Managing People

Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-201Managing People


Assignment task


The assignment requires a written report that provides a solution to a Human Resource contemporaryissue within a new business that has seen rapid growth within the first year of operating. The report mustinclude relevant models, theories and concepts from which a solution will be offered.


This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate yourachievement of the following module learning outcomes:


LO 1


Define theories, models and concepts relating to the study of human behaviour in the workplace;


LO 2


Demonstrate an understanding of how these theories can explain the way that people behave andinteract at work;


LO 3


Identify and explore the role of HRM in managing the employment relationship through policy andpractice.


Task requirements


OVERVIEWReport, 2,500 wordsAs a recruitment and selection specialist consultant you are required to assess your clients’ currentrecruitment and selection process to identify potential issues, and produce a report that uses relevantmodels, theories and concepts to provide a solution that will also increase productivity for the firm.


Module codeand title:


Managing People


Module leader:


Louanna Robinson


AssignmentNo. and type:


Case Study Report 2500 Words


Assessmentweighting:


100%


Submissiontime and date:


Monday 10th May 2021 2pm


Target feedbacktime and date:


3 weeks from the date of finalsubmission


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-202Managing People


DESCRIPTION OF THE TASK – WHAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO DO?Case Study Report – 2,500 word document 100% weighting“Strategic resourcing is a key part of strategic human resource management i.e. matching humanresources to the strategic and operational requirements of the organisation and ensuring the full utilizationof those resources. It is concerned with not only obtaining and keeping the number and quality of staffrequired but also with selecting … people who ‘fit’ the culture and strategic requirements of theorganization.” (Armstrong, 2012. P.204)According to Fels (2020) many new businesses that experience rapid growth can experience unexpectedproblems, two of the most common are operational inefficiency due to poorly trained staff, and employeesbeing overworked and getting ready to leave.FarmBox is a company who grow and distribute fresh food produce directly to customers via an onlineordering platform, based in Cheshire, UK. The company started in 2019 and began as a family runbusiness that was staffed by 4 family members plus two farmhands, with the use of one delivery van.As the Covid pandemic struck in 2020 the business experienced unexpected rapid growth with orderstripling almost overnight, whilst the firm has the product to meet the demand of customers, investment wasneeded in equipment and more importantly, the number of staff needed to increase immediately ifproductivity was to remain effective.To address this the owner pl an online advert for farmhands requiring CV’s to be emailed to thebusiness. Candidates that FarmBox were interested in took part in a 20 minute online video interview thataimed to determine their skills and suitability and then successful candidates began work once they wereable to evidence that they were free of the Covid virus. Upon starting the role, each new member of staffwas given a tour of the farm and worked side by side with existing staff members for a day before beinggiven individual responsibilities. – this whole process took two weeks to complete.Shortly after recruitment, selection and onboarding was completed the operational productivity for the firmdecreased, orders were late or incomplete and for the first time since opening, customer complaints werereceived. Staff are now working longer hours than contracted and many are looking to leave the companyonce they have secured alternative employment.FarmBox has decided to employ your specialist HR firm to help identify the issues and rectify them, withthe hope of retaining employees and effective productivity returning.Case Study Sources:• Armstrong.M (2012) Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice 12th Edition, Kogan Page Ltd.• Fel.E. (2020) Dangers of Rapid Business Growth and What To Do About Them.https://www.businessknowhow.com/money/rapidgrowth.htm (Accessed 14/07/20)


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-203Managing People


Report Tasks1) Define HRM recruitment and selection models, theories and concepts (AMO Theory, Human CapitalTheory, Michigan Framework, 5 P Model etc.) that FarmBox currently have in place and explain howthese can affect the behaviour of the staff within the workplace, that may also be affecting the companyproductivity.2) Assess the appropriateness of the HRM models, theories and concepts that have been deployed byFarmBox and identify the positive elements and any areas of the procedure that may need to improve.3) Identify and recommend HRM models, theories, concepts, policies and procedures for FarmBox toadopt to improve their operational productivity and employee relations through more effective HRMtalent management.You must reference all information used in the report, using the Harvard Referencing Guide.See attached grid for grade descriptors.


