Investigating T&D's Role in Talent Management: TUI, UK Travel Sector

This research project investigates the contribution of training and development (T&D) sessions to talent management within the UK travel and tourism sector, focusing on TUI. It aims to assess the role of T&D in talent management within TUI by analyzing the concept of talent management, evaluating T&D practices in the tourism industry, and assessing the relationship between talent management and T&D. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing both primary data collected through surveys of TUI employees and secondary data from books and scholarly articles. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the data and provide recommendations to TUI for enhancing talent management through effective training strategies, ultimately contributing to organizational growth and competitive advantage.

Research Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the study..............................................................................................................3
Research aim and objectives........................................................................................................3
Research questions.......................................................................................................................3
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
Literature review..........................................................................................................................4
Research methodology.................................................................................................................6
Timeline.......................................................................................................................................7
Research Methodology................................................................................................................8
Recommendations......................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

Topic: To investigate the contribution of training & development session in the context of
talent management within UK travel & tourism sector: A study on TUI
P1 preparing proposal
Background of the study
Travel and tourism sector is highly significant for UK as it makes vital contribution n
economic growth and development. In the service industry, success of the firm is highly
influenced from the skills and competencies of personnel. Moreover, satisfaction of the
customers are highly depends on the quality of services delivered by the personnel. In the
competitive business arena, business units are placing high level of focus on undertaking creative
practices and innovation. Along with this, companies are also focusing on conducting training
and development (T&D) session for personnel with the motive to build skilled workforce. This
in turn helps company in delivering effectual services to the customers and thereby contributes in
organizational growth. For this research, TUI has been selected which designs and thereby
provides customers with innovative tour packages as well as services. In this, report will shed
light on the extent to which skills / talents of personnel can be managed within an organization.
Research aim and objectives
The aim of current investigation is to assess the role of training & development session
pertaining to talent management within TUI.
As per the above aim following objectives have been drafted by the scholar:
 To analyze the concept of talent management and its significance within business unit.
 To evaluate the practices of training & development that tourist industry undertakes.
 To assess relationship between the aspects of talent management and training &
development session with respect to TUI.
 To recommend strategies to TUI that contributes in talent management.
Research questions
Q.1 What is talent management and its significance?

Q.2 Which training methods TUI can employ for enhancing performance level?
Q.3 What is the role of training session in relation to managing talents in TUI?
Rationale
In the current times, customer’s needs, wants and expectations are changing with the very
high pace. Further, in order to meet competition, companies are placing high level of emphasis
on undertaking innovative practices and technological advancements. In this, business unit can
attain success only when it has competent workforce. Hence, through the means of thematic
analysis this research could shed light on the extent to which TUI can enhance ability and
proficiency level of personnel by conducting training sessions.
Literature review
Theme 1: Talent management practices and its significance
According to the views of Meyers and et.al., (2020) talent management may be served as
a process that emphasizes on attracting and retaining high quality personnel. It lays more focus
on enhancing the skills and abilities of personnel that leads high performance. Further, Jooss,
Burbach and Ruël (2019) said that talent management aspect is associated with the creation of
motivated workforce who prefers to work with an organization for longer duration. Creation and
retention of skilled personnel is one of the main functions of HR because it directly contributes
in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Collings, Mellahi and Cascio (2019)
found in their study talent management practice is highly significant for the business
organization in terms of maximizing both productivity and profitability. Moreover, experienced
and skilled personnel are in position to take better decision which makes contribution in the
attainment of goals.
However, on the critical note, Friday and Sunday (2019) presented that execution of
talent management program is expensive in nature with regards to time, cost and other resources.
Crowley‐Henry, Benson and Al Ariss (2019) depicted in their study that talent management
increases the level of innovation within an organization to a great extent. Moreover, skilled or
talented personnel make focus on harnessing the capabilities in relation to finding effectual
solution of problems etc. In this way, by maintaining talented personnel base firm can gain

