Organizational success depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities of the workforce. In a learning organization, retention of talent, intellectual capital and knowledge management are vital to support the company's mission, vision and strategic goals. Trends such as globalization, technology, outsourcing, the aging workforce and competition for talent all contribute to the necessity to invest in human capital. Thus, to promote competitive advantage, a key HR leadership role is to identify, design and implement strategic training and development initiatives.