Referencing and research requirements


Please reference your work according to the Harvard style; you can access guidance on this here:https://libguides.uos.ac.uk/academic/referencing/Harvard


How your work will be assessed


Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learningoutcomes for this assignment (see above) and against other key criteria, as defined in the University’sinstitutional grading descriptors. If it is appropriate to the format of your assignment and your subject area,a proportion of your marks will also depend upon your use of academic referencing conventions.This assignment will be marked according to the grading descriptors for Level 4


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-204Managing People


Submission details


This assignment should be submitted electronically via Moodle (module tutors will discuss this process withyou during class time).• Please ensure that your work has been saved in an appropriate file format (Microsoft Word, Excelor PowerPoint, or PDF are the most widely used; Google Docs is also accepted). Your file mustalso contain at least 20 words of text, consist of fewer than 400 pages and be less than 40MB insize.• You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you do submityour work more than once, your earlier submission will be repl by the most recent version.• Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, whichwill be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep thisreceipt for future reference, along with the original electronic copy of your assignment• You are reminded of the University’s regulations on academic misconduct, which can be viewed onthe University website: https://www.uos.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Academic-Misconduct-Policy.pdf. Insubmitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood theseregulations


Submission date and time


This assignment should be submitted before 14:00 UK time on Monday 10th May 2021.You should submit all work for summative assessments by the above deadline. Work submitted up to threeworking days after the deadline will be accepted and marked, but the mark will be capped at the pass mark(40%) unless there is a valid reason for the late submission (i.e. having been granted an extension to thedeadline or a deferral under the terms of the Extenuating Circumstances Policy).Work submitted more than three working days after the deadline without a valid reason will not beaccepted and will be recorded as 0% RN (refer, no work submitted).For more information please refer to: http://studenthandbook.uos.ac.uk/index.php/studentguides/assessment-the-basics-undergraduateFeedback and marks for this assignment will be available in three weeks from the deadline.


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-205Managing PeopleAssignment Brief Academic Year 2019-206Managing PeopleGeneral Grading Criteria


Level 4


In accordance with the FHEQ, at the end of Level 4 students will be expected to have a sound knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principlesof a subject, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these within the context of that area of study. They should be able to present, evaluate and interpretqualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of theirsubject(s) of study. They will have learned how to take different approaches to solving problems, and will be able to communicate the results of theirstudy/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments.


Assessmentcategory


Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes


Marginal fail


Fail


1st: 70% – 100%


2:1: 60% – 69%


2:2: 50% – 59%


3rd: 40% – 49%


35% – 39%


20% – 34%


< 20%


Knowledge andunderstandingof the basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples ofthe subject(s)


High quality workshowing detailedunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s).


Work of solidquality showingcompetent andconsistentunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s)


Adequate workshowingunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s), butlacking depth andbreadth.


Simple factualapproach showinglimitedunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s). Narrowor misguidedselection ofmaterial, withelements missingor inaccurate.


Weak workshowing limited,fragmentaryunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s). Workcharacterised byinaccuracies,irrelevant materialand/or absence ofappropriateinformation.


Unsatisfactorywork showingweak and flawedunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s), forexample throughseriousinaccuracies,inclusion of asignificant amountof irrelevant


Highlyunsatisfactorywork showingmajor gaps inunderstanding ofthe basicunderlyingconcepts andprinciples of thesubject(s).Inclusion of largelyirrelevant material,absence ofappropriateinformation and


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-207Managing People


Assessmentcategory


Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes


Marginal fail


Fail


1st: 70% – 100%


2:1: 60% – 69%


2:2: 50% – 59%


3rd: 40% – 49%


35% – 39%


20% – 34%


< 20%


material and/orabsence ofappropriateinformation.


significantinaccuracies.


