Talent for the knowledge economy? A case study of Russia and the search for key people for economic growth
Roland S Persson Opens in new window., Marina Bondarik & Olga Dymarska, "Talent for the new economy? A case study of Russia and the search för 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.