Skip to main content

Talent Management in the MENA and GCC Regions: Challenges and Opportunities

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Talent Management

Part of the book series: Management for Professionals ((MANAGPROF))

Abstract

Despite the growing literature on the challenges and opportunities that talent management offers public and private organizations from a global perspective, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has not attracted ample attention from researchers. This chapter addresses the paucity of research on talent management in the MENA region and provides some insights and strategic recommendations on how to tackle this important subject. It examines the challenges that MENA countries in general and Gulf ones, in particular, face in their efforts to maximize the management of their talent.

The significance and key contribution of this chapter is in shedding light on the dichotomy that exists between the topic of talent management in a global setting and that in the MENA region. Various socioeconomic and educational factors hinder not only the management of talent, but also its formation, preparation for the market, and its development. Given the unique geographic context that this chapter covers, particularly within the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) context, talent management is defined as the local government policies, tools, processes, HR practices, and mechanisms put in place to educate, attract, retain, and develop talent. This chapter tries to measure the impact of these factors on the talent pools existing in the region and determine what should to be done to empower and integrate them effectively into the job market.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abdelkarim, A. (2001). UAE labor market and problems of employment of nationals, an overview and policy agents. Tanmia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adecco Institute (2008). Talent, talent, talent. Finding it, developing it, and keeping it. The new role of HR in the future. Adecco Institute. [Report].

    Google Scholar 

  • Aguirre, D., Hewlett, S., & Post, L. (2009). Global talent innovation: Strategies for breakthrough performance [report] (pp. 1–25). San Francisco: Booz and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali, A. (2011). Talent management in the middle east. In H. Scullion & D. Collings (Eds.), Global talent management. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Ariss, A. (2010). Religious diversity in Lebanon: Lessons from a small country to the global world. In M. Ozbilgin & J. Seyed (Eds.), Managing cultural diversity in Asia: A research companion (pp. 56–72). New York: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Dosary, A. S. (2004). HRD or manpower policy? Options for government intervention. Human Development International, 7(1), 123–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Masah Capital. (2012). MENA education report. Accessible from: www.Almasahcapital.com

  • An Oracle White Paper. (2012). The future of talent management: Underlying drivers of change [report]. Oracle Taleo Cloud Service, pp. 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arab Labor Organization’s Statistics. (2007). Accessible from: www.alolabor.org

  • Arab World Competitiveness Report. (2011, 2012). World economic forum. Accessible from: www.oecol.org

  • ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey. (2013). Accessed September, 2013, from http://arabyouthsurvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/AYS-2013-Brochure-White-Paper-Design-ARTWORK-REV.pdf

  • Ashton, C. (2005). Managing talent for competitive advantage. CRF publishing and Lynne Morton, Performance Improvement Solutions, 4, 28–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashton, C., & Morton, L. (2005). Managing talent for competitive advantage. Strategic HR Review, 4(5), 28–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Assaad, R., & Barsoum, G (2007). Youth exclusion in Egypt: In Search of “Second Chances”. Youth Initiative Working Papers. Dubai School of Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • Athey, R (2008). It’s 2008: Do you know where your talent is? Why acquisition and retention strategies do not work. Deloitte Development LLC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Attiyah, H. S. (1996). Expatriate acculturation in the Arab Gulf countries. Journal of Management Development, 15(2), 37–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, B., & Huselid, M. (2006). Strategic talent management: Where do we go from here? Journal of Management, 32, 898–925.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beechler, S., & Woodward, I. (2009). The global “war for talent”. Journal of International Management, 15, 273–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biygautane, M., & Al Yahya, K. (2010). Knowledge management in Dubai’s public sector: Opportunities and challenges (Policy Brief no. 27). Published by the Dubai School of Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biygautane, M., & Alyahya, K. (2011). Knowledge management in Dubais public sector: The case of Dubai Working Papers. Dubai School of Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blass, E., Knights, A., & Orbea, A. (2006). Developing future leader: The contribution of talent management (pp. 1–21). UK: Ashridge Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boudarbat, B., & Ajbilou, A. (2007). Youth exclusion in Morocco: Context, consequences and policies. Youth Initiative Working Papers’ Series. Dubai School of Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boudreau, J., & Ramstad, P. (2005). Talentship, talent segmentation and sustainability: A new HR decision science paradigm for a new strategy definition. Human Resource Management, 44, 129–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boudreau, J., & Ramstad, P. (2007). Beyond HR: The new science of human capital. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cappelli, P. (2008a). Talent on demand. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cappelli, P. (2008b). Talent management for the twenty-first century. Harvard Business Review, 86, 74–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cateora, P. R., & Graham, J. L. (2007). International marketing. New York: McGraw–Hill, Irwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, E., Foulon, M., Handfield-Jones, H., Hankin, S., & Michaels, E. (1998). The war for talent. The McKinsey Quarterly, 3, 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2006). Talent management: Understanding the dimensions. Change agenda [report]. CIPD, pp. 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collings, D., & Mellahi, K. (2009). Strategic talent management: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 19, 304–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coy, P., & Ewing, E. (2007). Where are all the workers? Business week, April 9, pp 28–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creelman, D. (2004). Return on investment in talent management: Measures you can put to wont right now. Washington: Human Capital Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhillon, N., & Yousef, T. (2009). Generation in waiting: The unfulfilled promise of young people in the middle east. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eabrasu, M., & Al Ariss, A. (2012). Socially responsible employee management case studies from Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. In D. Jamali & Y. Sidani (Eds.), CSR in the middle east (pp. 93–113). Hampshire: Palgrave and Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Economist Intelligence Unit. (2006). The CEO’s role in talent management: How top executives from ten countries are nurturing the leaders of tomorrow [report]. London: The Economist.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farley, C. (2005). HR’s role in talent management and driving business results. Employment Relations Today, 32, 55–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farndale, E., Scullion, H., & Sparrow, P. (2010). The role of corporate HR function in global talent management. Journal of World Business, 45, 161–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faust, C. (2008). State of the global talent nation report 2008: Organizations’ struggle to prepare workforces to meet growth demands. Accessible at http://www.softscape.com

  • Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. (2008). Developing an integrated talent management program [report]. Newfoundland Labrador, pp. 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guthridge, M., & Komm, A. (2008). Why multinationals struggle to manage talent. The McKinsey Quarterly, 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harry, W. (2007). Employment creation and localization. The arrival human resource issue for the GCC. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(1), 132–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt’s Human Capital Consulting. (2008). The state of talent management: Today’s challenges, tomorrow’s opportunities [report]. Human Capital Institute, pp. 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huselid, M., Beatty, R., & Becker, B. (2005, December). ‘A players’ or ‘A positions’? The strategic logic of workforce management. Harvard Business Review, 110–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iles, P., Chuai, X., & Preece, D. (2010). Talent management and HRM in multinational companies in Beijing: Definition, differences and drivers. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 179–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ILO (2010). International Labor Organization’s Statistics. Accessible from: www.ILO.org

  • IMF. Accessible at: http://www.imf.org

  • International Finance Corporation. (2009). Annual report. World Bank Institute. Accessible from: www.IFC.org

  • International Finance Corporation Report. (2011). World Bank Institute. Accessible from www.WorldBank.org

  • International Monetary Fund’s Statistics. (2012, 2013). Accessible from: www.IMF.org

  • Kumari, P., & Bahuguna, P. (2012). Measuring the impact of talent management on employee behaviour: An empirical study of oil and gas industry in India. Journal of Human Resource Management, 2(2), 65–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lane, K., & Pollner, F. (2008). How to address China’s growing talent shortage. McKinsey Quarterly, 3, 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, E. (2008). Strategic talent management: Lessons from the corporate world. Strategic Management of Human Capital, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, R., & Heckman, R. (2006). Talent Management: A critical review. Human Resource Management, 16, 139–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MBRF. Accessed September 14, 2013, from http://www.mbrfoundation.ae

  • Mellahi, K., & Collings, D. (2010). The barriers to effective global talent management: The example of corporate elites in MNEs. Journal of World Business, 45, 143–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellahi, K., & Wood, G. T. (2003). From kinship to trust: Changing recruitment practices in unstable political contexts. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 3(3), 369–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercuri Urval. (2010). Talent Management: A summary of quantifiable surveys and relevant reports [report]. pp. 2–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michaels, E., & Handfield-Jones, H. (2001). The war for talent. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middle East Salary Survey. (2012). Accessible from www.bayt.com

  • Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits first. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • PWC. (2007). Arab human capital challenge the voice of CEOs. Accessible from: www.PWC.com/publications.pdf

  • Qari, R. (2013). How to capitalize on human capital. Endeavor Insight, 5–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ready, D. A., Hill, L. A., & Conger, J. A. (2008). Winning the race for talent in emerging markets. Harvard Business Review, 86, 62–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, A. (1990). Corporation on exploitation? The argument against cooperative learning for talent students. Journal for Educational of the Gifted, 14(1), 9.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAGIA. Accessed September 15, 2013, from http://www.sagia.sa

  • Salehi-Isfahani, & Dhillon, N. (2008). Stalled youth transitions in the middle east. Broking & Institute Working Papers’ Series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuler, R., & Jackson, S. (2009). The global talent management challenge: Drivers and HR actions for attaining and sustaining global competitive advantage (pp. 1–35). Zurich: Rutgers University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuler, R., Jackson, S., & Tarique, I. (2011). Global talent management and global talent challenges: Strategic opportunities for IHRM. Journal of World Business, 46, 506–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schweyer, A. (2004). Talent management systems: Best practices in technology solutions for recruitment retention. Toronto: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scullion, H., Collings, D., & Gunnigle, P. (2007). International HMR in the 21st century: Emerging themes and contemporary debates. Human Resource Management, 17, 309–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, A., Jones, D., & Hall, N. (2012). Talent management: A research based case study in the GCC region. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(24), 94–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow, P., Brewster, C., & Harris, H. (2004). Globalizing human resource management. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stroh, L., & Caligiuri, P. (2008). Increasing global competitiveness through effective people management. Journal of World Business, 33(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarique, I., & Schuler, R. (2010). Global talent management: Literature review, integrative framework, and suggestion for further research. Journal of World Business, 45, 122–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tung, R. L. (2008). Human capital or talent flows: Implications for future directions in research on Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific Business Review, 14(4), 469–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (2008). Fertility rates [online].

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP and MBRF. (2009). Knowledge development report.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP (2002). Arab Human Development Report. Accessible from: www.arab-hdr.org

  • Wilkins, S. (2001). Human resource development through vocational education in the UAE. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 54(1), 5–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, S. (1999). Human resource management and performance. International Journal of Management Reviews, 1, 367–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2013). Accessible at http://www.worldbank.org

  • World Bank Annual Report. (2008). Year in review. World Bank Publications.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mhamed Biygautane .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Biygautane, M., Al Yahya, K.O. (2014). Talent Management in the MENA and GCC Regions: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Al Ariss, A. (eds) Global Talent Management. Management for Professionals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05125-3_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics