Talent management of skilled migrants: propositions and an agenda for future research

Abstract

This paper unpacks the dominant conceptualizations of talent management (TM) in contemporary academic publications, and considers these in relation to the increasingly important workforce population of skilled international migrants. It postulates that TM approaches are generally built from a relatively narrow human capital-based perspective wherein organizations focus on readily accessible and immediate skills, ignoring the longer term strategic potential of the international workforce of skilled migrants, particularly for multinational enterprises and other international organizations. Through a series of propositions, the paper highlights how organizations, in strategically using a more comprehensive TM lens rather than a human capital lens in approaching the TM of skilled migrants, could benefit from improved HRM performance over time. It also proposes a research agenda, by which future studies might test, explore, and further develop understanding on a more strategic utilization of skilled migrants in organizations.

Linking Talent Management to Traditional and Boundaryless Career Orientations: Research Propositions and Future Directions

“…This proposition aligns with the fifth conceptualization of TM as put forward by Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss (: 6 (in their Table )), where ‘TM [is] conceptualized as a broader phenomenon, which integrates individuals, organizations, and society, embracing diversity and equality in societies’. While it is an organization‐level initiative, its ramifications are more far‐reaching.…”

“…The career literature underscores the need for TM practices to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the available talent pool (Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss, ). Career research suggests that women and minorities still face a range of barriers to their career success (Al Ariss et al, ; Hüttges and Fay, ; Tatli et al, ).…”

“…Skilled international workers are known to enhance the competitive advantages of their employers (Cerdin et al, ). However, there is lack of research on the TM of international skilled workers (Al Ariss et al, ; Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss, ). This discussion leads to our final proposition linking TM to contemporary career orientations at the national/global level:Proposition Organizations that take into account and provide tailored career development support (such as language classes, cross‐cultural classes; support in the initial household administration requirements when relocating to another country; family adjustment support) will be better able to leverage the international talent pool that they have attracted and will be able to retain, thanks to such tailored career development TM practices.…”

“…Talent management (TM) is a topic of increasing academic interest (De Boeck et al, ; McDonnell et al, ) despite persistent claims of conceptual ambiguity (Lewis and Heckman, ; Meyers et al, ; Vaiman and Collings, ; Dries, ; Festing and Schäfer, ) and under‐theorization (Gallardo‐Gallardo et al, , ; Thunnissen et al, ; Gallardo‐Gallardo and Thunnissen, ). To develop TM from its practitioner genesis (Michaels et al, ) and move towards a theorization of TM, some researchers link TM with research on international mobility (for example, Al Ariss et al ., ; Cerdin and Brewster, ; Collings, ; Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss, ); others with research on careers (for example, Carr et al, ; Iles et al, ; Dries et al, ; De Vos and Dries, ). However, a comprehensive analysis linking the relational structures affecting careers (Al Ariss and Syed, ) to TM has not yet been performed.…”

“…TM is a complex phenomenon, which can be explored at different levels, each with different concerns (Dries, ; Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss, ; De Boeck et al, ), and with different outcomes of the intended, actual and perceived (Wright and Snell, ; Wright and Nishii, ) TM practices (Gelens et al, , ; O'Connor and Crowley‐Henry, ). Crowley‐Henry and Al Ariss () have put forward five main concepts of TM in the contemporary literature, which range from TM as synonymous with human resource management to TM specializing in human resource development (HRM). Similarly, Dries () presents six different theoretical perspectives on talent, showing the variation of focus across academic disciplines.…”