It's who you know not what you know: a social network analysis approach to talent management

This paper demonstrates how social network analysis can support talent management initiatives in knowledge-intensive work environments. Drawing on network analysis and interview data from the R&D division of two European-based multinational firms, this paper illustrates how social network analysis can aid talent management interventions on two fronts: (a) through talent positioning, i.e. having the right talent at the right place at the right time, and (b) responding to a talent raid, i.e. a sudden exodus of star performers. These findings show that talent management efforts not only need to go beyond identifying key positions but also need to consider the connections between the individuals occupying complementary key positions. This paper contributes to the advancement of the talent management concept by integrating a social network perspective into the research agenda. The extant literature has tended to focus upon the individuals' attributes when deciding who is to be deemed 'talented'. In contrast, social network theory posits that it is the ties and relationships between individuals - and not individual attributes - that really matter.