From big bang to something for everyone : Investigating potential synergies between talent management and sustainable innovation

Abstract: Background: Talent management and sustainable innovation are two popular topics for research aswell as two common focus areas for companies. Both can be seen as cost drivers or as somethingthat is crucial for the success and survival of the company. Objectives: Investigating potential synergies connected to integrating sustainable development intalent management programs and answering the question how companies present in the Swedishmarket use sustainable innovation in their talent management strategies. Methodology: Semi-structured interviews with employees at both large and medium sizedcompanies. Interviews are recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed with the help of the softwareNVivo. Results: The findings from this study answers to the question of how the most attractive mediumand large firms that operates in Sweden use sustainable innovation in their talent managementstrategies. They both use it as a theme in nano- and e-learnings and as one of the parts that defines atalented employee. Apart from this all interviewees also mention that sustainability is integrated ineverything they do, and therefore also indirectly included in talent management. Conclusions: The findings have theoretical as well as practical implications. The most attractivecompanies have to some extent included sustainable innovation in their work with talentmanagement and competence development. It is also interesting that the interviewees mentionsustainable innovation as an absolute must and that sustainability is integrated in their DNA. The interviewees also see their (talented) employees as a key factor for being able to achievesustainability and a sustainable business. Recommendations for future research: An in-depth study of one of the talent managementprograms at one of the companies that express that they also focus a lot of attention on sustainableinnovation to further investigate integration and/or explicit inclusion of sustainable innovation intalent management programs. Keywords: Talent management, Sustainable innovation