do you believe strategic hrm contributes organisational effectiveness
Critical Analysis Essay
“Do you believe strategic HRM contributes organisational effectiveness?†Critically analyse this question with contemporary strategic HRM theories and using empirical research evidence.
2000 Word Essay
The purpose of this assessment is to help you develop an understanding of the state-of-the-art research on strategic HRM.
Within the essay you are required to
- Analyse and discuss strategic human resource management frameworks, theories and concepts including the relationship between human resource management strategy and organizational performance.
- Critically evaluate the strategic human capital management framework and the importance of taking an ethical evidence-based and analytical approach to human resource management
- Incorporate relevant HRM theories throughout the essay
- Must show empirical research throughout – MUST INCLUDE
- Presentation of scholarly writing and complying with reference format
- Must used at least 10 references ( No more than 3 websites/ Harvard Referencing)
Guidelines for essay preparation
An essay requires a thesis statement, a body of argument and evidence and a conclusion. A thesis statement is responsive to the question – identifying the topic of the essay, indicating a “position†with regard to the question, and suggesting the line of reasoning which will be developed in the essay. The body of the essay develops and supports the thesis – makes points in support of the thesis and supports those points with evidence (for example, expert opinion, examples, anecdotes, data, research findings, etc.). The stringing together of quotes is not a line of reasoning nor is jotting down points under sub-headings. Sub-headings in an essay are a convenience, but an essay can – and must – be able to be understood without them. It is your responsibility as the author to ensure that your line of reasoning and your evidence are comprehensible to the reader; it is not the reader’s responsibility to do your thinking – make your connections – for you. Also, be aware that the material presented in the body of the essay should be explained and critically evaluated, whether quotes, data, summaries of research, examples, anecdotes, etc. Finally, an essay has a conclusion which draws together and summarises the ideas and line of reasoning presented in the essay and makes some meaningful statement with regard to the thesis as it has been developed in the essay.
In effect, the parts of the essay are responsive to the following questions:
Thesis statement: What is your short answer to the question? (In this part explain what strategic HRM is)
Body of the essay: How do you arrive at that answer? What is your line of reasoning and your evidence for it?
Conclusion: What should the reader conclude from what you have presented?
Assessment guidelines for essay
Essay assignments are assessed on three major aspects:
1. Content
Have you read and understood the issues and concepts raised in the assigned materials in journals and from other sources you may have found? You demonstrate this by raising and critically discussing these issues and concepts in your assignments in response to the questions asked. It is expected that you will cite many, if not all of the relevant assigned readings in your assignment. Readings are assigned to raise issues and concepts considered important from an educational point of view (they provide you with tools of analysis, evidence, comparison) and/or from practitioner point of view (they raise topics of importance for the current and future management of staff). You are expected to address them.
2. Analysis
Are you able to use evidence (examples, data, research findings, etc.) to explore critically the concepts and issues and draw appropriate conclusions? Please note that use of quotes is often regarded as very weak evidence. If you use your own workplace as an example or if you are asked to write in a context of your own organisation, please be advised that markers are less interested in a description of your workplace situation than in your ability to apply the concepts and issues to that workplace. In other words, focus mainly on the issues and concepts, not on your workplace. This part is very important for your level of study and hence a very high weightage is allocated.
3. Presentation
Before submitting your assignment, it is advisable to review it. Have you written an essay or report? Do you develop points in a clear and logical fashion? Can your line of reasoning be followed? Are your citations and references in proper format? Have you corrected spelling and punctuation errors? Have you written in nondiscriminatory language? It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in on an assignment if the product is unsatisfactory. The only way markers know if you know something is by your ability to communicate it clearly. It is your job as the writer of the assignment to communicate what you know. It is not the job of the reader to try and figure out what you mean. A good test of whether or not your essay is well written and addresses the question is to ask someone to read it and tell you what the question is you are attempting to answer. If they cannot identify the specific topic, it is likely that you haven’t answered the question.