      among strategic actors about the meaning of TM. Instead, there was a
      common perception that TM is another HR process which includes traditional
      practices such as the recruitment, selection, development and retention of
      talent. However, introducing the concepts of ‘value’ to the discourse of
      TM demonstrated how borrowing notions from the non-HR literature can
      contribute to our understanding of the role played in TM by strategic
      actors. The use of a theoretical framework – the value model - helped in
      understanding the value of TM architectures against each of the four value
      processes. 
      
      
      This study makes a number of contributions. It empirically deconstructs
      the understandings of strategic actors about TM. It addresses the
      definitional problem currently evidenced in the literature and provides
      new insights to help academics understand the value of TM. It provides
      direction for future research. The study also contributes to practice by
      providing system designers and system implementers with a blueprint which
      could guide the design and implementation of the TM architectures
      introduced in their organisations to ensure that these architectures are
      aligned to corporate and business strategies and contribute to the
      enablement of value. 
      
      
      Keywords: Talent management, Talent management architectures, Value, Value
      creation, Value capture, Value leverage and Value protection.