A Historical Analysis of Critiques in the Talent Management Debate. Issue 3 (July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sparrow, Paul
• Is Part Of: Business research quarterly. Volume 22:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Subjects: Talent management -- Human resource strategy; 658
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brq.2019.05.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2340-9436

Abstract

Current debates around talent management echo previous concern about the development of the field of IHRM. This paper uses historical analysis to examine two questions: has the field followed a logical progression and process of increasing coherence; and has its narrative been shaped in ideological ways? It identifies six concepts that guided and enabled the subsequent development of the talent management field. It shows how a selection of these ideas were re-packaged through the introduction of new notions to build two competing narratives: a star performer perspective and a human capital management perspective. It examines the progressive critiques and problems that then had to be solved to address these concerns. There is evidence of periodic ideological re-interpretations of talent management but there has nonetheless been a logical, progressive and issues-driven evolution of ideas in the field into which the current critical perspectives must now be fitted.