How do firms acquire strategic human resources for facilitating innovation - A multiple-case study of MNCs which have headquarters in European context

Abstract: Nowadays, firms are required to adapt to new innovations trend which is driven by technology, products and business mode. Organizations are facing the challenge of both electrification and automation. As big players, multinational corporations (MNCs) are facing global competition in their business. To acquire the competence of innovation development, as an important resource intra organization, human resources play a crucial role. Talents who with knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) are defined as the driver of firms’ innovation. MNCs tend to implement a set of strategic human resource activities to acquire talents to facilitation its innovation. To ensure the firm’s strength, innovation competence thus to acquire competitive advantage. There was less literature which is studying how does MNCs acquire strategic human resources in European context although there is an increasement of interest in strategic human resource research recently. In our thesis, we use an inductive methodology. Through observation of a number of interviewees within the organization, from up-stream to downstreams who manage talent acquisition for MNCs, we want to analyze and contribute some implications in recruitment strategy and practice to MNCs whose headquarters located in Europea. We formed our research questions into four topics. which is strategy, attraction, selection and technology. Lastly, we suggest that it would be valuable to make deeper and longitudinal research on global organization, retention of talents and the impact of technology.