Week 11

General Instructions:   Each class is likely to be different.  If you assume you know what is required, you may make a mistake that can be avoided just by reading the instructions.

• Please post your response in your individual assignment folder by the due date listed in the Course Schedule.  

• Please post on time to avoid the 5% per day late penalty required by departmental policy.  Remember the late window begins at 12:00 a.m. the next day.  Please don’t ask me after the deadline to waive a late penalty.  If you’re having a problem that matches the criteria in the grading policy, contact me before the deadline.  See the Grading Information in the syllabus. 

• Submissions will not be accepted after grades for this assignment have been posted.  Alternate assignments are not available.

• Please work alone; this is not a group assignment.

• Remember to use a Word .doc  or .docx  file format to ensure I can open your work.  See the Grading Information in the syllabus.

• Please do use APA to reference your response. Create a reference list at the end and use the (author, year) format within the text; or, if it is a direct quote, the (author, year, page number) format.   

• Please realize that I cannot answer questions that are actually part of the test itself.  That violates testing methodology.  I can address “administrative type” questions. Post questions to the Week 11, Exam 3 discussion area (vs. email) so everyone will have the same information.

• If presentation is not your strong point, use the free writing support tools that are accessed via the classroom.  Allow enough time for the writing tutors to assist.  Access to that service is in the Content area. 

• Please be sure you have submitted the document you intended.  Double-check by opening your document in your folder after you’ve submitted it.  If you post the wrong document, which students have done, you’ll be late and incur a late penalty.   

Please answer the following questions within a maximum of 3 double-spaced pages.  Note the limit requires you to be concise in synthesizing all the input from the classroom material and any external literature you gather. 

1. Explain how each of the HR staffing, training & development, and performance management functional areas relates to turnover.  Consider:  How does turnover impact the HR function?  How does the HR function influence turnover?   

• Using one of the steps in the staffing (recruitment and selection) function, identify an action that could increase diversity in the organization’s labor pool.  Explain how/why that change can be effective, using support from the literature. Then, explain the impact an increase in diversity could have on the organization’s training & development and performance management functions.  

• Your organization is planning a major organizational change that will impact a number of employees. Some departments will need additional employees with specialized skills and other departments will need fewer employees, leading to a reduction in force (RIF). As the head of the HR department, what steps will you take in planning for both the increased need for employees with specialized skills and the RIF? 

Week 9

Note: Submissions will not be accepted after grades for this assignment have been posted.  Alternate assignments are not available.

Content Requirements (85% of assignment value)

Look at the Conceptual Model of HR.  Choose one area you find interesting and conduct a literature review. See:

Requirements and Assessment

Content (70%)

The work is original.  Remember that you may not submit work that was created for any other class, including a previous semester of HRMD 610.  This was part of the Academic Integrity Pledge you signed at the beginning of the term.   The professor reserves the right to submit student papers to determine the originality percentage at his or her discretion.  A good rule of thumb is that no more than 20% of a paper should be from direct quotes.

The content is substantial and represents a significant literature review.  In other words, the material extends substantially beyond the course readings.  The issues discussed are key facets of the topic.    

The references represent scholarly sources.  Plan to use 8-12 sources for the paper.  (Use UMGC’s library.  The librarians are very helpful.)   All references are cited and all citations are referenced.

Sources published prior to 2010 should be avoided, except when some brief history of the topic is necessary.

Critical Thinking Skills (15%)

The introduction tells the reader the purpose and topic of the paper. 

The information is synthesized and relates back to the purpose and topic of the paper.

Presentation (15%)

Special terms are defined. 

Points are logically sequenced; the paper is well-organized.   

The summary recaps the key points and provides closure to the discussion.

Technical aspects of writing (i.e., grammar, sentence structure, and spelling) are correct. 

The body of the paper does not exceed 8 double-spaced pages.  (The page limit asks you to think about what is most important and to communicate it concisely.  This is a valuable business skill since managers often have time to read only the executive summaries or the first page of a resume!  Note:  This does not mean that substance should be sacrificed; it just means it should be presented concisely.)

Citations are given for non-original material, using APA format for the in-text citation as well as the reference list. 

Week 6

General Instructions:   Each class is likely to be different.  If you assume you know what is required, you may make a mistake that can be avoided just by reading the instructions.

• Please post your response in your individual assignment folder by the due date listed in the Course Schedule.  

• Please post on time to avoid the 5% per day late penalty required by departmental policy.  Remember the late window begins at 12:00 a.m. the next day.  Please don’t ask me after the deadline to waive a late penalty.  If you’re having a problem that matches the criteria in the grading policy, contact me before the deadline.  See the Grading Information in the syllabus. 

• Submissions will not be accepted after grades for this assignment have been posted.  Alternate assignments are not available.

• Please work alone; this is not a group assignment.

