Shining a Light on Star Scholarship: Progress and Prospects

• Published in: Talent Management pp. 85 - 106
• Main Authors: Kehoe, Rebecca R., Call, Matthew L., Bentley, F. Scott
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Emerald Publishing Limited 19.09.2022
• Subjects: HR & organizational behaviour; Leadership; Talent management; talent management; careers; high potentials; strategic human capital; Stars; strategic human resource management
• DOI: 10.1108/978-1-80117-834-120221005
• ISBN: 1801178356; 9781801178358

Abstract In this chapter, the authors consider the progress and present state of star scholarship, while planting seeds for future inquiry where we believe fruitful opportunities await – both in furthering our understanding of stars and in more effectively situating this understanding in the talent management literature. Following a reflection on the multiple conceptualizations of stars that have been proposed and employed in star research in recent years, we suggest that the most useful conceptualization of stars is one that focuses simply on stars’ exceptional contributions to value creation – allowing the specific mechanisms of value creation to vary, as they do, across contexts. Next, the authors review recent progress in star scholarship – highlighting advances in scholarship on both the favorable and unfavorable influences of stars in organizations, as well as recent research shedding light on the professional experiences of stars as employees. The authors then turn their attention to future scholarship, specifically noting opportunities for research in two veins: how stars’ motivations, contributions, and experiences may evolve over the course of their careers and how stars and their broader work environments are best managed. Finally, we share thoughts on ways in which scholars can think about increasing the practical value of research on stars, primarily by integrating insights from research on stars with ideas rooted more squarely in the talent management literature which focuses on the deliberate identification, support, and management of individuals deemed to be equipped to create exceptional value in organizations.