Cognitive andintellectualskills


Excellentpresentation,interpretation andevaluation ofconcepts orevidence,facilitating a highlylogical, coherentand balanceddevelopment ofjudgements orarguments. Strongawareness of otherstances.


Good presentation,interpretation andevaluation ofconcepts orevidence, facilitatinga logical andcoherentdevelopment ofjudgements orarguments thatshows awareness ofother stances.


Adequatepresentation,interpretation andevaluation ofconcepts orevidence, facilitatinga largely logical andcoherentdevelopment ofjudgements orarguments. Anemerging awarenessof other stances.


A limited use ofconcepts or evidenceto support emergingjudgements orarguments, althoughnot always logical orcoherent and withinaccuracies.


Largely descriptivework, with limitedeffort made to useconcepts or evidenceto developjudgements orarguments.Informationaccepteduncritically, withunsubstantiatedopinions evident.


Descriptive workwith no effort madeto use concepts orevidence to developjudgements orarguments. Viewsexpressed are oftenillogical, invalid orirrelevant. Minimalor no use ofevidence to back upviews.


Work is largelyirrelevant orinaccurate,characterised bydescriptive text andunsubstantiatedgeneralisations.Complete lack ofevidence to back upviews.


Application oftheory topractice (forcourses with aprofessionalpracticeelement)


Excellentapplication oftheory to practice,with the studentmaking highlyappropriate,developed and


Sound application oftheory to practice,with the studentmaking appropriate,well-developed andarticulated linksbetween the two.


Consistent andaccurate applicationof theory to practice,with the studentmaking appropriatelinks between thetwo.


Relevant theoreticalknowledge andunderstandingapplied in practice,but with studentsnot always making


Limitedunderstanding of theapplication of theoryto practice, with thestudent often notmaking appropriate


Weakunderstanding ofthe application oftheory to practice,with only occasionalevidence of thestudent making


Very weaktheoreticalknowledge andunderstanding, withno evidence ofappropriate


Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-208Managing People


Assessmentcategory


Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes


Marginal fail


Fail


1st: 70% – 100%


2:1: 60% – 69%


2:2: 50% – 59%


3rd: 40% – 49%


35% – 39%


20% – 34%


< 20%


articulated linksbetween the two.


logical links betweenthe two.


links between thetwo.


appropriate linksbetween the two.


application inpractice.


Reading andreferencing


Critical engagementwith a wide range ofrelevant reading,including researchinformed literaturewhere relevant.Consistentlyaccurate applicationof referencing.


Engagement with awide range ofrelevant reading.Sound application ofreferencing, with noinaccuracies orinconsistencies.


Engagement with anappropriate range ofreading beyondessential texts.Referencing mayshow minorinaccuracies orinconsistencies.


Evidence of reading,largely confined toessential texts, butmainly reliant ontaught elements.Referencing mayshow inaccuraciesand/orinconsistencies.


Poor engagementwith essential textsand no evidence ofwider reading.Heavily reliant ontaught elements.Inconsistent andweak use ofreferencing.


Limited evidence ofreading and/orreliance oninappropriatesources. Limitedengagement withtaught elements.Very poor use ofreferencing.


No evidence ofreading orengagement withtaught elements.Absent orincoherentreferencing.


Presentation,style andstructure *


Highly effectivepresentation ofwork that iscoherentlystructured andclearly expressedthroughout.


Competentpresentation of workin terms of structureand clarity ofexpression.


Work is structured ina largely coherentmanner and is forthe most part clearlyexpressed.


Orderedpresentation inwhich relevant ideas/ concepts arereasonablyexpressed.


Work is loosely, andat timesincoherently,structured, withinformation andideas often poorlyexpressed.


Work is poorlypresented in adisjointed andincoherent manner.Information andideas are verypoorly expressed,with weak Englishand/orinappropriate style.


Work is extremelydisorganised, withmuch of the contentconfusinglyexpressed. Verypoor English and/orvery inappropriatestyle.


* Work that significantly exceeds the specified word limit may be penalised.