Assignment 1.2: Strategy and People Management in a Chosen Sector and Organisation

Task

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding tested in this assignment:

1. Evaluate the main strategic approaches to people management

2. Determine how the HR function and people professionals can create value and contribute to organisational success

3. Evaluate the organisation and structure of the HR function and the role and scope of contemporary people management activities

4. Critically evaluate practical and ethical challenges that arise in people management

Learning Outcomes: Skills and Attributes tested in this assignment:

1. Use initiative and independence to identify, interpret and apply relevant theory, conceptual frameworks and data sources to provide evidence-based arguments
2. Analyse a range of people management issues and make relevant proposals to address these, working both individually and collaboratively
3. Communicate effectively in writing and verbally through discussion, debate and presentation
4. Reflect on the complexities and challenges of people management and debate the merits of different approaches to practice

Introduction

This assignment asks you to research a chosen sector, then outline and evaluate the strategy of an organisation within that sector as well as its approach to people management.

1. Your Chosen Sector

Choose a suitable UK sector (for example low cost airlines, pharmaceuticals, car manufacturing etc). 

Research this sector and briefly outline your findings (size, main players and market share, trends, challenges and opportunities etc) ie where is this sector NOW in 2021?

NB Full Time students – please discuss with your tutor before choosing a sector  

2. Your Chosen Organisation

Within this sector, choose ONE major organisation (eg Ryanair, AstraZeneca, Nissan etc). This can be a UK or foreign-owned firm but one operating in the UK and your focus should be on its UK organisation. 

Outline its organisational strategy (vision, mission, goals etc) and explain how it attempts to differentiate itself from the competition. Relevant model(s) should be applied to this task, both in relation to strategy, and also strategic positioning.

You can choose any sector and any organisation within that sector apart from IKEA, Aldi and Lidl (which we will be using as case studies in class.

3. Approach to HR

Outline and evaluate the organisation and structure of the HR function in your chosen organisation and the range of people management activities.
 
Now and Looking Ahead

Choose an organisation that has readily available information about its strategy and goals.

At the same time, choose an organisation that has readily available information available on its approach to HR, which will be the focus of Assignment 1.2.

Further information

Make use of relevant up-to-date sources, The tasks require you to research newspapers, reports and company web sites as well as relevant academic sources (for the theoretical aspects). 

Theory. Make reference to relevant theory and models and critically evaluate these and their application in practice.

Reference correctly, use Harvard referencing, (ie cite sources in text and list in full in reference section at end. Direct quotes to include page number in citation).

Word count and format. Assignments should be 1,500 words +/- 10% (state word count on cover page). Appendices and list of references not counted in total.

Weighting: This assignment forms 50% of your marks for the module. The three tasks are equally weighted.

Informal report format (ie subsections with headings, use of charts and diagrams etc but no need for numbering of subsections). Relevant data and figures should be included in main text. Further information can be included in appendices, but these should be used sparingly.

Assessment criteria. You will be assessed on the UH PG assessment criteria: reports (see module Studynet site) slightly modified for an informal report format.
 

Hand-in date: see above.

Electronic submission via Studynet.