Talent management (TM), both as a practice and an academic sub-discipline, lacks a strong conceptual foundation. This limitation significantly inhibits understandings of TM in its international dimensions. Accordingly the overarching aim of this thesis is to contribute to an overdue reassessment of TM within the international context by redressing the empirical and theoretical deficiencies, which are a direct hindrance to development of the field. The philosophy adopted was interpretivist, involving qualitative methods, that is, semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis were employed in data collection from 17 informant companies based in several European countries. This study makes highly significant contributions in four major ways. Firstly, the empirical contribution is made through employing two phases of primary research. Phase One was an exploration of TM practices in 14 internationally operating organisations representing eight industries. Out of Phase One arose the notion of expectations as a key influence shaping TM in practice as well as indicating managerial and individual dimensions. Thus Phase Two explored the conceptualisation and operationalisation of TM from the perspective of management, on the one hand and talented employees, on the other. This was a highly significant step in the understanding of TM, because most empirical studies have tended to focus on managerial views. Secondly, the methodological contribution results from the novel adoption of narratives in analysing case studies. This approach made it possible to gain insights into TM as lived experience especially on the part of employees selected as talented. Thirdly, the conceptual contribution arose from (i) contrasting and distilling the essence of many lax definitions of talent and TM; (ii) identifying the visible and invisible elements of TM in the domain of practice and(iii) employing a dual theoretical framework which integrated human capital theory and expectancy theory. Significantly the dual framework also offers a re-conceptualisation of TM as a social process in which various stakeholders are revealed to have disparate interests. Indeed the framework led to the notion of fracture in TM as a result of misalignment of expectations of management, on the one hand, and talent-managed employees, on the other. Lastly, by dint of the dual theoretical framework the study adds to the understanding of TM a new lens through which senior managers (and researchers) can clearly identify the gap between managerial intentions and the practical reality.

M.A. / Organizations become increasingly dependant on information. We live in an era called the information age, where there is an overwhelming amount of information and information resources available. Internal and external information is vital for the survival and success of the organization. Information is not static. It flows from one point to another and in the process value is added to the information. Sharing of information is crucial for managing an organization. Information management is therefore an important factor to optimize usage of information. In order to supply the right person with the right information in the right format, information systems should be replenished by human ability. This system is designed to support the employee in his work and to lead management in their decision making. Resources are managed according to certain rules. Information can be managed by means of an information policy or -strategy. Because the information strategy is more detailed than the information policy, this study considers the advantages and development of an information strategy for an enterprise. The above-mentioned will be applied to education as it is today. In this respect it is vital to keep in mind that education is involved in the education and forming of learners. Information and standardization is of the utmost importance to the professional educators involved in this process. For the educators, parents, administrative staff and learners to make decisions, the information must reach them in time. In the second half of this citation, an empirical study was conducted to determine the status of the information flow in the education department. Knowledge of the following were tested: information management, the current practice of information flow, the participants, and the response on required information. Appointments with selected participants were made by telephone and information were gathered by questionnaire. The information was then analyzed and interpreted according to the principles of the grounded theory. In spite of the fact that information management is an unmistakable part of an enterprise, there are no standing principles for the dissemination of information within the education department. There is an urgent need for the management of information in order to better the information flow in the education department. It is suggested that the enterprise should implement an information management plan as soon as possible, and attend to the information flow within the education department. Information must be supplied to the persons involved in the desired format and on the required time, for the education department to be informed.

No description available.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2002. / Field problem. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)(Information Technology)--University of Pretoria, 2001.

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 1998

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2002.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-82).

Thesis (M.S. in Computer Science)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2005. / Thesis Advisor(s): James B. Michael, Alan A. Ross. Includes bibliographical references (p. 81-83). Also available online.

This study examined the information – seeking behaviour of members of the economically disadvantaged community of Amsterdam. The study involved both a qualitative and quantitative investigation of the critical factors that affected information – seeking, need, and use in the Amsterdam community. The research design included a study of various information behaviour models with particular emphasis on Wilson’s 1996 general model of information – seeking behaviour. The three factors identified by Wilson for the study of various groups’ information behaviour were personality, work – related or work – role and environmental factors. Information science researchers, in the study of rural communities’ information behaviour, have used these three factors extensively. The data collection was triangulated with the use of survey, observations, and focus group discussions and in – depth interviews. The findings show how the person, in the context of information – seeking and the role-played within a given environment, could determine information needs and use. A person in the context of information – seeking, could be a father, a mother, a group leader, a nurse or a teacher. The main elements are the situation within which a need for information arises, and the person performing a role in an environment situated within the context of information – seeking. Information was found to be a critical commodity for the socio – economic, political, and educational development of any given community. Recommendations were made that could transform the community of Amsterdam, through the provision of sustainable information.