Assignment Brief Academic Year 2021-22
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Managing People
Assignment task
The assignment requires a written report that provides a solution to a Human Resource contemporary
issue within a new business that has seen rapid growth within the first year of operating. The report must
include 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 your
achievement 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 and
interact at work;
LO 3 Identify and explore the role of HRM in managing the employment relationship through policy and
practice.
Task requirements
OVERVIEW
Report, 2,500 words
As a recruitment and selection specialist consultant you are required to assess your clients’ current
recruitment and selection process to identify potential issues, and produce a report that uses relevant
models, theories, and concepts to provide a solution that will also increase productivity for the firm.
Module code
and title:
Managing People Module leader: Denny Omoregie
Assignment
No. and type:
Case Study Report 2,500 Words Assessment
weighting:
100%
Submission
time and date:
Monday 9 May 2022 2pm Target feedback
time and date:
3 weeks from the date of final
submission
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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 human
resources to the strategic and operational requirements of the organisation and ensuring the full utilization
of those resources. It is concerned with not only obtaining and keeping the number and quality of staff
required but also with selecting … people who ‘fit’ the culture and strategic requirements of the
organization.” (Armstrong, 2012. P.204)
According to Fels (2020) many new businesses that experience rapid growth can experience unexpected
problems, two of the most common are operational inefficiency due to poorly trained staff, and employees
being overworked and getting ready to leave.
FarmBox is a company who grow and distribute fresh food produce directly to customers via an online
ordering platform, based in Cheshire, UK. The company started in 2019 and began as a family run
business 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 orders
tripling almost overnight, whilst the firm has the product to meet the demand of customers, investment was
needed in equipment and more importantly, the number of staff needed to increase immediately if
productivity was to remain effective.
To address this the owner placed an online advert for farmhands requiring CV’s to be emailed to the
business. Candidates that FarmBox were interested in took part in a 20-minute online video interview that
aimed to determine their skills and suitability and then successful candidates began work once they were
able to evidence that they were free of the Covid virus. Upon starting the role, each new member of staff
was given a tour of the farm and worked side by side with existing staff members for a day before being
given individual responsibilities. – this whole process took two weeks to complete.
Shortly after recruitment, selection and onboarding was completed the operational productivity for the firm
decreased, orders were late or incomplete and for the first time since opening, customer complaints were
received. Staff are now working longer hours than contracted and many are looking to leave the company
once they have secured alternative employment.
FarmBox has decided to employ your specialist HR firm to help identify the issues and rectify them, with
the 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 15 March 2022)
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Report Tasks
1) Define HRM recruitment and selection models, theories, and concepts (AMO Theory, Human Capital
Theory, Michigan Framework, 5 P Model etc.) that FarmBox currently have in place and explain how
these can affect the behaviour of the staff within the workplace, that may also be affecting the company
productivity.
2) Assess the appropriateness of the HRM models, theories and concepts that have been deployed by
FarmBox 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 to
adopt to improve their operational productivity and employee relations through more effective HRM
talent 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 learning
outcomes for this assignment (see above) and against other key criteria, as defined in the University’s
institutional 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
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Submission details
This assignment should be submitted electronically via Moodle (module tutors will discuss this process with
you during class time).
• Please ensure that your work has been saved in an appropriate file format (Microsoft Word, Excel
or PowerPoint, or PDF are the most widely used; Google Docs is also accepted). Your file must
also contain at least 20 words of text, consist of fewer than 400 pages and be less than 40MB in
size.
• You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you do submit
your work more than once, your earlier submission will be replaced by the most recent version.
• Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which
will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this
receipt 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 on
the University website: https://www.uos.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Academic-Misconduct-Policy.pdf. In
submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these
regulations
Submission date and time
This assignment should be submitted before 14:00 UK time on Monday 9 May 2022.
You should submit all work for summative assessments by the above deadline. Work submitted up to three
working 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 the
deadline 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 be
accepted 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-undergraduate
Feedback and marks for this assignment will be available in three weeks from the deadline.
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Assignment Brief Academic Year 2021-22
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General 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 principles
of 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 interpret
qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of their
subject(s) of study. They will have learned how to take different approaches to solving problems and will be able to communicate the results of their
study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments.
