- Trial lecture starts at 10.15
- Public defence starts at 12.00
The title of the trial lecture is “Talent Management Strategies in Large Corporations vs. SMEs: Balancing Scale, Agility, and Innovation”.
Assessment committee:
- Professor Natalia Mæhle, Høyskolen på Vestlandet
- Professor Salvatore Tomaselli, University of Palermo
- Associate Professor Tor Geir Kvinen, UiA
Supervisors in the doctoral work:
- Professor Bjørn-Tore Flåten, UiA
Summary of thesis
Talent management (TM) is a crucial determinant of a company’s competitive advantage, but it remains underexplored in the context of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and new ventures. Although research has provided a firm foundation for TM concepts and practices in large companies, the approaches used by mature and scalable businesses may not be suitable for smaller and newer firms.
SMEs and new ventures often struggle with limited resources, which usually force them to adopt a high degree of informality in their talent management. Consisting of three studies, this dissertation aims to explore the understanding and practices of TM in the context of SMEs and new ventures, investigating how TM is applied and its impact on the organizational outcomes of these types of companies. The exploration commences with a systematic literature review (SLR), Study 1 of this dissertation, which provides insights for scholars and practitioners on the ongoing debates in the literature on the topic.
The sequence of research continued with Study 2, a multiple-case study that captured the perspectives of SME leaders and experts on their understanding of TM and its strategic role in helping their businesses grow and sustain.
Lastly, in Study 3, the focus narrowed to the role of leaders and network capability, two aspects that repeatedly emerge in TM discussions in SMEs, examining the influence of these variables on SME internationalization efforts.
Taken together, the three studies contribute both theoretically and practically. The use of theoretical lenses across the three studies, which include the resource-based view (RBV), dynamic capabilities theory (DCT), and networking theory, provides a comprehensive understanding of how TM is applied in the context of SMEs and new ventures. For practitioners, it underscores the strategic importance of TM, encouraging SME managers and leaders to adopt more deliberate approaches, while also calling for greater support from policymakers. Ultimately, this dissertation acknowledges TM as a vital source for SMEs and new ventures to grow and sustain themselves in dynamic and competitive environments.
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents. Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to disputation chair.
Questions?
- gunvor.guttormsen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 16 48