Talent is a relative term usually used to describe someone who is able to perform a task better than their peers. This implies that such people have additional skills, competencies aptitudes or areas of intrinsic motivation that they bring to their performance on the job. In Zimbabwe it is difficult to plan ahead as the skills base continues to shrink and competition is increasing among organisations for the limited talent that is available. The aim of this study is to establish whether and how Multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Zimbabwe are developing local talent. To ascertain the understanding of talent development, whether talent management is shaped by business strategies and effectively communicated and implemented across the organization and if local talent is utilized to its optimal and retained through innovative strategies. The study also extrapolates benefits that organizations realize from talent development and how the organizations can tackle the challenges they face. The researcher used a positivist approach. The research was positivist in that a survey was carried out using one systematic and structured questionnaire administered to human resources, secretariat and executive management of multinational organizations operating in Zimbabwe. Data collection was both quantitative and qualitative thus accommodating the phenomelogical approach. Whilst the study presupposes that the majority of companies in Zimbabwe have no definition of talent development tools therefore unable to identify, engage develop, deploy and retain high valued staff who have high potential for critical and leadership roles, the findings are that most multinationals operating in Zimbabwe do have talent management tools in place. The study identifies key talent development drivers. Recommendations on innovative recruiting, developing and retaining the talent required to fulfill the organisation's business strategies and plans in an effective and efficient way are proffered. An area of further study proposed is on the causes and effects of labour unrest and staff turnover in the country, multinational and local organizations and the impact and implications this has had on the socio economic environment and how a track of skills flight can be undertaken to ensure that such skills can be lured and accommodated back home when the economic and political environment improves.

Thesis (MBA)-University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2006.