Assessment
category
Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes Marginal fail Fail
1
st: 70% – 100% 2:1: 60% – 69% 2:2: 50% – 59% 3
rd: 40% – 49% 35% – 39% 20% – 34% < 20% Ability to identify HRM issues that the company is facing. High quality work showing detailed understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s). Work of solid quality showing competent and consistent understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s) Adequate work showing understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), but lacking depth and breadth. Simple factual approach showing limited understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s). Narrow or misguided selection of material, with elements missing or inaccurate. Weak work showing limited, fragmentary understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s). Work characterised by inaccuracies, irrelevant material and/or absence of appropriate information. Unsatisfactory work showing weak and flawed understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), for example through serious inaccuracies, inclusion of a significant amount of irrelevant Highly unsatisfactory work showing major gaps in understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s). Inclusion of largely irrelevant material, absence of appropriate information and Assignment Brief Academic Year 2021-22 7 Managing People Assessment category Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes Marginal fail Fail 1 st: 70% – 100% 2:1: 60% – 69% 2:2: 50% – 59% 3 rd: 40% – 49% 35% – 39% 20% – 34% < 20% material and/or absence of appropriate information. significant inaccuracies. Defining HRM recruitment and selection models, theories and concepts. Excellent presentation, interpretation and evaluation of concepts or evidence, facilitating a highly logical, coherent and balanced development of judgements or arguments. Strong awareness of other stances. Good presentation, interpretation and evaluation of concepts or evidence, facilitating a logical and coherent development of judgements or arguments that shows awareness of other stances. Adequate presentation, interpretation and evaluation of concepts or evidence, facilitating a largely logical and coherent development of judgements or arguments. An emerging awareness of other stances. A limited use of concepts or evidence to support emerging judgements or arguments, although not always logical or coherent and with inaccuracies. Largely descriptive work, with limited effort made to use concepts or evidence to develop judgements or arguments. Information accepted uncritically, with unsubstantiated opinions evident. Descriptive work with no effort made to use concepts or evidence to develop judgements or arguments. Views expressed are often illogical, invalid or irrelevant. Minimal or no use of evidence to back up views. Work is largely irrelevant or inaccurate, characterised by descriptive text and unsubstantiated generalisations. Complete lack of evidence to back up views. Assessing the appropriateness of the models, theories and concepts being used by the company. Excellent application of theory to practice, with the student making highly appropriate, developed and Sound application of theory to practice, with the student making appropriate, well-developed and articulated links between the two. Consistent and accurate application of theory to practice, with the student making appropriate links between the two. Relevant theoretical knowledge and understanding applied in practice, but with students not always making Limited understanding of the application of theory to practice, with the student often not making appropriate Weak understanding of the application of theory to practice, with only occasional evidence of the student making Very weak theoretical knowledge and understanding, with no evidence of appropriate Assignment Brief Academic Year 2021-22 8 Managing People Assessment category Pass mark, demonstrating achievement of all associated learning outcomes Marginal fail Fail 1 st: 70% – 100% 2:1: 60% – 69% 2:2: 50% – 59% 3 rd: 40% – 49% 35% – 39% 20% – 34% < 20% articulated links between the two. logical links between the two. links between the two. appropriate links between the two. application in practice. Identifying and recommending models, theories and concepts for the company. Critical engagement with a wide range of relevant reading, including researchinformed literature where relevant. Consistently accurate application of referencing. Engagement with a wide range of relevant reading. Sound application of referencing, with no inaccuracies or inconsistencies. Engagement with an appropriate range of reading beyond essential texts. Referencing may show minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies. Evidence of reading, largely confined to essential texts, but mainly reliant on taught elements. Referencing may show inaccuracies and/or inconsistencies. Poor engagement with essential texts and no evidence of wider reading. Heavily reliant on taught elements. Inconsistent and weak use of referencing. Limited evidence of reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Limited engagement with taught elements. Very poor use of referencing. No evidence of reading or engagement with taught elements. Absent or incoherent referencing. Academic writing skills. Highly effective presentation of work that is coherently structured and clearly expressed throughout. Competent presentation of work in terms of structure and clarity of expression. Work is structured in a largely coherent manner and is for the most part clearly expressed. Ordered presentation in which relevant ideas / concepts are reasonably expressed. Work is loosely, and at times incoherently, structured, with information and ideas often poorly expressed. Work is poorly presented in a disjointed and incoherent manner. Information and ideas are very poorly expressed, with weak English and/or inappropriate style. Work is extremely disorganised, with much of the content confusingly expressed. Very poor English and/or very inappropriate style. * Work that significantly exceeds the specified word limit may be penalised.