Translation of corporate talent management strategies across subsidiaries in emerging economies

Abstract

The rise of emerging markets in the global economy has compelled researchers to investigate methods of effectively translating corporate talent management (CTM) strategies to subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) located in these markets. The duality between global integration and local responsiveness challenges multinational firms and generates barriers to the successful transfer of CTM practices. These barriers are embedded in corporate and subsidiary institutional environments and in the national and organisational culture of the host-country. Although scholars and practitioners have recognised the strategic importance of translating corporate practices to subsidiaries in these markets, there is scarce research on the translation of talent management strategies to emerging markets. This thesis focuses on how multinationals translate CTM strategies to their emerging market subsidiaries; a cross-disciplinary and multilevel approach is used to investigate.This thesis advances the notion that institutional theory, the resource-based view, and the strategic choice view are useful approaches to examine the process of translating CTM strategies to emerging markets, but also delves further into the institutional and cultural factors that influence transfer success at corporate and subsidiary levels in both metropolitan and provincial areas.Analysing the phenomena through the lens of strategic talent management sheds further light on how leaders of multinationals make choices about translating CTM strategies to gain competitive advantage. The thesis also attempts to identify the key organisational agents or decision-makers that transfer CTM strategies to a local context and the key frames that affect translation in emerging markets. It then proposes that strategic choices are subject to predetermined mind-sets and institutional environments that may shape managerial beliefs on action choices. This thesis includes three essays. As a theoretical point of departure for future study, the first essay develops a heuristic framework discussing the relevant theories and suggesting propositions.Within the talent management literature, this essay, as an introduction to the thesis, assesses the translation, talent management, and emerging markets literatures. The second essay is an empirical single case study of a worldwide corporation with large investments in the emerging markets of Latin America. By drawing on the framework, through the strategic choice theory, this essay examines the balance between the decision-making processes of key agents in reaction to corporate strategies surrounding the talent required for organisational sustainability and the institutional 3 effects of the host country. This study highlights three decision making groups at corporate and subsidiary levels -including in metropolitan and provincial regions -and key frames that affect the decision-making translation of CTM strategies in emerging markets. The third essay is an empirical study that extends the theme of the decision-makin...