Abstract:

It is important to be aware that HR is a vital part in the search for efficiency and competitiveness in companies, as well as encouraging companies to constantly incorporate important changes. However, carrying them out successfully requires planning and proper change management.

Today, companies face transformations of multiple kinds in response to an evolving environment and customers. These are changes in strategy, structure, processes, culture, competencies, products, etc. All these changes need to be implemented considering the different dimensions of their impacts, but above all and especially taking into account the human dimension.

From a higher education point of view, it is important to focus talent management courses in the impacts of organizational changes, so that students can recognize and understand a process that involves and impacts the most valuable resources of the organization: people.

Therefore, and on a practical level, this process needs the development of certain competencies during higher education: commitment, communication, self-confidence, and personal integrity. A methodology has been developed for human resources courses that ensures the development of these competencies through case-study activities.

These cases are carried out in small workgroups (maximum, 4 students), and they describe real-life organizational changes that have occurred in various companies. After studying the case, the groups of students need to orally present their proposal for the company, as well as the lessons learned from the real-life scenario. These presentations are then assessed by the lecturer, as well as an invited referee, who will be chosen according to their experience in the sector. The assessment criteria include communication abilities, sustainability of the proposal, innovation, feasibility of the proposal, and relation with the corporate social responsibility of the company.

The development of the aforementioned skills is fundamental during Bachelor's and Master’s programs, to ensure the integration of the students in a highly competitive and turbulent job market.

Keywords:

Talent management, Competencies, case-study.