MG411: Research Portfolio: Leadership, Training, and Talent at Nissan

This research-based portfolio assignment delves into three strategic areas of people management within Nissan: leadership and management, training and development, and talent management. The report examines Nissan's operational context, theoretical models, and provides recommendations for improvement in each area. It analyzes leadership styles, such as transformational leadership, and explores training programs and talent management strategies, including challenges in attracting and retaining talent. The portfolio highlights key issues and provides insights into how Nissan can enhance its people management practices to improve performance and achieve its goals. The analysis covers how leadership, training, and talent management underpin performance management, offering a comprehensive overview of the company's approach to its workforce.

task This is an individual research
based portfolio project targeting 3
strategic People Management areas
in a case study scenario. A 20

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Leadership and management of Nissan...........................................................................................3
Operational context......................................................................................................................3
Theoretical Models......................................................................................................................3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................4
Training and Development..............................................................................................................4
Operational context......................................................................................................................4
Theories.......................................................................................................................................5
Recommendation.........................................................................................................................6
Talent Management.........................................................................................................................6
Operational Context.....................................................................................................................6
Theories.......................................................................................................................................7
Recommendation.........................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
People management is the process of training, motivating and directing employees in order to
optimize workplace productivity and promote professional growth. Workplace leaders, such as
team leads, managers and department heads use people management to oversee workflow and
boost employee performance every day. This report highlights of the issues faced by Nissan
under leadership and management, training and development and talent management with their
theories and recommendations to shift and improve their efficiency in the market.
Leadership and management of Nissan
Operational context
Leader of Nissan Carlos Ghosn made a turnaround for the company as before that
company was suffering from huge losses and that was because of his experience of work in
different multi national companies. Leaders of the company found out the reasons why Nissan
was failing just by talking to their employees and knowing the focus of the area. They got to
know that they were neglecting the factor of evaluation of cost and just focusing on the factor of
technical process. With this keeping in mind Carlos made a three year revival plan which helped
the company to recreate and reposition themselves in the market. In order to optimize the
efficiency of workforce, leaders of the company increase the level of part time jobs and cut down
full time jobs and they stared transferring people for a specific set of assignment. Other than that
they also took a decision which involved putting up people for early retirement. The result of this
strategy was successful as the company meet their goals and objectives. This also helped them to
overcome their crisis of debt (Denning, 2018).
Theoretical Models
Transformational leadership-
This style of leadership states that when leaders of the company are working in
coordination with their subordinates in order to identify and assess the changes that are required.
These type of leaders also inspire them so that each of them can have their own vision and they
can align it to the path which helps them to guide to change. There are a set of different
components which classifies a leader into this style of leadership such as intellect, stimulation,

motivation, inspiration, charisma and individualized consideration. Leader of Nissan that is
Carlos Ghosn fits under all of this components. The characters possessed by him clearly states
that he has a right to be on the position where he is today. Employees of the company was
inspired by his work and they considered him as their role model. Leaders of the company
wanted to transform their brand by offering cheaper cars so that it can be affordable by many of
them. This step was taken by the leaders of the company to keep up with the evolving needs of
market (Baruch and Gregoriou, 2017).
Recommendations-
It is necessary that Nissan change their way of leadership and management as the current
style that the company implements works on the basis of short term approach and development
of technological area. On the other hand they avoid one of the most important considerations that
is to increase the level of satisfaction of customers and provide them with quality service.
Company needs to put their attention in the area of designing the cars and make it according to
the ongoing trends in the market. This step is necessary for the company to improve their image
in the market. The image of the company is not good in the market and no one is ready to invest
in the company also the economy of many countries is not in a great position which is limiting
the support from the government. This is the reason why company needs to change their pattern
of working and managing the projects (Pratikna and Gamayanto, 2017).
Training and Development
Operational context
Nissan provides many opportunities for training and development of employees
irrespective of their tenure in the company. Company covers all the area of work such as job
support, aspects related to technical issues, to process and improve their techniques with the help
of updated training and management approaches. Nissan believes in giving opportunities to their
employees so they can grow professionally with time with the grasp of program related with
training. In order to manufacture better cars company relies their work who are best in their field
of work. Apart from this company has implemented training programs for everyone so that they
are aware of the updated trends and work according to that.

Theories
Development Programs-
Company offers various range of programs for some individuals specially for those who
are fresher in the area of work. This creates the opportunity for learning things collectively and
in a structured manner. This way strength of network also increases. Company defines their
program for development for future. The believe that if they are able to add skills to their
individual group of talent then they will have potential options to choose from different
managers in the coming time. Programs provided by the company includes feedback, cross
cultural team etc (Leroy and et.al., 2018).
Leadership Programs-
Many of the dealerships across different countries provides training for leadership to
targeted individuals in order to make it effective. Company has tied up with the experts in the
concerned area which guides them by training through seminars or workshops which helps them
make progress in their respective careers. Some of the topics included in this aspect are building
trust, essentials for leadership etc.
Development for high performers-
Company has kept a different strategy for those employees who whose level of
performance is high. This program of assessment helps employees to develop their skills on the
basis of task assigned to them. Many employees take the assessment, mentoring and feedback
very seriously (Knies and Leisink, 2018).
Cross functional teams-
Nissan offers their employees to work with other teams on a global level which is known
as cross functional themes. These types work only in those area which are specialized areas such
as supply chain excellence, quality of management. Only those employees who have experience
in different and diversified areas and knowledge of it. These teams puts the company up on a
challenge by coming up with ideas that are innovative and transformative which leaves an impact
at a rapid pace on the company. This impact mostly has positive impact on the company and
each of these types of teams uses the model of six sigma. Other than this in order to find out the

