TITLE:
The Efficacy of Talent Selection Approaches on the Competitiveness among Five Star Hotels in Nairobi City County, Kenya
AUTHORS:
Omoke Japheth, Mugambi Rahab, Kariuki Albert
KEYWORDS:
Talent Selection, Competitiveness, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies,
Vol.11 No.3,
September
25,
2023
ABSTRACT: Talent selection is a process of picking individuals with requisite competencies to fill jobs in the organization. Reports by the government of Kenya reveal that there is limited talent, misidentification and mismatch of talent that has caused shortage of individuals with unique knowledge, skills, and abilities which create exceptional and diverse high-quality products/services that can differentially impact the competitiveness of the hospitality sector. Therefore, this study sought to find out whether talent selection approaches have an influence in obtaining individuals that create value for the hospitality sector in Kenya. The study’s objective was to examine the talent selection approaches adopted in promoting competitiveness among five-star hotels in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The corresponding null hypothesis was (H0); there are no significant talent selections approaches adopted that promote competitiveness among five-star hotels in Nairobi City County. The review of literature narrowed talent selection approaches to; selection from talent pools, selection based on performance appraisals results, poaching proven talent from other firms, interviewing, reference approach, and psychometrics. The study was conducted in eleven 5 star hotels in Nairobi City County. It adopted a mixed method research design. There were two levels of respondents. Level one comprised of the human resources executives (talent and training executives) whose sample was 22. Level two consisted of the line executives (food and beverage production, food and beverage service, front office, finance, and housekeeping) whose sample was 55. The response rate was over 70%. Data was obtained using both semi semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. Data analysis was done using; descriptive statistics, content analysis and multiple linear regression analyses. Talent and training executives noted that talent selection approaches had a positive contribution towards the competitiveness of the hotels in terms of choosing talent (= 1.32; SD = 0.750). Performance appraisals, poaching, mixed interviews, and reference techniques were widely used to fill both entry and non-entry positions. Line executives identified referrals, job auditions, interviews, employment tests, role plays, situational exercises, assessment centres, demonstration of tasks, description of task-procedures, and physical tests as ways of selecting talent. Regressing of talent selection with competitiveness, generated positive results that were not significant (β = 0.556, t = 0.712, p = 0.489). This suggested that talent selection approaches used by five-star hotels in Nairobi City County do not succeed in selecting talent with unique KSAs that drive them into greater levels of competitiveness.