cranfield university anita tomany identification of the conditions required within an organisation for

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CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
ANITA TOMANY
IDENTIFICATION OF THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED WITHIN AN
ORGANISATION FOR A TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO
SUCCESSFULLY BE PUT IN PLACE
DEFENCE ACADEMY - COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY
PhD THESIS
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
DEFENCE ACADEMY –
COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE AND SECURITY
PhD THESIS
Academic Year 2011 - 2012
Anita Tomany
Identification of the Conditions Required Within an Organisation for
a Talent Management Strategy to Successfully be Put in Place
Supervisor: Dr Sylvie Jackson
April 2012
© Cranfield University 2007. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Abstract
Talent management has been viewed both as a relatively new phenomenon
that can deliver competitive advantage and as the latest management fad that is
nothing more than a sub-section of human resources. Much has been written
on the subject, albeit predominantly by consultants, so there is little academic
rigour on the subject. Moreover, the majority of the literature focused on
highlighting the diminishing supply of talent and providing advice to practitioners
around recruiting, retaining, developing and rewarding talent.
This thesis reviewed the existing literature to provide a holistic view on talent
management in order to add value both at the academic and practitioner level.
It focussed on what conditions an organisation is advised to put in place in order
to leverage the performance of talent and whether talent can have a significant
impact on organisational performance.
The secondary research suggested that talent could act as a lever for
organisational performance. This was tested through primary research, from
the organisational and individual perspective, and resulted in the identification of
four conditions that impacted on the performance of talent. These conditions
were grouped into a model, which was tested both by the case study
organisations and by organisations that had not been involved in the research.
The findings were used to adapt the model and this is offered for subsequent
researchers to further develop in order to explore generalisability for all
organisations.
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Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I thank my husband Mark Tomany for his tireless patience
and support throughout this process, for allowing me to regale him with stories
about talent management, chew over the implications and then proof read my
chapters, again and again!
Enormous thanks go to my academic supervisor, Dr Sylvie Jackson, for endless
patience, reassurance and clear direction. Without her help this process would
have been far slower and a lot more painful! Not forgetting the support from the
other members of my supervisory team: Dr Bryan Watters and Dr Teri
McCoville for providing me with support and direction – often at short notice!
Finally, I thank the many organisations and people who agreed to be
interviewed to inform my data gathering. Despite pressures on their diaries they
all willingly gave freely of their time and provided me with excellent data without
which there would be no thesis.
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Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................iii
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................iv
Contents ...................................................................................................... v
List of Tables..................................................................................................ix
List of Figures.................................................................................................xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................1
1.1 CONCEPT AND PURPOSE OF RESEARCH.......................................1
1.1.1 Starting Point and Problem Statement............................................1
1.1.2 Research Aim, Question and Objectives.........................................3
1.1.3 Study Value.....................................................................................4
1.2 ASSUMPTIONS....................................................................................7
1.3 RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN.................................................................8
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................10
2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................10
2.1.1 Definition and Impact of Talent......................................................11
2.1.2 Personnel Management................................................................17
2.1.3 Human Resource Management.....................................................17
2.1.4 Strategic Human Resource Management .....................................19
2.1.5 Human Capital...............................................................................19
2.1.6 Succession Planning.....................................................................20
2.1.7 Talent Management ......................................................................20
2.1.8 Labour Market...............................................................................22
2.1.9 Return on Investment....................................................................23
2.2 ALIGNING THE BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE TALENT
STRATEGY TO DELIVER RESULTS...........................................................24
2.3 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE.....................................................46
2.4 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ..........................................................51
2.4.1 Definition of Culture.......................................................................52
2.4.2 Culture and Climate.......................................................................55
2.4.3 Culture – Theories of Management Style......................................60
2.4.4 Culture – Theories of Leadership..................................................64
2.4.5 Culture and Behaviours.................................................................75
2.4.6 Motivation and Performance..........................................................81
2.5 PROCESSES......................................................................................91
2.5.1 Attracting, Selecting and Retaining Talent ....................................91
2.5.2 Developing Talent to Drive Performance.......................................97
2.5.3 Talent: Enhancing Organisation Performance.............................109
2.5.4 Rewarding Talent........................................................................121
2.5.5 Metrics - Measuring the Talent Contribution................................124
2.5.6 Managing Risk.............................................................................132
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2.6 CONCLUSION..................................................................................132
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY................................................136
3.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................136
3.1.1 Research Question and Objectives.............................................137
3.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.........................................................141
3.2.1 Research Philosophy..................................................................141
3.2.2 Ontology......................................................................................144
3.2.3 Epistemology...............................................................................145
3.2.4 Reflexivity....................................................................................147
3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN........................................................................148
3.3.1 Research Strategies....................................................................148
3.3.2 Data Gathering Approach............................................................149
3.3.3 Ethical Considerations.................................................................153
3.3.4 Research Reliability and Validity.................................................155
3.3.5 Constraints and Limitations.........................................................156
3.3.6 Generalisability............................................................................157
3.3.7 Grounded Theory........................................................................158
3.4 CASE STUDIES................................................................................158
3.4.1 Case Study Sample Group..........................................................160
3.4.2 Case Study Format .....................................................................171
3.5 SURVEY – INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE.........................................174
3.6 CONCLUSION..................................................................................176
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS................................................................................178
4.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................178
4.2 CASE STUDIES INTRODUCTION....................................................179
4.3 DEFINITION OF TALENT.................................................................181
4.4 ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY – CASE STUDIES........................182
4.4.1 Organisational Strategy – Case Studies - Findings.....................184
