Assessment 3: Case Study Report

Assessment Brief

Overview

This is a problem-based assessment. The assessment requires you to apply what you have learned to become a professional HRM practitioner. You will act as an internal HR consultant to two different departments within the company you work for and on two separate HR issues. You will demonstrate your HR capacity to problem solve by applying your skills and capabilities to resolve each of the issues. In Assessment 3, you will meet Assurance of Learning #AoL3a Adaptive: Option 4. Constructs solutions based on comprehensive theoretical knowledge.

Learning Outcomes of this assessment are;

The targeted Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this assessment are:

• CLO1: Compare international HR professional standards, and assess their application to an organisation drawing in theoretical constructs.

• CLO2: Analyse and interpret the external and internal context in which HR professionals operate, and the impact on practice.

• CLO3: Demonstrate expertise in tools, tactics and strategies that can be applied to achieve the resolution of conflict.

• CLO4: Reflect and critique your developing professional practice.

Assessment Details

Case Study Scenario

We continue with ‘Beach Break’ which is an emerging surf company based on Phillip Island in Victoria. Beach Break opened in 2020 and produces and sells custom made surf boards and surfing apparel. The company is keen to expand from its current factory and retail store to the Gold Coast and beyond due to record sales and the growing demand for custom made surf boards and apparel. You will consider that the company intends to expand interstate and into Indonesia and the South Pacific Islands where there is a high demand for surfing equipment. Beach Break’s CEO, Maddy Smith, has hired you as her first HR Manager to lead the growing HR team, which has so far, lacked strategic direction. Upon your appointment, you have determined there are some serious issues related to HR recruitment and selection and within the Marketing Department. Therefore, a course of action for you and the HR team is to analyse the issues and present resolutions that will support the expanding business nationally and internationally.

In the HR Department there appears to be the view that finding high-quality staff is impossible. Staff report that it is often the case that there are only two to three applicants for an advertised position and instead of readvertising, the best of the applicants is appointed. In the Marketing Department there is a disconnect between the culture amongst the 10 sales staff and the culture the organisation wants to be known for. Whilst each of the sales staff members has demonstrated they are competitive they are not a united force that represents Beach Break.

HR Recruitment and Selection

The main issue within this department is recruiting and onboarding high quality talent. Over the last few years, the HR Recruitment Team has complained there are very few high-quality applicants wanting to work for the organisation. As the new HR manager, you have read many of the applications for jobs and found many do not meet the requirements of each of the jobs. The company is not attracting the right candidates and their recruiting process is slow and inefficient. When advertising for candidates there is little emphasis on a strong company brand which may well be one reason they are not engaging with quality candidates.

You have to apply your professional HR practice knowledge to analyse and resolve the issue.

Marketing Department

In this department there is a highly competitive culture amongst 10 salespersons. Sales staff are working to promote their own interests and do not appear to be concerned about their work colleagues or the organisation. Staff are not engaged in a way that promotes teamwork and together advance the overall performance of the organisation. Common cultural problems are around poor communication, inconsistencies in practice and fundamental vagueness about what and how together. These issues have resulted in an unpleasant workplace and the sales staff do not appear to be very loyal to the company.

You have to apply your professional HR practice knowledge to analyse and resolve the issue/s.

Your Task

You are to write a short report for your CEO that presents, and justifies, the issues you have identified and the resolutions you propose. Your research question is:

What are the issues within the HR recruitment and selection process and the Marketing department and how can you find solutions that will support the expansion of ‘Beach Break’ interstate and overseas?

The short report structure does not require an Executive Summary but must include the following:

A table of contents with headings, sub-headings, and numbering.

Content of the report will be structured as per below:

1.0 Introduction (250 words / 5 marks)

  1.1 Purpose

  1.2 Scope

  1.3 Limitations

  1.4 Organisation of the report

2.0 Critical analysis of the HR recruitment and selection issue/s and resolution (700 words / 10 marks)

  2.1 Analysis of HR recruitment and selection issue/s

  2.2 Proposed solution that supports interstate and overseas expansion

3.0 Critical analysis of the marketing department issue/s and resolution (700 words / 10 marks)

  3.1 Analysis of the marketing department issue/s

  3.2 Proposed solution that supports interstate and overseas expansion

4.0 Organisational implementation plan (10 marks, 300 words x 2 figures)

  4.1 The how, where and when and proposed costs to implement the HR recruitment and selection issue/s

  4.2 The how, where and when and proposed costs to implement the marketing department issue/s

5.0 Conclusion (250 words / 5 marks)

  5.1 Summary of the report

  5.2 Strong argument to support the two solutions – (HR recruitment and selection and marketing department issues)

6.0 References and formatting (details in the criteria rubric).

You are expected to cite at least 20 peer-reviewed references/refereed journal articles (no older than 10 years) in your project report. You will find high quality journals via the RMIT Library. Do not cite the internet or textbooks. (5 marks).