solutions and action to an issue the teams work on a set of the company’s principles, tools and
processes which helps them to figure out and come up with the idea that can resolve the issue
(Armstrong and Taylor, 2020).
Recommendation
Nissan needs to change their strategy for training and development as they are putting
only those people who they thinks are eligible for it to save the cost. This makes it expensive as
they have no idea if the employee is going to be a part of the company till the end and provide
training to train more and more people. Other than this the main area of focus that the company
is emphasizing in the training programs is on the development of leadership skills for future.
They need to change the focus of area and put it on to recognize the current rends in the market
and design the car as per the needs and wants of the customer in order to satisfy them. With this
they have the scope to improve the image of the brand in the market (Liao and Ai Lin Teo,
2018).
Talent Management
Operational Context
Nissan has been founding difficulties to invite and retain people who are eligible for the
job against their competitors in the market. Due to these challenges which Nissan is going
through in the market the company launched a program of global talent management which was
guided under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn. In the beginning stage the main area of focus for
the company was build a pipeline which goes through talented people globally. Other than this
company has established their value in the corporate market on a global level as the Nissan Way.
By sharing this aspect in the market it has been easy for the company to develop trust and
network mutually on a global level. In order to optimize and utilize the human resources with
managing talent the company is assigning transfer of their employees and with that they are
looking for new talent, which they can retain for a long period of time. With the help of
improved networking and global collaborations the company has been able to form up a new
process of innovation across other countries. Now the company hires the best and challenge them
to be the best performers so that they turn out to be the high performers of the company (Knies,
Leisink and Van De Schoot, 2020).

Theories
Talent management is important for the growth of the company and being a multi
national company in the market they have to adapt different strategies to manage talent in the
company. There are many factors that eave an impact on the company issues such as level of
retaining their employees, developing their skills and mobilizing them into various aspects of
work. Other aspects are also included in this area such as difference in culture of different
countries, shortage of eligible employees, changing demographics and attitude of people towards
the work. In order to manage talent Nissan needs to plan the workforce and enhance their skills.
This aspect is clearly linked with the human resources department and the culture of the
company. The HR policies are formed on the basis of the culture of the company. This states that
policies formed has slight chances that it can affect the performance as well as the behavior of
employees. There is a theory that is based on the medium of convergence or divergence.
Convergence states that HR policies of the company remains same in every country whereas
divergence states that HR policies will be different in every countries (Wæraas and Dahle, 2019).
Recommendation
There are many options available for Nissan to choose from which can help them to
improve managing talent in organizational level. They have the option to try for evidence based
solutions. This will help the company to enhance their skills of the employees effectively. This
process states that they can keep motivating them for their work and monitor their performance
according to the goals and objectives of the company. Other than that they can set the process of
recruitment at a very high level so that only those who are skilled will be able to crack it. This
way company will be able to get eligible and talented clients for the job (Hoffman and Tadelis,
2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above studies it has been concluded that Nissan survived in the market because of their
leader Carlos Goscn and his abilities to perceive things in an unique manner. The company needs
to expand their training programs in order to enhance the skills and abilities of their employees
so that they can multitask. Many initiatives has been taken by the company in order to improve
their performance in the market. This report also contains data where the Nissan was facing

issues and the drawback of the whole process which they changed after evaluating all factors. In
order to manage talent in an effective manner company needs to change their way and methods
and this will also help them to improve their level of retention of employees.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Hoffman, M. and Tadelis, S., 2018. People management skills, employee attrition, and manager
rewards: An empirical analysis (No. w24360). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Wæraas, A. and Dahle, D.Y., 2019. When reputation management is people management:
Implications for employee voice. European Management Journal.
Knies, E., Leisink, P. and Van De Schoot, R., 2020. People management: developing and testing
a measurement scale. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(6),
pp.705-737.
Liao, L. and Ai Lin Teo, E., 2018. Organizational change perspective on people management in
BIM implementation in building projects. Journal of management in engineering, 34(3),
p.04018008.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Knies, E. and Leisink, P., 2018. People management in the public sector. In HRM in mission
driven organizations (pp. 15-46). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Denning, S., 2018. The emergence of Agile people management. Strategy & Leadership.
Baruch, Y. and Gregoriou, A., 2017. The impact of people management: Employees’ satisfaction
role in predicting financial performance. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2017,
No. 1, p. 10557). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.
Leroy, H., and et.al., 2018. Managing people in organizations: Integrating the study of HRM and
leadership.
Pratikna, R.N. and Gamayanto, I., 2017. Developing leadership systems inside university using
Jim Collins method [good to great]: People management development to face ASEAN economic
community in Indonesia. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 6(3), p.45.