Human resource information system framework for talent management among top-level management personnel: A case of selected Local Municipalities in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

In the dynamic field of Human Resource Management (HRM), Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) are indispensable for streamlining Talent Management (TM) amid escalating demands for greater efficiency in public-sector operations. This study investigated the factors influencing the utilisation of Human Resource Information System for Talent Management in five selected local municipalities: Collins Chabane, Makhado, Musina, Thulamela, and Greater Giyani in Limpopo Province, South Africa. These entities grapple with entrenched challenges, including resistance to technological change, deficient Information Technology infrastructure, budgetary constraints, and inadequate training, which perpetuate manual Human Resource processes, prolong recruitment cycles (up to six months versus the national three-month average), inflate operational costs by 30%, and exacerbate talent shortages, turnover, and suboptimal service delivery. Guided by a positivist philosophy, the research employed a correlational non-experimental cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach. The population encompassed 203 top-level management personnel (HR managers, Training and Development officers, Heads of Departments, and Employee Relations officers) from Vhembe and Mopani districts, yielding a stratified random sample of 140 participants. Data were gathered through self-administered questionnaires and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. The analysis incorporated descriptive statistics and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The exploratory factor analysis identified eight coherent dimensions of Human Resource Information System utilisation for Talent Management, which explained 74.8% of the total variance, demonstrating a perfect underlying factor structure. Additionally, reliability testing was conducted using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeding 0.80, along with Pearson and multiple regression analyses. All four hypotheses were supported: the results provide clear, consistent evidence for all the proposed hypotheses. These factors notably enhanced electronic talent acquisition (streamlining by 50%), performance tracking (accuracy > 80%), training needs identification (65% data-driven), retention, and deployment, thereby mitigating inefficiencies and fostering strategic Human Resource partnerships. This study makes a theoretical contribution by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) through the selective integration of key constructs from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explain Human Resource Information System utilisation for Talent Management within local municipalities. While the Technology Acceptance Model traditionally emphasises perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness at an individual level, the findings of this study demonstrate that organisational support—conceptualised from Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology’s facilitating conditions—plays a decisive and direct role in shaping actual Human Resource Information System utilisation in a public-sector context. Based on empirical evidence, the study develops a context-specific Human Resource Information System–Talent Management (HRIS-TM) model that repositions organisational support as a core antecedent rather than a background condition. This theoretical refinement advances existing acceptance models by offering an organisation-centred explanation of Human Resource Information System utilisation that is better suited to resource-constrained municipal environments, thereby addressing a gap in both the Technology Acceptance Model and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology when applied to public sector Talent Management systems. In practice, it offers actionable strategies such as leadership-endorsed training, infrastructure upgrades, data-driven governance, and policy mandates for the standardisation of Human Resource Information Systems to empower municipal leaders, align with South Africa's National Digital Transformation Strategy, and elevate Talent Management effectiveness.