When migrating stars fail to shine : Individual performance depends largely on the organization as a whole

Purpose – Explores the myth of talent portability and offers implications for human resources. Design/methodology/approach – Summarizes the research on whether star performance can be maintained when performers move to new firms. Findings – Advances the view that performance is largely dependent upon organizational context and, as such, does not transfer to new firms as well as is hoped. Practical implications – Reasons that organizations should focus on developing talent internally while also taking steps to retain that talent. Social implications – Reveals how organizations – and so, indirectly, society as a whole – can benefit to the maximum from their top talent. Originality/value – Contends that organizations should abandon recruiting as a primary strategy for acquiring talent. Shows human‐resource managers how to leverage this research to develop and retain talent.