Prioritising Individuals in SMEs: Analysing Talent Management through Strategic Alignment, Stakeholder Engagement, and Employee Experience

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18312937

Reginald Mulalo Ndwamai and Tlabo Raymond Leboho
Department of Human Resource Management and Labour Relations, University of Venda, South Africa

This paper takes a closer look at how organisations manage their most valuable resource people. By reviewing and comparing three key academic documents, this study explores how talent management is shaped by strategic goals, leadership perspectives, and how employees experience these efforts. The study uses a qualitative thematic analysis to identify common patterns across the documents, focusing on how well talent strategies align with organisational needs, how different stakeholders influence these processes, and what helps employees feel valued and stay. The analysis is grounded in well-established theories, including the Resource-Based View (RBV), Social Exchange Theory (SET), and Organisational Justice. Overall, the paper highlights that successful talent management depends not only on systems and structures but also on how people are involved and how fairly they feel treated. Practical recommendations are offered, and the paper points to areas where further research can deepen our understanding.