competitive advantage over others. However, it is to be critically evaluated on the basis of lack
of support from the side of line managers. This in turn impedes the level of employee
commitments to the significant level. O’Connor and Crowley-Henry (2019) assessed in their
study that talent management aspect offers several benefits to an organization in terms of
decreased turnover and effectual employee branding. Further, it also helps in motivating other
personnel to growth and aligns their practices with organizational goals.
Theme 2: Meaning of Training & development and its methods
In accordance with Rapillard, Plexico and Plumb (2019) T&D implies for the activities or
practices which firms undertake for improving knowledge and skills of employees. Business
units organize T&D session for personnel so that they carry out operational activities
prominently. It persuades personnel about they need to perform so that organizational goals can
be attained within suitable time frame. However, Rønnestad and et.al, (2019) argued that &D
sessions impose cost in front of an organization in monetary terms. This in turn increases
organizational cost and thereby impacts profitability aspect. Doma and et.al., (2019) stated in
their study that training session helps in evolving motivation among the customers. Moreover,
training sessions provide personnel with technical knowledge and thereby helps them in
performing their related jobs in the best possible manner. On the contradictory note, author
entailed that T&D sessions sometimes negatively impacts employee motivation and
performance. Moreover, highly skilled personnel assume that they do not have need in relation to
attending training sessions. In this way, sometimes training activities negatively affects
employee morale and motivation.
Rapillard, Plexico and Plumb (2019) assessed that there are mainly two methods which
business units can employ for giving trainings to personnel such as on and off the job methods.
Hence, on the job training methods mainly include job rotation, mentoring, coaching promotion
etc. On the other side, off the job training methods include lectures, case study sessions and other
demonstrations. Phillips and Phillips (2016) analyzed that on the job methods are highly
effectual because it provides personnel with operational level knowledge. However, Noe and
Kodwani (2018) critically said that mistakes by personnel at operational level, in on the job
method, directly impacts customer satisfaction. Gegenfurtner, Zitt and Ebner (2020) presented

that off the job methods are also highly prominent as they are systematically organized. Thus,
efficiently created programs add lots of values in employee’s performance.
Theme 3: Association between T&D and talent management within organization
Guetterman and et.al., (2017) said that talent management practices and T&D aspect is
highly linked with each other. Moreover, now customers prefer to stay in the organization for
long run which provides them with growth opportunities. The rationale behind this, now
advancements are taking place with the very high rate. In this regard, employees want to work
with the firm which provides them learning sessions so that their capabilities can be enhanced.
Moreover, now employees emphasizes on developing their skills so that they can build distinct
position over others. However, on the critical note, Davern, Jago and Deery (2019) depicted that
aspect regarding conducting training session for personnel is expensive and time consuming
practice for the firm. As, in the context of training activity, firm has to make arrangements
regarding resources and focus on tracking performance level. These aspects limit the significance
of training practices with regards to talent management. Hughes (2019) outlined in their study
T&D session develops familiarity among personnel regarding working aspects. Employees feel
motivated when they have idea about the manner in which business activities need to be carried
out. Thus, through the means of training session firm can retain talented personnel and thereby
develops competent workforce. Nevertheless, author entailed if firm failed to set appropriate
goals for personnel then it may results into employee de-motivation. Thus, at the time offsetting
standards business unit should keep in mind all such aspects. Friday and Sunday (2019)
presented that conducting trainings manager can develop awareness among the personnel about
organizational goals as well as objectives and thereby creates prominent culture which helps in
getting competitive advantage over rivals.
Research methodology
 Research type: In order to assess the association between T&D and talent management
aspect qualitative research type will be used. Moreover, issue related talent management
cannot be presented in a numeric format.
 Research approach and philosophy: For addressing concerned research question or issue
inductive approach and interpretivism philosophy will be employed by the researcher.

 Data collection: Both primary and secondary sources will be undertaken for the purpose
of data collection. Survey will be conducted on 20 personnel of TUI using questionnaire
for primary data gathering. Further, books, journals and scholarly articles will be
evaluated by the researcher in order to collect secondary data.
 Sampling: Scholar will select 20 employees of TUI by taking into account simple
random sampling technique. This sampling technique is chosen because it helps in
addressing qualitative aspects prominently.
 Data analysis: To determine suitable solution from qualitative investigation thematic
perception test technique will be applied. Accordingly, as per responses gathered
different themes will be prepared and analyzed using secondary data.
 Ethical consideration: In this regard, consent forms in relation to participating in
research will be sent to the respondents. Along with this, reference list will also be added
at the end the report for complying with ethical aspects.
Timeline
Activities /
weeks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Preparing
brief research
outline
Setting
research aim
and objectives
Doing analysis
of secondary
sources for
preparing brief

thesis
Assessing and
selecting
research
methods
referring
concerned
issue
Drafting
questionnaire
Collecting and
arranging data
in a structured
format
Analysis of
collected data
set
Concluding
findings and
recommending
strategies for
improvement
Doing
formatting
Taking
feedback from
tutor

