Role of Talent Management on Strategic Positioning Among Public Universities in Kenya: a Case of University of Nairobi

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the role of talent management role of talent management on strategic positioning among public universities in Kenya. Talent management is strategically projecting staffing requirements and handling the development of employees through positions and careers. The bottom line for corporations is to tap employees of their natural abilities and get the best out of them to gain a competitive advantage. This study sought to bring to light the talent management challenges, aptitudes, and proficiencies that promote strategic positioning and competitive advantage when existent or absent. The specific objectives of the study were to establish the role of talent acquisition, development, motivation, retention, and succession management in strategic positioning. The study was guided by the Human Capital and Workforce Differentiation theories. The study adopted a descriptive research design with stratified random sampling get a sample size of 380 respondents from a target population of 7,500 comprising of Academic, non-Academic, technical/operational, part time/contract staff. Core data was gathered through a structured self-administered questionnaires while supporting and consequential data was assembled by way of a literature review of applicable sources. The quantitative data was be scrutinized and evaluated by means of descriptive statistic techniques, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V.21) Descriptive statistics included means, and standard deviation. A correlation matrix for all key variables was computed Further a correlation analysis for illustration of the relationship amongst variables. From the findings the study found that talent management influenced strategic positioning and therefore key to overall strategy. Public universities need to acquaint themselves with talent management, especially in communication and successful implementation in acquisition, retention, development, and talent succession. Talent management concerns should be a vital agenda item in institutional engagements to ensure employees appreciate organizational goals and objectives. The current study was limited to public universities in Kenya. It may be worthwhile to carry out a comparable study across varied sectors such as banking, health, hospitality among others so as to gauge whether the same results would be replicated.