Global Talent Management in Multinational Corporations and the Role of Social Networks

Purpose — Current global business challenges and circumstances are responsible for the need for global talent management (GTM) within multinational corporations (MNCs). Social media and networks are becoming key channels for global communication and collaboration. For GTM in MNCs, an effective usage of social media can potentially result in a competitive edge and create value. The purpose of this study is to answer the question of how. Design/methodology/approach — By means of the Delphi method, three groups of experts were interviewed with questionnaires in two rounds: HR managers, HR researchers, and students following a Master of Science program in Business Administration. Findings — The findings show that all groups assessed the necessity of GTM in MNCs. The HR managers and HR researchers agreed on the areas of focus and instruments that are essential for a successful GTM system. But concerning the application of social networks, the groups have different views. The graduate students are especially open-minded about social networks, and therefore they advocate the use of this tool. The HR managers, however, are skeptical toward this new media and even now have not integrated social networks into GTM to a great extent. Originality/value — This study presents a GTM model for MNCs based on the combined findings from the literature review and the Delphi study. To our knowledge, this is a new approach. The model helps researchers and practitioners to align GTM in MNCs with the support of social media