Assignment 2
From a strategic human resource perspective, Assignment 2 requires you to provide in 2,500 to 3,000 words an analysis of an organization’s overall human capital enhancement and effectiveness as specified below.
For the organization you have chosen, analyze one of the following HR systems:
Human resource flow (with a focus on recruitment and retention of employees) ---. Choose any international organization as the organization. Tell me which one before you go ahead.
Refer to the strategic human resource management model provided in Lesson 1 (lesson 1 is below) and use the following framework as a starting point for your analysis.
Assignment Framework
Briefly describe the HR system you have chosen. (10 marks)
Critically discuss the relationship between the actual HR policies and practices in your chosen HR system and the overall strategic objectives and management philosophy of the organization. How well does the system fit with other related HR areas? (30 marks).
Assess the effectiveness of the HR system chosen. Applying your knowledge of the academic literature as covered in the course, what are some of the gaps and problem areas of the system? What works and what does not? Is the system accomplishing what it is intended to accomplish? Why or why not? How does the system rate according to the evaluation criteria (the four Cs) discussed in the course? (30 marks).
Identify the changes required to enhance the effectiveness of the system. How might the system chosen become more proactive and driven by strategy? How might implementation of these changes be constrained in your organization? (15 marks)
Overall quality of writing, structure and presentation, and use of citations (15 marks)
Use APL references

Strategic HRM Model
Chapter 1 of the textbook provides a good introduction to strategic HRM, including an account of its developments and its difference from traditional approaches of managing people. The strategic HRM model presented indicates the influence of various internal and external environmental factors on organizational and HRM strategies. The strategies determine the direction of HRM policies and practices, the outcomes of which, in turn, affect the overall HRM and organizational effectiveness.
Of particular importance to note in the model are:
The strategic role of human resources (HR): HR strategies should be well aligned and integrated with the organization's strategies, with HR executives playing an important role in the overall organizational strategy formulation. Hence, the arrow between organizational strategy and HR strategy is a two-way one.
Organizations exist in a forever changing environment. Organizations must understand the interest and influence of various stakeholders and make decisions with due consideration given to the internal and external opportunities and constraints.
The different areas of HR policies and practices (HR flow, rewards, work system, and employee influence) are not independent of each other, as explained in the textbook chapter and depicted in the following diagram (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Human Resource System
As shown in the Strategic HRM model as well as Figure 1, employee influence is an important component in the HR system. Organizations that focus on policies, rules, and regulations, as well as close supervision and monitoring to ensure proper organizational control is in place, tend to overlook the importance of employee self-control. Organizational control can generate compliance but not commitment. If organizations provide an environment where employees and work groups can identify with the organizational goals and interests and where they are empowered to perform their work as they best see fit and to use their creative talents, employees will be more likely to go out of their way to contribute towards organizational success. Hence, the less the expressed control the organization exercises over its employees, the more overall “control” it may have via employee self-control and social group control.
There are various approaches in evaluating HR effectiveness. The most important thing is to adopt a balanced approach that takes into consideration not only the tangible aspects, but also the intangible factors that could have a major impact on the organization and its employees. The four Cs (competence, commitment, cost effectiveness, and congruence) covered in Chapter 1 provide a good framework for consideration in HR evaluation.