Talent Management in the Developing World: Adopting a Global Perspective

Dr Joel Alemibola Elegbe

Aug 2012 · Gower Publishing, Ltd.

About this ebook

Economic and political reforms and globalization in the developing world have led to the emergence of companies that are expanding beyond their national borders into the international arena. The transformation into multinational corporations is generally not accompanied by a change in the way they manage their talent. There is a disconnect between globalization and talent management. Yet the most effective and sustainable source of competitive advantage is talent.

Talent Management in the Developing World explores how the policies, systems and procedures that have been successful within national boundaries are inadequate to meet the value propositions of completely different and diverse people working in different countries, cultures, legal and socio-economic environments. In fact they may be dysfunctional to talent management.

Using the perspective of the developing world, Dr Elegbe outlines the shift in paradigm and practice that is required if organizations are to develop a sustainable talent management strategy in these countries. A global approach to talent management assures competitiveness and sustainability of success in the international environment but change will not happen until line and HR managers see its urgency and criticality. That is the endeavour of this book.

About the author

Joel Elegbe was awarded a PhD in Sociology by the University of Ibadan. He obtained a a post-graduate diploma in Training Systems Design at the International Labor Training Center, Turin, Italy. Dr Elegbe started his HR career in Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja in Nigeria as Senior Personnel Officer, where he rose to Head of the Industrial Relations department. He later worked as Personnel Manager at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). He was Managing Consultant of Jobel Consultancy Services Limited before joining the African Development Bank, a multilateral development financial institution in 1998 where he has held various management positions – Division Manager/Head (Compensation and Benefits), Division Manager, Recruitment and Manpower Planning, and Officer-in-Charge of the African Development Institute. Dr Elegbe now works as a consultant.