Doing changes
and final
submission
P2. Assessing research methodology for the current study
Research type
Qualitative and quantitative, two types, that scholar uses for presenting suitable solution
of issue being investigated. Hence, quantitative data refers to the analysis of phenomenon using
numerical data through applying statistical tools and techniques (Kumar, 2019). On the other
side, in qualitative research focus is placed on analyzing underlying motives and opinion. In the
current investigation, qualitative research type has been used for assessing the level to which
T&D practices have an impact on talent management with regards to TUI.
Research approach
For investigation purpose, researcher can select either inductive or deductive approach.
However, investigation type has significant impact on the selection of approach pertaining to the
current study (Gray, 2019). Hence, to determine suitable solution of research issue inductive
approach has been selected. On the basis of it new theoretical framework has been developed by
making evaluation of observations.
Research philosophy
Interpretivism and positivism are the main two philosophies that associated with
research. In the current study, interpretivism philosophy has been used to reflect how talent can
be managed in TUI by using T&D practices. As per this, objectives have been addressed by
interpreting qualitative aspects. The reason behind the selection of this technique is that it suits to
the qualitative investigation over others (De Costa, Crowther and Maloney, 2019).
Data collection
In research, data is one of the main inputs which researcher requires for presenting the
appropriate solution of issue. Primary and secondary are the main two methods which scholar

can employ for the purpose of data collection. Data which scholar specifically gathers for
resolving the issue is known as primary (Snyder, 2019). On the other side, books, journals and
scholarly articles come under the category of secondary sources. Thus, in the current
investigation to evaluate the role of training session in the context of talent management survey
has been done on 20 employees of TUI. Thus, by sending questionnaire, contains both open and
close ended questions, data has been gathered. Further, brief thesis has also been prepared by
using the articles and books related to talent management as well as T&D.
Sampling
There are several aspects such as time, money etc due to which researcher cannot do
study on whole identified population (Bairagi and Munot, 2019). Thus, for resolving this issue
researcher can select appropriate sample by referring probabilistic and non-probabilistic
technique. In this, to meet research aim and objectives 20 employees of TUI has been selected
for investigation purpose.
Data analysis
It refers to the process of simplifying and analyzing gathered data set for determining the
suitable outcome of concerned issue. In research, data can be analyzed through several methods
using thematic analysis and SPSS (Quinlan and et.al, 2019). Data analysis techniques vary in
accordance with the research type or issue. For assessing the significance of R&D with regards
to employee management in the context of TUI thematic perception test technique has been
applied. On the basis of this, several themes have been prepared according to the responses
gathered and supported through the means of graphical presentation.
Research limitations
Time and money are recognized as the main two limitations which affects study and its
outcome. Due to these limitations, survey has been conducted on limited sample of 20 by using
thematic technique. On the other side, if study was conducted as well as analyzed with large
sample and SPSS then broader view of issue can be presented. However, in order to limit the
impact of such aspect specific techniques have been selected that fulfills the requirement of
qualitative investigation.

Reliability and validity
In order to comply with this aspect data has been gathered from latest and copyright
protected sources. Hence, articles that published after the period of 2010 has been undertaken for
study. Further, using keywords such as T&D and talent management sources have been
identified fire ensuring validity. Along with this, no alternation has been done in the responses
gathered through survey.
Data Analysis
Theme 1: Majority of the respondents are aware with the concept of training and
development
Are you aware with the concept with training
and development?
Respondents
Yes 15
No 5
Interpretation: From the above table and graph, it is interpreted that majority of the members
are know the concept of training and development, such that out of 20, 15 state yes, while 5 of
them stated no. This is shows that majority of the employees are know the meaning of training
and development. This is also supported by the ….under the literature review section such that

T&D are those activities which are used by the company in order to meet the define aim and
objectives, these also help to improve the professional and personal skills which in turn assist to
increase the skills of employees as well.
Theme 2: Majority of the respondents are aware with the concept of talent management
practices
Do you aware with the concept with talent
management practices?
Respondents
Yes 14
No 6
Interpretation: In accordance with the above graph, it is interpreted that majority of the
respondents stated that they know the meaning of the talent management practices such that out
of 20, 15 state yes while 5 of them state no. Therefore, it is interpreted that talent management
practice are those exercise which are used by the company in order to increase the performance
which help to meet the define aim and objectives. Thus, majority of the employees of TUI are