International Human Resource Management: Group Report and Reflective Account

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding tested in this assignment:

· the theoretical and empirical work of key writers, both classical and contemporary, on different aspects of international human resource management as a distinctive field of study and practice;

· the strategic orientations of multinational corporations (MNCs) and related HR  policy/employment considerations;

· comparative and diverse contexts impacting HRM and its related practices in various regions.

· demonstrate an ability to critically appraise, evaluate and synthesise different  writers' theoretical and empirical contributions to the study of international  human resource management

· critically evaluate and apply relevant theory to practice to the complex  interrelationship of human resource factors within multinational corporations

· communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, and work effectively in diverse  groups

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Performance will be assessed using HBS Grading Criteria and Mark scheme. See the module site.
Guidance for improvement will be given in writing on the Assessment Feedback Form or on the Canvas Feedback Form within 4 weeks of submission.

Assignments submitted up to one week late will receive a maximum numeric grade of:
        Levels 4, 5 and 6 (UG) – 40            Level 7 (PG) – 50

Assignments submitted after one week will receive a fail
Plagiarism offences will receive standard penalties. 

Assignment Title: Group Report and Reflective Account

The assessment will require students to work as a group to produce a research-based report plus a 500-word Reflective Account of working in a group during this module. This assessment allows you to demonstrate your ability to research a topic and also engage in cross-cultural team working.

Description of the assignment: A group report on either of the following topics:

Topic A

Drawing upon relevant theory, critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) employing expatriate managers to run their subsidiaries and examine the strategies they may use to avoid the consequences of expatriate failure. Specifically, each group member should critically discuss one element of the EPRG framework (Heenan and Perlmutter, 1979) and the implications for expatriate failure.

Topic B

Equality and diversity policies and practices are promoted by Multinational Organisations across the world (Lee Cooke, 2015). By drawing upon examples from four countries of your choice, critically appraise the challenges that managers may face in attempting to introduce common equality and diversity policies and practices in these countries.

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Individual Element (75% of your Report Mark, 1000 words).

Topic A: EACH student in each group must choose ONE staffing approach from the EPRG framework. Each student should focus on a different approach. Individual contributions each constitute one section in the report. Hence 4 approaches will be covered by each group report. Each approach MUST start on a separate page.

For the staffing approach (from the EPRG framework) you have chosen, the title is: A critical analysis of a(n) (approach chosen) staffing approach in employing expatriate managers and the implications for expatriate failure.

Topic B: EACH student in each group must choose ONE different country. Individual contributions each constitute one section in the report. Hence 4 countries will be covered by each group report. Each country section MUST start on a separate page.

For the country you have chosen, the title is: Challenges in implementing common equality and diversity policies and practices in (country chosen).

The author of the section must be clearly identified at the beginning of the section.  

Then, you must:

· Introduce the topic: State briefly the purpose and structure of the discussion in your own section of the report.  

· In conclusion, the implications for the MNC.   

· Arguments (descriptions, explanations) should be presented as short coherent paragraphs dealing with one aspect of the argument. Do not use bullet points, notes or single sentence fragments.

· Individual sections must be properly referenced in the text. Any quotations must be shown in quotation marks (“ “) with referencing.  

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Group Element (25% of the Report Mark: total 900 words): The individual discussions must be combined into a fully integrated report (see below). The group is responsible for:

• The Introduction to the whole report. This should briefly state the overall purpose of the report and its structure in terms of the different countries covered. This section must be no more than 400 words.

• The Conclusion must draw material from (integrate) the whole report and identify general issues covered in the approaches (Topic A) or countries (Topic B) examined, together with the potential challenges. Word length 500 words.

In addition:

• The report must be presented in standard report format with: i) a title page (including list of contributors), contents page with page numbers for the sections (individual reports), Introduction, numbered sections (1, 2, 3 etc.) and sub-sections (1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc.), ii) Conclusion; iii) a combined list of references (all the references used in the report must be in this combined alphabetical list at the end and not in the individual sections). Do not include any appendices. The report must be paginated. Hence you must decide the order in which the sections are going to come.

• Only ONE ELECTRONIC copy should be produced per group, submitted through Canvas by the deadline set.

Word length is subject to a tolerance of plus or minus 10 per cent (with cumulative 10 per cent penalties being applied for every 10 per cent outside this range). The contents page, list of references do not account towards the word totals. As normal, plagiarism will be penalised.

You will work in groups of four (maximum). You will be randomly assigned to groups. Your report should draw upon published academic literature, academically approved websites (e.g. government websites) and your own experiences.

Further guidance as to report writing is available on the Centre for Academic Skills Enhancement  (CASE) site on StudyNet

Submitting your report

Students are required to submit reports electronically via Canvas. Please ensure you include your Group Number and student IDs of all group members on your coursework (cover page and individual sections).

Reflective Account (500 words, 10% of your module grade)

This ‘Personal Reflection’ is your own reflection on the process of working in a cross-cultural group during this module; you might wish to discuss, for example: the strengths and weaknesses of cross-cultural groups; what you enjoyed or disliked about working in a cross-cultural group; how you managed the process; what you have learned from this and what you would do differently in future. Your reflection should be written in the first person (use me / I) and should be no more than 500 words in total.

This ‘Reflective Account’ is not given a mark but will be awarded a Pass or a Fail. Penalties will be applied for non-submission:- if your assignment is submitted without the reflective account then you will receive a zero for this element of the assignment.

The format of the Reflective Account is up to you but further guidance will be provided in class.

The Reflective Account should be submitted as an individual document, separately from the Group Report.