An Examination of Talent Management Concepts in Knowledge Intensive Settings

Despite more than a decade of hype around the concept of talent management, we still have a relatively limited knowledge regarding its application in practice. In this paper we examine how the concepts of talent management apply in knowledge intensive settings. A case study of a high-technology R&D group is conducted. Extending the technological gatekeeper theory, we apply social network analysis (SNA) techniques to identify those employees critical to the knowledge flow network. The specific talents exhibited by these individuals are then explored and we point to some organisational level interventions which can facilitate knowledge intensive organisations in fully exploiting their resources to maximise innovative capabilities.

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