Attracting and retaining talent : A qualitative study about Talent Management within the knowledge-intensive organizations in Sweden

Although Talent Management is an area of research that has captured the attention of many as organizations around the world compete for talent, it is a relatively new area of research. Sweden is a country where the shortage of skilled workforce is significant and demand is high, especially in the knowledge-intensive industry. Hence, the aim of the thesis is to contribute to the understanding of how organizations in Sweden in the knowledge-intensive industries, attract and retain talents through talent management practices. This study is based on a qualitative methodology where the data collection was conducted through eight semi-structured interviews with ten respondents. The results show that talent can be defined both as something that all employees can become and develop into, and as personal qualities, but also depending on the context and situation. Talent attraction is achieved through employer branding and reputation building. A good reputation can be achieved through honesty and openness, through partnerships with other actors that are beneficial to the organization and through personal encounters both outside and inside the organization. In addition to the obvious benefits, an organization can develop methods to develop and enable career goals. Organizational culture can have an impact on the work of Talent Management and thus can set norms and influence perceptions of talent within an organization.