From expatriation to global migration: The role of talent management practices in talent migration to Ghana
ISSN: 2049-8799
Article publication date: 28 June 2019
Issue publication date: 29 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to examine the role of talent management (TM) practices in talent migration from developed countries to Ghana that may enhance country’s economic development through knowledge transfer. The paper also investigates the determinants of migration to the African countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Discussing the importance of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs), and how TM practices may contribute to global migration, the authors develop a set of propositions and build a theoretical framework showing how firms from Ghana can push SIEs to a longer stay in Ghana stimulating inward migration by implementing TM practices.
Findings
The authors claim that in the Ghanaian context expatriates may become migrants by overcoming negative perceptions about Ghana as a destination. Besides the authors argue that talent attraction and talent retention practices with governmental support, play an important role in inward migration to Ghana.
Research limitations/implications
New agenda for talent managers in Africa, namely addressing the possibilities for expatriates’ retention by developing and implementing TM practices to ensure knowledge transferring from developed countries is suggested.
Originality/value
The theoretical framework provides a useful starting point for explaining the interconnections of TM and the conversion from expatriation to the global migration phenomena by African countries that broaden the TM scope beyond individual and organizational aspects. The authors state that TM systems take on the principal role of addressing talent migration especially in the African context and are capable of converting expatriates, specifically SIEs, into migrants to solve important tasks related to knowledge attraction to developing countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Special Section: Low Status Expatriates”.
Citation
Latukha, M., Soyiri, J., Shagalkina, M. and Rysakova, L. (2019), "From expatriation to global migration: The role of talent management practices in talent migration to Ghana", Journal of Global Mobility, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 325-345. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-12-2018-0062
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited