Thesis (MA (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This study was driven by a need that was identified within a large telecommunications organisation to establish the Talent Management competencies required of line managers, and to provide HR managers with a measure to constructively, rationally and purposefully manage the Talent Management performance of line managers. In an attempt to address the above research needs, the study set about to 1) identify the Talent Management competencies required by line managers in order to successfully implement the organisation’s Talent Management strategy; 2) formulate these competencies within a model, and 3) determine what the desired Talent Management outcomes are and how these relate to line managers’ Talent Management competencies. The initial part of this study describes the development of a Talent Management competency 360° evaluation questionnaire. This objective was achieved by means of a literature search, followed by the Critical Incidents Technique (CIT) of interviewing. The questionnaire consists of 8 dimensions and 43 items. The sample consisted of 123 leadership development candidates within this organisation. A total of 357 questionnaires were obtained. A comprehensive Talent Management competency model was developed that defines and describes the line manager behaviours required in order to successfully carry out the Talent Management strategies within an organisation. These competencies were evaluated against the outcomes of Job Satisfaction, Affective Commitment and Intention to Quit that the Talent Management competencies are meant to affect. Item analysis and dimensionality analysis were performed on each of the subscales, using SPSS. Thereafter, confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the relevant measurement model data sets, using LISREL. The results indicated in all cases satisfactory measurement model fit. Subsequently, the comprehensive Talent Management competency structural model was tested using LISREL. Reasonable to good model fit was indicated for the structural model. Ten of the 24 stated hypotheses in this study were corroborated. A notable unique result of this research presented itself in the significant positive relationships uncovered between the exogenous latent variable, Talent Management Mindset, and the endogenous latent variables of Attracts and Recruits Talent, Builds and Maintains Relationships, Provides Meaningful and Challenging Work, Remunerates and Rewards Fairly and Manages Work-life Balance. These significant positive relationships provide empirical evidence for the first time of the importance of instilling a Talent Management mindset within the line managers. Additional significant links established between Affective Commitment and Intention to Quit, between Attracts and Recruits Talent and Organisational Job Satisfaction, and between Organisational Job Satisfaction and Intention to Quit corroborates previous research findings.