4.5 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE – CASE STUDIES.....................184
4.6 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE – CASE STUDIES..........................186
4.7 TALENT-FOCUSED PROCESSES...................................................191
4.7.1 Talent-Focused Processes - Findings.........................................195
4.8 CASE STUDIES - DOCUMENTARY DATA......................................196
4.8.1 Case Studies – Documentary Data - Findings.............................198
4.9 QUANTITATIVE DATA - EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS..199
4.9.1 Quantitative Data - Employee Engagement Surveys - Findings..206
4.10 QUANTITATIVE DATA –INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE.................206
4.11 QUANTITATIVE DATA – MILITARY COHORT .............................207
4.11.1 Attractors...................................................................................209
4.11.2 Retainers...................................................................................210
4.11.3 Performance Enhancers............................................................210
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4.12 QUANTITATIVE DATA – VODAFONE COHORT..........................211
4.13 QUANTITATIVE DATA – INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE FINDINGS...213
4.14 PRIMARY RESEARCH FINDINGS.....................................................214
4.15 PRIMARY RESEARCH FINDINGS - STRATEGY..............................215
4.16 PRIMARY RESEARCH FINDINGS – STRUCTURE...........................216
4.17 PRIMARY RESEARCH FINDINGS – CULTURE................................216
4.18 PRIMARY RESEARCH FINDINGS - PROCESSES...........................217
4.19 CREATION OF THE MODEL .............................................................218
4.20 CONCLUSION...............................................................................221
CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS................................................................................222
5.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................222
5.2 ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY......................................................223
5.3 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE...................................................226
5.4 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ........................................................229
5.5 TALENT-FOCUSED PROCESSES...................................................231
5.6 REACTION TO THE MODEL............................................................234
5.7 CONCLUSION..................................................................................237
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................232
6.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................232
6.2 RESEARCH QUESTION...................................................................233
6.3 ASSUMPTIONS................................................................................233
6.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.........................................................234
6.5 CONCLUSIONS................................................................................235
6.5.1 Alignment Of Talent Management Strategy Against Business
Strategy...................................................................................................236
6.5.2 An Organisational Structure That Supports Talent......................238
6.5.3 Talent Focused Culture...............................................................239
6.5.4 Existence Of Talent Focused Processes.....................................241
6.6 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS...............................................................242
6.7 LESSONS LEARNED.......................................................................243
6.8 ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH..................................245
6.9 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY.............................248
REFERENCES...............................................................................................250
APPENDICES................................................................................................298
Appendix 1 Timeline................................................................................299
Appendix 2 Letter to Vodafone................................................................300
Appendix 3 Letter and Questionnaire to Unilever....................................301
Appendix 4 Pre Coding Table.................................................................303
Appendix 5 Coded Transcript..................................................................305
Appendix 6 Case Study: Summary Of Questions And Answers .............325
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Appendix 7 Development of Model.........................................................331
Appendix 8 Request for Comments........................................................338
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List of Tables
Table 1: Personnel Management and Human Resources Management - an
Outline..............................................................................................................18
Table 2: Five Definitions of Strategy.................................................................36
Table 3: A High Level Depiction of Management Hierarchy.............................42
Table 4: Ten Areas - Strategic Approach to Management ..............................44
Table 5: Four Models of Management Style.....................................................50
Table 6: Five Dimensions of Culture................................................................54
Table 7: Six Dimensions of Climate..................................................................56
Table 8: The 12 Core Values............................................................................58
Table 9: Performance-driven Values................................................................59
Table 10: Four Assumptions of Man.................................................................62
Table 11: Six Effective Managerial Styles........................................................64
Table 12: Transformational Leadership............................................................68
Table 13: Emotional Intelligence Domains and Associated Competencies......72
Table 14: Six Traits of a High-performing Organisation....................................78
Table 15: Factors for 100 Best Companies to Work For..................................79
Table 16: The Top Ten Organisations to Work For..........................................80
Table 17: Herzberg's Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers.............................................85
Table 18: Three Types of Discretionary Behaviour..........................................87
Table 19: Unlock Discretionary Effort...............................................................89
Table 20: Nine Factors of Branded Talent Developers...................................100
Table 21: Management Competency.............................................................103
Table 22: Findings on Employee Satisfaction and Commitment....................111
Table 23: Which Jobs Make the Difference?..................................................117
Table 24: Special Extras in Dot Coms............................................................121
Table 25: Talent Management Metrics: Pepsi Cola........................................125
Table 26: Four Perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard ...............................127
Table 27: McKinsey 7-S Framework ..............................................................128
Table 28: Table of Authors ..........................................................................135
Table 29: Major Differences between Deductive and Inductive Approaches to
Research........................................................................................................150
Table 30: Standards for Quality of Conclusions.............................................155
Table 31: Styles of Case Studies...................................................................159
Table 32: Case Study Organisations..............................................................163
Table 33: Organisational Strategy, Case Studies, Findings...........................184
Table 34: Organisational Structure, Case Studies, Findings..........................186
Table 35: Organisational Culture, Case Studies, Findings.............................190
Table 36: Summary of Action Plan 2009-13...................................................198
Table 37: Factors for 100 Best Companies to Work For................................199
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Table 38: Employee Engagement Findings on Leadership............................200
Table 39: Employee Engagement Findings on Well-being.............................201
Table 40: Employee Engagement Findings on My Manager..........................202
Table 41: Employee Engagement Findings on My Team...............................203
Table 42: Employee Engagement Findings on Fair Deal...............................203
Table 43: Employee Engagement Findings on My Company.........................204
Table 44: Employee Engagement Findings on Personal Growth...................205
Table 45: Organisational Themes, Military Cohort Performance Enhancers..208
Table 46: Organisational Themes, Vodafone Cohort Performance Enhancers
.......................................................................................................................212
Table 47: Organisational Feedback on Final Model.......................................237
Table 48: Progress against Gaps in the Research.........................................246
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