ABSTRACT
The attraction and retention of talent in China has been considered one of the most challenging tasks in human resource management (HRM) due to the severe shortage of talent in the labour market. In their literature review of recent research in global talent management (GTM), Tarique and Schuler (2009) identified three main external drivers of GTM challenge: globalization, demographics, and the demand and supply gap. In the Chinese context, globalization has led to the brain drain of home-grown talent through international migration and from Chinese-owned firms to foreign-owned multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in China. A striking feature of China’s economic and social change following its ‘Open Door’ policy enacted in 1978 has been the growing number of young people participating in higher education. This vast investment in education, however, has not provided the necessary talent pool for the country’s rapid development. What may be the institutional failure? In the meantime, globalization and marketization are having an evident impact on the traditional cultural values and socialist ideology that were once held by the nation. What may be the expectations and aspirations of the younger generation of the Chinese workforce in a period of transition?
