Keiteng Matlapeng, Anna-Marie Pelser
Abstract
Talent management has become one of the key issues for leaders of global organisations, and the bulk of talent management research focuses on the wider multinational market context. Conceptual research in talent management is scarce despite the importance to small and medium sized enterprise. Much research has been done on talent management from a Western perspective, however there is still an array of shortcomings on the concept. Evidence can be found in academic work and articles on talent management on a global market for small and medium business enterprises. Talent management is perceived as lacking in terms of definitions and theoretical development and there is comparative lack of empirical evidence on the topic. General problem is that there is intense competition for skilled employees across the world. Africa has experienced a significant human capital flight, resulting in the loss of skilled professionals to other countries. The specific problem is that, in existent academic literature, there appears to be a dearth of a talent management framework developed for tribal leaders under an African perspective to improve the lives of the tribal leaders and the tribal authorities. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of Talent attraction and retention from the Perspective of African Tribal Leadership. This study was underpinned by three theories to develop the talent management framework: human capital, social capital, and the African traditional leadership. This inductive phenomenological qualitative study followed the social constructivism paradigm. Data was collected in the form of focus group discussions using a designed interview guide. One hundred and four participants were interviewed from the tribal authorities, including Human Resource Practitioners from Cooperative Governance for Traditional Affairs. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis technique. Participants indicated that the framework would serve as a source of reference for future generations.