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AbstractThis study examines the talent management processes adopted by western MNCs operating in China. The qualitative study included a multidimensional interview with participants to determine the key consideration and approaches employed to achieve the talent management efficiency. The research revealed that the culture, as well as the organizational internal and external environment, plays a critical role in talent management in China-based MNCs. However, through strategic planning and implementations will ensure that the expected targets have been attained.

Table of Contents

TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc490832166 \h 1List of Figures PAGEREF _Toc490832167 \h 4List of Tables PAGEREF _Toc490832168 \h 5List of Appendices PAGEREF _Toc490832169 \h 6Chapter 1: Introduction PAGEREF _Toc490832170 \h 7Background of the Study PAGEREF _Toc490832171 \h 7Research Justification PAGEREF _Toc490832172 \h 8Research Questions and Objectives PAGEREF _Toc490832173 \h 8Significance of the Study PAGEREF _Toc490832174 \h 10Chapter 2: Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc490832175 \h 11Overview of the Review Chapter PAGEREF _Toc490832176 \h 11The Development of Chinese Economy PAGEREF _Toc490832177 \h 11Values in Western HRM and Chinese HRM PAGEREF _Toc490832178 \h 12Scholarly Research Streams on Talent Management PAGEREF _Toc490832179 \h 16The Situation of Talent Shortage in China and Global PAGEREF _Toc490832180 \h 19Chapter 3: Methodology PAGEREF _Toc490832181 \h 22Research Philosophy PAGEREF _Toc490832182 \h 22Research Approach and Design PAGEREF _Toc490832183 \h 23Methodological Choice PAGEREF _Toc490832184 \h 24Research Strategy PAGEREF _Toc490832185 \h 24Research Population and Sample PAGEREF _Toc490832186 \h 25Data Collection Methods PAGEREF _Toc490832187 \h 26Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc490832188 \h 27Research Validity and Reliability PAGEREF _Toc490832189 \h 27Ethical Considerations PAGEREF _Toc490832190 \h 28Chapter 4: Findings and Results PAGEREF _Toc490832191 \h 29Overview of Questions for the Management PAGEREF _Toc490832192 \h 29Overview of Questions for the Employees PAGEREF _Toc490832193 \h 31Overview of Interview Results: Management and Employees PAGEREF _Toc490832194 \h 32Summary of the Findings PAGEREF _Toc490832195 \h 39Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusions PAGEREF _Toc490832196 \h 41Discussion PAGEREF _Toc490832197 \h 41Conclusions PAGEREF _Toc490832198 \h 43Conceptual Framework PAGEREF _Toc490832199 \h 44Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc490832200 \h 45Research Limitations and Future Studies PAGEREF _Toc490832201 \h 46References PAGEREF _Toc490832202 \h 48Appendices PAGEREF _Toc490832203 \h 56Appendix A: Interview Questions - Management PAGEREF _Toc490832204 \h 56Appendix B: Interview Questions - Employees PAGEREF _Toc490832205 \h 57

List of FiguresFigure 1: The Research Onion......................................................................23

Figure 2: Gender of Interviewees...................................................................29 Figure 3: Rich Picture: the finding process.......................................................38

Figure 4: Conceptual Framework...................................................................43

List of TablesTable 1: Summary of Sample Details...............................................................25

Table 2: Summary of Key Responses from the Managers....................................34

Table 3: Summary of Key Responses from the Employees Not Featured among Managers...................................................................................................36

List of AppendicesAppendix A: Interview Questions - Management................................................55

Appendix B: Interview Questions - Employees...................................................56

Chapter 1: IntroductionBackground of the StudyCorporate ventures have been in following the debate regarding talent management in a multicultural dimension to determine the best practices that can encourage profitability. Although the area of talent management (TM) has not been fully exploited, several researchers have noted the changes that have occurred to justify the need for more assessment (Al Ariss and Crowley-Henry, 2013). The centrality of talent management is based on the level of impact on results emanating from effective human resource management as well as modern practices associated with talent acquisition and retention (Meister and Willyerd, 2010). One of the key concerns regarding the importance of talent management is the scholarly result that have indicated the correlation between the practice and sustainability in strategic human resource productivity and control. The postulates that have been presented so far link the TM strategies to more efficiency and expertise in line with innovation and competitiveness (Rastgoo, 2016).

