Talent Development in China: Human resource managers' perception of the Value of the MBA

As the topic of Talent Development (TD) gets more research attention in Western business, the need for understanding the nature and the scope of TD activities in an Eastern business context increases. This study investigated the perceptions of HR managers in China of the value of different TD practices, with specific attention to the MBA. This qualitative research involved sixteen interviews with HR managers in China. A five-dimension human capital model was adopted to guide the evaluation of the perceptions. The findings revealed a lack of clarity in defining 'talent' in all sample organizations and the use of a variety of TD practices. The findings also indicated perceptions that the MBA improved the value of all five human capital dimensions of the human capital model used in the study. Both national and institutional culture were considered to have influenced TD implementation as well as the perceived value of MBA by HR managers. This study concludes with implications for future research on and practice of TD activities.