Designing a Talent Management Model in Iranian Higher Education with a Succession Planning Approach: A Grounded Theory Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

3 . Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran .

10.22080/shrm.2026.28912.1742

Abstract

The aim of this study is to design a talent management model in Iran’s higher education with an emphasis on the succession planning approach. Given the necessity of enhancing academic governance and preserving human capital, this research examines the current status of talent management and seeks to offer a localized model aligned with the structure of the country’s higher education system. The research method is qualitative, based on the grounded theory approach (Strauss and Corbin's method). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 managers and experts in higher education and human resources, using theoretical and snowball sampling. The data were analyzed through three-stage coding (open, axial, and selective). Findings indicated that the central phenomenon in talent management within Iran’s higher education is “talent management as a lever for transformation in governance.” Accordingly, the designed model includes: causal conditions (sustainable development of human capital and leadership in higher education), contextual conditions (cultural and structural prerequisites for talent management), intervening conditions (the dual role of management in advancing or hindering academic processes), strategies (managerial flexibility in developing and retaining academic talents), and consequences (dual outcomes of human capital development and talent migration).
The study concludes that talent management, if implemented properly, can serve as a key factor in enhancing academic governance and strengthening national human capital. However, mismanagement may lead to adverse consequences such as institutional blockage, reduced motivation among elites, and brain drain. Additionally, weak governance, lack of transparency, and injustice can result in the instrumentalization of talent management.

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References

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Journal of Sustainable Human Resource Management
Volume 8, Issue 14
May 2026
Pages 417-437

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