The role of learning agility and career variety in the identification and development of high potential employees

Abstract

PurposeA survey study was conducted in seven best practice organizations in the field of talent management. By cross‐checking their existing high potential lists, the authors aimed to examine to which extent assessments of learning agility were able to predict being identified as a high potential or not above and beyond a baseline prediction by job performance. Furthermore, they aimed to investigate whether learning agility increased with career variety.Design/methodology/approachThe study had a case‐control design, comparing supervisor ratings of employees recently identified as high potentials (n=32) with supervisor ratings of a carefully matched control group of non‐high potentials (n=31).FindingsLearning agility (mediated by job content on‐the‐job learning) was found to be a better predictor of being identified as a high potential than job performance. Career variety was found to be positively associated to learning agility.Research limitations/implicationsThis study's design did not allow for the demonstration of causal effects. Longitudinal studies are needed to further clarify the causality of these findings and their implications for organizational performance.Practical implicationsOrganizations should do well to incorporate measures of learning agility into their high potential identification and development processes. Furthermore, they need to reflect on how HRM practices might enhance their high potentials' career variety and commitment.Originality/valueThe current study responds to urgent calls in the literature for more empirical research on the identification and development of high potentials, as well as on career variety.

Towards an understanding of talent management as a phenomenon-driven field using bibliometric and content analysis

“…As our data shows, employee assessment is mostly found as a secondary theoretical framework; we found that it most often coincided with an RBV approach (e.g., Dries et al, 2012b), and was also often found in studies that dealt primarily with GTM issues (e.g., Mäkelä et al, 2010;McDonnell, Hickey & Gunnigle, 2011). Dries et al (2012b), in a study examining to which extent assessments of learning agility were able to predict being Studies approaching TM from an employee assessment angle typically aim to identify talent in a valid and reliable manner, advocating the use of standardized tools and methods for evaluating talent (Nijs et al, 2014).…”

“…In fact, quantitative research was not found at all prior to 2010, although the number of quantitative studies has accumulated since then and can be expected to increase further in the future, as the use of advanced statistical methods within a field tends to increase as it grows (von Krogh et al, 2012). Logistic regression was a prevalent technique (e.g., Dries, Vantilborgh, & Pepermans, 2012b), as were cluster analysis (e.g., Vivas-López, PerisOrtiz, & Rueda-Armengot, 2011) and structural equation modeling (e.g., Asag-Gau & Dierendonck, 2011). Among the empirical articles, mixed-method studies have been the least frequent (i.e., 11 articles; 7.9%).…”

“…Dries et al (2012b), in a study examining to which extent assessments of learning agility were able to predict being Studies approaching TM from an employee assessment angle typically aim to identify talent in a valid and reliable manner, advocating the use of standardized tools and methods for evaluating talent (Nijs et al, 2014). The literature on talent identification therefore tends to borrow concepts from industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology, most notably from the literature on personnel selection and assessment centers.…”

Para além da escola e da empresa: contribuições para o atendimento em orientação de carreira

“…Existem aqueles que estudam a estrutura do callcenter (Bozionelos, 2008), debatem a importância das agências de emprego e relativizam a tradicional condenação a seu tipo de atuação no mercado de trabalho (Smith & Neuwirth, 2009), investigam os principais fatores que afetam a tomada de decisão sobre promoções (Lockamy III & Service, 2011), pesquisam a identificação e o desenvolvimento de pessoas consideradas de elevado potencial para as organizações (Dries, Vantilborgh, & Pepermans, 2012), entre outros (Kellett, Humphrey, & Sleeth, 2009), incluindo a referência ao setor estatal grego (Koskina, 2008) e a crítica foucaultiana à lógica organizacional (Kamoche, Pang, & Wong, 2011).…”

“…Trata-se de examinar a prontidão de carreira em adolescentes (Usinger & Smith, 2010), delinear uma medida da prosperidade profissional (Porath et al, 2012), avaliar o grau de estresse segundo o gênero (Raghuram et al, 2012), associar traços da personalidade à escolha da especialidade médica em universitários da área (Taber et al, 2011), identificar aspirações profissionais de crianças negras (Watson et al, 2010), mensurar a eficácia de um modelo de desenvolvimento de carreira para adolescentes , comparar a visão sobre certos conceitos de carreira em crianças mais jovens e mais velhas (Howard & Walsh, 2010), determinar fatores de previsão de intenções empreendedoras em adultos (Oschonka et al, 2010) e vários outros (Ashby & Schoon, 2010;Barros & Teixeira, 2011;Blanco, 2011;Brady-Amoon & Fuertes, 2011;Braunstein-Bercovitz et al, 2012;Cha et al, 2009;Cheung & Arnold, 2010;Creed et al, 2010;Decker et al, 2012;Di Fabio & Kenny, 2012;Dipeolu et al, 2012;Domene et al;Dreyfus, 2008;Dries et al, 2012;Duffy et al, 2011;Duffy & Klingaman, 2009;Duffy & Raque-Bogdan, 2010;Emmanuelle, 2009;Faria & Saavedra, 2008;Fernandez-Arata, 2008;Forner & Dulu, 2012;Gibbons & Borders, 2010;Grier-Reed & Skaar, 2010;Grier-Reed et al, 2009;Gunkel et al, 2010;Hirschi, 2010cHirschi, , 2010dHirschi, , 2011a…”