Talent Management and Talent Retention in SMEs in Emerging Markets: A case study of the Nigerian context

Nwaigwe, Marilyn Chinwe

Abstract

Talent Management (TM) is a new field of study within the Nigerian context, particularly among SMEs. As with other management disciplines, TM is intrinsically linked to the environment in which businesses operate, making the Nigerian national context a major influence on TM practices. Despite its significance, there remains a notable gap in research on the conceptualisation of Talent management within Nigerian SMEs. Moreover, the application of TM practices for talent retention in the context of Nigerian SMEs is a highly unexplored area. As talent management is a holistic strategy (which needs to be implemented in full to get the best results) for businesses, it is, therefore, necessary to explore TM practices in Nigerian SMEs through a holistic lens which explores the processes of talent identification and definition, talent attraction, talent development, and talent retention. Nonetheless, existing TM studies are focused on exploring TM concepts from a Western and multinational companies’ perspective; thus, there is a lack of empirical investigations on TM practices in the context of Africa, especially Nigeria. This study explores talent management from a holistic perspective, linking TM practices to the influence of internal factors such as organisational size, financial capacity, and management’s orientation about HRM and TM, and external factors such as national business environment, national politics, national economy, sociocultural norms, and legal requirements.

Adopting an interpretivist perspective and an inductive approach, this study employs a case study methodology. Data was gathered from five case companies through primary sources (interview participants) and analysed qualitatively. The theoretical foundation of this study is primarily based on existing TM literature, with a focus on talent identification, definition, attraction, development, and retention as key processes. Resource-based view, social exchange theory, and institutional theories serve as the primary theoretical frameworks for understanding talent definitions, talent management, and talent turnover within case study SMEs.

In conclusion, the study underscores the necessity of viewing TM in Nigerian SMEs through a comprehensive understanding of the national context in which they exist. The study offers both theoretical contributions and practical strategies for effective talent retention. This approach not only addresses the current research gap but also enhances the overall understanding and implementation of TM in the distinctive context of Nigerian SMEs.

Citation

Nwaigwe, M. C. (2025). Talent Management and Talent Retention in SMEs in Emerging Markets: A case study of the Nigerian context. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/5087911

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 25, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 25, 2025
• Keywords: Business
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/5087911
• Additional Information: Business School; University of Hull
• Award Date: Jan 29, 2025