Talent for the knowledge economy? A case study of Russia and the search for key people for economic growth

The transition from a locally planned economy to a global knowledge economy in Russia features several conflicts between the old and the new. At the center of Russian restructuring stands the young talented. Considering the significance of talent for economic growth it is important to explore how talent is understood and managed by different Russian types of organizations. A group of experts (N = 46) were therefore selected to participate in the study representing government, business, and education. Data were gathered by means of semi-structured interviews on location in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia. The study was descriptive in nature and a straightforward qualitative content analysis, as constituted by the categorization of data, was employed. Results showed that all stakeholders identified talent as both high-achieving and creative. They also recognized structural difficulties in implementing talent support. Also, different groups had different understandings of the nature and societal purpose of talent. This article is concluded with focusing issues, derived from the data analysis, important to consider when establishing talent-dependent organizations or businesses in current Russia.This research was undertaken in 2012 with financial support from the Institute of Public Projects, as assigned and approved by the President of the Russian Federation, to the Autonomous Non-Profit Project Organization (ANPO): Project Bureau “Social Action,” Grant No. 127.