Orientation: Talent management is a strategic priority especially for profit-generating organisations in the private sector. Limited research has been conducted on the theoretical development of talent management. The need for talent management is also triggered by a need to align and integrate people management practices with those of the organisation in order to achieve strategic execution and operational excellence.Research purpose: The primary aim of the study was to develop a talent management framework for the private sector. The research proposed to conduct an in-depth exploration of talent management practices in key and leading organisations already in the mature stages of talent management implementation in South Africa.Motivation of the study: There is a need for the development of best practices in talent management – where talent management strategy is designed to deliver corporate and human resource management strategies. The formal talent management initiative would be linked to the human resources management function and will flow vertically from the corporate strategy-making process.Research approach, design and method: The modernist qualitative research approach was applied to the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (18 persons were interviewed in total). Analytical induction method was instrumental in facilitating the overall data analysis, while constructivist grounded theory assisted with the operationalisation of the data analysis.Main findings: The study has mapped out key dimensions which are essential for the implementation of talent management. The dimensions of talent management are attraction, sourcing and recruitment, deployment and transitioning, growth and development, performance management, talent reviews, rewarding and recognising, engagement and retention. With each of the above-mentioned dimensions, the activities that are to be carried out to achieve the outcome of each dimension are specified.Practical and managerial implications: Role clarifications pertaining to talent management responsibilities and accountabilities are still unclear in most instances. Early identification of key role players and articulation of duties will lead to ownership and clear accountabilities for the successful implementation of talent management.Contribution/value add: The study brought to light critical factors for organisations in the private sector to consider for the successful implementation of an integrated, holistic and comprehensive talent management framework. The proposed framework guides talent management practices within companies in the private sector by highlighting activities to be carried out to achieve outcomes per talent management dimension.

Purpose The study aims to investigate the extent to which interfunctional coordination (IFC) moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO), market orientation (MO) and organisational opportunity exploitation (OE) and business performance (BP); second, to examine the impact of EO, MO and organisational OE on the BP. Design/methodology/approach The study used a cross-sectional design approach, with the research framework tested on a sample of 203 cases of employees mostly at skilled, professional and management levels in Gauteng Province. Data was analysed through correlation, regression and moderation analysis. Findings The results indicated that EO, MO and OE account for BP. Furthermore, IFC significantly moderates only the relationship between MO and BP (financial) and OE and BP (non-financial). While the relationship between EO and BP is not significantly moderated. Practical implications The study highlights that IFC is not yet embedded in organisational practice and culture. Scaling interventions to promote IFC as a performance enabler, particularly in conjunction with the entrepreneurial, market-oriented and OE activities, is essential in the South African corporate entrepreneurial environment. Originality/value Although EO, MO and OE are widely recognised as performance enablers, very little is known about the potential moderating role of IFC towards these identified complementary strategic capabilities within the South African corporate context. The empirical research strengthens awareness about the need and criticality of IFC in improving organisational performance in emerging economies.

Orientation: Human resources (HR) practices and specifically the perceptions thereof are not only important for organisational strategy and performance but have a direct impact on employee attitudes and behaviour. The accurate measurement of these perceptions is therefore important.Research purpose: The goal of this study was to validate the Human Resource Practices Perceptions Questionnaire for the South African context (which is unique in terms of its apparent collectivistic nature), from an etic perspective.Motivation for the study: The accurate measurement of employees’ perception of HR practices are essential to give the organisation a competitive advantage. This study was done to validate a HR practices perceptions questionnaire in a seemingly collectivistic context.Research approach/design and method: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey design, collecting primary data on the perceptions of HR practices from 1676 South African employees in public and private sector organisations. An exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted.Main findings: The EFA and CFA yielded a slightly different permutation compared to the initial factor structure. A nine-factor structure was extracted and confirmed. A slight adjustment of the original questionnaire was required to incorporate performance evaluation with a teamwork focus and to differentiate training from development. It was further found that invariance exists when comparing the private and the public sectors.Practical/managerial implications: It was found that the instrument had to be adjusted for the South African context to ensure an accurate measurement of employees’ perceptions of HR practices.Contribution/value-add: The instrument has been validated and can thus be used with confidence to assess the perceptions of HR practices regardless of the sector. It thus provides an accurate measurement that can be used to predict or explain other employee behavioural outcomes in relation to their perceptions of the HR practices.

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Orientation: Proactive experimentation and risk-taking employee behaviours have received considerable attention both empirically and conceptually in organisational learning and development studies, as well as in relation to organisational innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and continuous improvement capacity.Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which the perceived human resources practices as well as the person–job fit contribute towards proactive experimentation and risk-taking organisational behaviours.Motivations for the study: Substantial gaps remain as to how, to what extent and, also, which human resources practices impact on certain organisational outcomes, and more particularly with experimentation and risk-taking.Research design and methodology: The cross sectional and survey designs were applied in this empirical study. A total of 609 respondents from the diverse South African companies in the private sector participated in the study. Convenience sampling was employed by the field workers in the distribution of the surveys.Main findings: The regression and correlation analysis indicated a significant relationship between the human resources practices (of training and development, participation in decision-making, rewards) and person-to-job fit with experimentation and risk-taking, whilst recruitment reported somewhat a non-significant and low contribution.Practical managerial implications: Organisational management will be better enabled to propose concrete human resources strategies necessary for cultivating proactive work behaviours impacting on performance and competitiveness.Value add: The outcomes of the research corroborate with existing literature according to which rewards, participation in decision-making, training and development, as well as person–job fit are essential for the creation of the conditions which cultivate proactive and productive work behaviours.