Acquisition and Retention of Skilled Employees: A Study of International Companies in Rural Giles County, Tennessee

The U.S. manufacturing industry produces goods that are shipped all over the world. Because of the shortage of skilled labor, some manufacturing human resource professionals lack the strategies and processes necessary to acquire and retain skilled employees, and this challenge is particularly true in rural areas where economies are more dependent on manufacturing. For this qualitative multiple-case study, data were gathered from a population of manufacturing human resource professionals working for international companies with a presence in rural Giles County, Tennessee. Guided by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory and Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore the strategies and processes manufacturing human resource professionals use to acquire and retain skilled employees. Data were collected from individual interviews and a focus group. Using the modified van Kaam method of data analysis, two themes emerged as key strategies to acquire and retain skilled employees: company culture and succession. The data from this study may contribute to business practices in manufacturing industries or human resource management. The implications for positive social change include the potential for the rural community to become more attractive for other industries and to improve the quality of life for individuals who reside in the community.