From expatriation to global migration

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to examine the role of talent management (TM) practices in talent migration from developed countries to Ghana that may enhance country’s economic development through knowledge transfer. The paper also investigates the determinants of migration to the African countries.Design/methodology/approachDiscussing the importance of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs), and how TM practices may contribute to global migration, the authors develop a set of propositions and build a theoretical framework showing how firms from Ghana can push SIEs to a longer stay in Ghana stimulating inward migration by implementing TM practices.FindingsThe authors claim that in the Ghanaian context expatriates may become migrants by overcoming negative perceptions about Ghana as a destination. Besides the authors argue that talent attraction and talent retention practices with governmental support, play an important role in inward migration to Ghana.Research limitations/implicationsNew agenda for talent managers in Africa, namely addressing the possibilities for expatriates’ retention by developing and implementing TM practices to ensure knowledge transferring from developed countries is suggested.Originality/valueThe theoretical framework provides a useful starting point for explaining the interconnections of TM and the conversion from expatriation to the global migration phenomena by African countries that broaden the TM scope beyond individual and organizational aspects. The authors state that TM systems take on the principal role of addressing talent migration especially in the African context and are capable of converting expatriates, specifically SIEs, into migrants to solve important tasks related to knowledge attraction to developing countries.