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The greatest competition among rivals in many industries is not for market share but human capital. In the so-called talent war, organizations compete aggressively to attract star employees-individuals with disproportionate productivity and external visibility-in pursuit of competitive advantage. Building on human capital and resource-based view theories, we argue that firms' compensation strategies are influenced by the intangible assets that define stars. With data from Major League Baseball, we find that organizations are likely to pay higher wages to stars based on their prior performance and visibility. Furthermore, our data indicate that firm competitive position influences which of these intangible assets holds greater value for managers. We discuss the implications of these findings for organizations waging war for talent and suggest directions for future research on a matter that is far from over.

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This case focuses on the University of Kansas football program’s fall from relevance over a nine-year period and the personnel decisions that were made as it happened. The case provides a background on the competitive landscape of intercollegiate athletics, including the importance of conference affiliation, the associated revenues that stem from such affiliations, and the potential threat of conference realignment to demonstrate the importance of a competitive football program. The case then walks the reader through football-related personnel decisions, providing detailed backgrounds of the coaches to identify job-market signals and assess their fit with the job and organization. Details of raises and contract extensions made by the outgoing chancellor and incumbent athletic director are also provided to examine performance standards within Kansas Athletics. As a change in university leadership takes place, the reader is asked to consider what actions, if any, the incoming chancellor should take to turn around a struggling football program and ensure a viable athletic department.