Digital Talent Management Insights from the Information Technology and Communication Industry

This book highlights the importance of talent management practices in recruiting, developing and retaining talented professionals in the digital and IT&C industry. It unpacks the distinctive characteristics of ‘digital talent’ represented by a wide spectrum of professionals and managers with digital abilities, competencies and skills who add considerable value to organizations and industries worldwide.

It shows that despite digital talent’s increased variety and significant contribution to digital transformation processes, much of the existing human resource and talent management research and practice fail to account for their distinctiveness.

This book calls for the need for a new kind of talent management, referred to as ‘digital talent management’ (DTM) that is applicable to digital talent and decidedly integrates digital talent’s distinctive characteristics into talent management strategies and practices in a human-centered manner.

Drawing upon existing, yet disconnected, streams of literature and empirical evidence derived from the information technology and communication (IT&C) industry, this book defines digital talent and delineates strategies to attract, develop and retain them for an uncertain and renewed future. 

 

Chapter 1: Sustainable management of digital talent 

 

Chapter 1 lays the foundation of the book and engages theoretically with the literature on talent management in the IT&C industry worldwide. This chapter will first review the literature on talent management and will pay specific attention to talent retention as a component of talent management. It will then review conceptual and empirical work on digital talent. It will then move on to cover the specifics of the IT&C industry and talent management and focuses on the concept of digital talent, which according to this proposal means talented employees in the IT&C sector. The chapter aims to answer the following questions:

 

What is digital talent?

What are key characteristics of digital talent and how is digital talent different from other types of talent?

In what ways is the global IT&C industry different from other industries?

What bearing does this have on the management of digital talent?

 

Chapter 2: Talent management for the retention of digital talent 

 

                2.1. Talent planning

2.2. Talent selection and recruitment

2.3. Talent induction

2.4. Talent assessment and motivation

2.5. Talent development

 

 

Chapter 2 combines theory with empirical data in order to analyze talent management (planning, selection and recruitment, induction, assessment and motivation and development) as it applies to digital talent. The book introduces cases of multinational companies that manage digital talent and outlines how companies design and implement talent management in order to develop and retain digital talent.

 

 

Chapter 3: The impact of talent management on the retention of digital talent 

 

Using the IT&C companies introduced in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 distinguishes between successful and unsuccessful design and implementation of talent management for the development and retention of digital talent. It answers the following questions:

·         What makes for successful talent management of digital talent?

·         How can IT&C companies avoid pitfalls that lead to digital talent turnover?

 

Chapter 4: Conclusion: Retaining digital talent in crisis. Searching for a consistent talent management mix

 

                Chapter 4 brings together the main findings of previous chapters and discusses the implications of a global crisis like the current Covid-19 pandemic on managing digital talent. The book argues that companies are required to design talent management practices that foster talent development and retention across the entire talent management cycle. Ignoring one function could endanger retention in a time when there is growing global competition for highly mobile and flexible digital talent. The book concludes with practical recommendations for HR managers to avoid the pitfalls of ineffective  talent management and replace this with a consistent mix that embeds talent development and retention across the board.

Sorin Dan (Ph.D., KU Leuven) is postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vaasa’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab, Finland. Dr. Dan’s expertise includes talent management, innovation studies and administrative reform. His research has been published by Palgrave Macmillan and journals, such as Public Management Review and Public Performance & Management Review.

Diana Ivana (Ph.D., Babe?-Bolyai University) is lecturer at Babes-Bolyai University and HR manager at NTT DATA Romania. Her work focuses on talent management, quality management and entrepreneurship. In both her research and teaching, Dr. Ivana has extensively drawn upon her experience in talent management in the IT&C industry.

Monica Zaharie (Ph.D., Babe?-Bolyai University) is associate professor at Babe?-Bolyai University. Her expertise includes human resource management, talent management and international assignments. Dr. Zaharie has co-authored five books and her research has been published in international journals, such as European Management Journal, Scientometrics or the Journal of Business Ethics.

Daniel Metz (Ph.D., Babe?-Bolyai University) is CEO at NTT DATA Romania and associate lecturer at Babe?-Bolyai University. Dr. Metz was previously the founder and CEO of EBS Romania, a company founded in 2000 and acquired by NTT DATA in 2013. He had previously held senior positions in a German company.

Mihaela Dragan (Ph.D., Babe?-Bolyai University) is professor and head of the department of economics and business administration in German language at Babe?-Bolyai University. Dr. Dragan has authored three books in German, co-authored five other books and has published over 80 articles in various national and international journals.