On the other hand, Lewis and Heckman (2006) and Tarique and Schuler (2010) have been ascertained that the diversity in talent needs depends on both the external and internal environment of organizations, which calls for a multifaceted assessment of the specific needs to determine the precise approaches that can guarantee results. One of the major concerns of investors, managers, and employees is the need to have a working environment that can encourage competence growth, organizational profitability, and personal development. Joyce and Slocum (2012) have noted that the process of talent management focused on skills at all levels of the organization. Such findings indicate that TM is a multidimensional aspect of the organization that should be managed over an extended period. In such a case, institutionalization, as well as culture establishment, play a central role in facilitating effective talent management. Worth revisiting is that when referring to talent management, it is essential to determine how complex it is for an organization to operate in a different environment that is associated with diverse talent management practices such as cases involving multinational corporations (Collings and Mellahi, 2009).

Research JustificationTalent management is a common phenomenon in most MNCs based on the assessment carried out by Warner (2008), which focused on the adoption of HRM in China. In most cases, researchers have pointed out that the labour-management system is usually taken as a hybrid in State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), which lies in the position between the market driven model and an old-style Maoist one (Iles et al., 2010). Talent management in MNCs in China is one of the key needs in corporate growth and development since most of the SOEs still implement the old-style called Personnel Management. Based on the new company laws issued in 1995 in China, a holding company can be found in all selected firms, and all of them are held entirely by foreign companies. Among the identified cases in different reports, most firms were in Shanghai, which has the highest rates of foreign direct investment and has become the major economic centre in China (Farley et al., 2004; Walsh and Zhu, 2007). For example, 400 companies in the Fortune 500 firms have set up branches, manufacturing facilities or subsidiaries in Beijing or Shanghai (Farley et al., 2004). Such revelation indicates the potential in the Chinese market for MNCs from the Western countries.

Moreover, the tier-1 and tier-2 cities in China like Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai possess more than 80% of the leadership talents and less than 20% of the Chinese population (Iles et al., 2010). Also, according to the research of Iles and his colleagues (2010), three out of four professionals who have received higher education expect to work in tier-1 and tier-2 cities. The tier-1 and tier-2 cities in China have become hotspots of foreign investment around the world. Therefore, talent management has become critical for organizations operating in tier-1 and tier-2 cities. The cities have more resources and favourable policies for the development of foreign companies

Research Questions and ObjectivesThe overall aim of the research is to determine the talent management practices associated with the Western MNCs operating in China. Therefore, the study was set to determine the talent management practices related to the MNCs operating in China that could lead to business efficiency and human resource productivity. The study process was founded on the primary research issues that were developed from the objectives and by the themes of the assessment. Therefore, the study investigated the key talent management strategies implemented within the MNCs headquarters to enhance the performance of the firms included in the research. Such measures were meant to present the Western approach to talent management to present the baseline for comparison. Moreover, the study also looked at the talent management strategies within the headquarters that differ to the MNCs approaches in China. These objectives were important in determining the key considerations that firm seeking to operate or already working in China should consider. Furthermore, the research also focused on the institutional and cultural dimensions influence the adaptation of the talent management practices to the subsidiaries in China. Therefore, the following formed the summary of the objectives that analysed through primary research in Chapter 4.

To determine the key talent management strategies implemented within the headquarters of the Western MNCs based in China to enhance performance. This was achieved through primary research.

To evaluate how the talent management strategies within the headquarters differ to the MNCs approaches in China. This was achieved through the assessment of the primary findings in line with the themes of literature review.

To assess how institutional and cultural dimensions influence the adaptation of the talent management practices to the subsidiaries in China. This was achieved through primary research.

An elaborated illustration of the methods and approaches is discussed in the methodology section of this study. Moreover, several dimensions were considered to achieve the expectation of the research. The following questions included the issues that were being investigated.

What are the key talent management strategies implemented within the headquarters to enhance the performance of the MNCs?

How do the talent management strategies within the headquarters differ to the MNCs approaches in China?

How do institutional and cultural dimensions influence the adaptation of the talent management practices to the subsidiaries in China?

Significance of the StudyThe study objectives were designed to reveal key factors associated with the talent management approaches in China that can be adopted by MNCs established in Western count...