Managerial challenges to promoting competency-based intellectual capital in emerging market economies – developing a framework for implications

Purpose: This study aims to explore the challenges experienced by managers in adopting competency modeling (CM) and recommends an approach to overcome these challenges in promoting competency-based intellectual capital in organizations. Design/methodology/approach: Using in-depth interviews with organizational practitioners in India, this study identifies the challenges of competency modeling in emerging market economies. Findings: This study identified nine contextual and eight non-contextual challenges in implementing CM practices in organizations. The framework addresses the CM challenges using direction setting, negotiation and selling, and monitoring and control dimension of implementation with behavioral, operational and change alignment aspects of CM. The framework proposes a checklist for stakeholders to help them diagnose and analyze the gaps in effective CM implementation. Research limitations/implications: This article contributes in the concept of competency-based intellectual capital and adoption of CM practices. Practical implications: This framework will assist the change management practitioners, human resources leaders, organizational development consultants and practitioners as a toolkit to address the challenges in the people management intervention. Originality/value: The framework suggests a checklist for stakeholders to help diagnose and analyze the gaps in effective CM adoption.