• Remember to use a Word .doc  or .docx  file format to ensure I can open your work.  See the Grading Information in the syllabus.

• Please do use APA to reference your response. Create a reference list at the end and use the (author, year) format within the text; or, if it is a direct quote, the (author, year, page number) format.   

• Please realize that I cannot answer questions that are actually part of the test itself.  That violates testing methodology.  I can address “administrative type” questions. Post questions to the Week 6, Exam #2 discussion area (vs. email) so everyone will have the same information.

• If presentation is not your strong point, use the free writing support tools that are accessed via the classroom.  Allow enough time for the writing tutors to assist.  Access to that service is in the Content area. 

• Please be sure you have submitted the document you intended.  Double-check by opening your document in your folder after you’ve submitted it.  If you post the wrong document, which students have done, you’ll be late and incur a late penalty.   

Part A (Applied Research – 1/3 of the assignment score)

Located in Illinois for the last 8 years, your organization is a medium-sized company in the medical supplies industry.  The Vice President of Operations stopped in your office to discuss a recent loss of staff.  He said he has lost 3 key leaders in the last 4 months.  In addition to 2 more employees he fired, several frontline workers have quit.  As a good HR Director, you recognize that it would be wise to do a complete investigation of the turnover. 

In a maximum of 2 double-spaced pages, explain:

1. How would you evaluate whether the experienced turnover is a problem?
2. What data/metrics would you gather and consider from the HRIS (Human Resource Information System) and/or external sources?   

Consult additional sources in the HR literature, beyond the course readings, to formulate your response.   

Part B (BT Green Case, 1/3 of the assignment value)

Refer to the BT Green case again, the one you received in Week 3.  You had a chance to discuss the legal risk for the organization in the first assignment.  You’ve responded to the CEO and received feedback about your assessment.  The company decided to let Mr. Banks go. Considering the material you’ve read in Weeks 1-6, now respond to the terminated employee. 

1. Describe the desired outcome (or goal) for your response.
2. Identify the issues you will consider in crafting your response.
3. Explain how you will convey the information to the employee (i.e., in writing, verbally, through technology, in person) and why you chose this method. 
4. Write what you will say. 

Limit your response to a maximum of 2 double-spaced pages of text.   

Part C (Knowledge of Weeks 4-6 Readings)  (1/3 of assignment value)

Please answer the following questions within a maximum of 2 double-spaced pages.  Note the limit requires you to be concise in synthesizing all the input from the classroom material and any external literature you gather. 

1. Assume an organization wants to gauge the success of its total rewards program.  Discuss at least two possible metrics or outcomes it might use.  Be sure to explain why you chose the metrics you discuss and how they are indicative of a successful total rewards program. 

• Given what you have learned about employee relations and labor relations, explain whether it is possible for an HR practitioner to be an effective advocate for both employees and the organization at the same time? Why or why not?

Summer 2021

Note: Submissions will not be accepted after grades for this assignment have been posted.  Alternate assignments are not available.

Instructions:   Each class is likely to be different.  If you assume you know what is required, you may make a mistake that can be avoided just by reading the instructions.

• Post your Answer Sheet in your individual assignment folder by the due date listed in the Course Schedule.  Please post on time to avoid the 5% per day late penalty required by departmental policy.  Remember the late window begins at 12:00 a.m. the next day.  Please don’t ask me after the deadline to waive a late penalty.  If you’re having a problem that matches the criteria in the grading policy, contact me before the deadline.  I help when I can. (See the Grading Information in the syllabus.)

• Please work alone; this is not a group assignment.

• Do not use any work that has been submitted to a previous class.  (See the Grading Information in the syllabus.  This is also part of the Academic Integrity pledge you signed.)

• Do not use a cover sheet.  Just be sure your name is on the Answer Sheet.   The blank Answer Sheet is in the Assignment area, in the same place as the exam.

• Remember to use a Word .doc  or .docx  file format to ensure I can open your work.  (See the Grading Information in the syllabus.)  Using the provided Answer Sheet assures this. 

• Please do use APA to reference your essay/case response. Create a reference list at the end and use the (author, year) format within the text; or, if it is a direct quote, the (author, year, page number) format.  Please do not start a new page only for the reference list; just space down after your response.

• Review the Grading Rubric for this exam to understand the criteria that will be used to evaluate your response.  The Grading Rubric is in the Assignment area, in the same place as the exam.

• Please realize that I cannot answer questions that are actually part of the test itself.  That violates testing methodology.  I can address “administrative type” questions. Post questions to the Week 3 discussion area (vs. email) so everyone will have the same information.

• Please be sure you have submitted the document you intended.  Double-check by opening your document in your folder after you’ve submitted it.     

 Graded Deliverable 

Analyze the BT Green case that is separately posted in the Week 3 Assignment folder.  Write a memo to the CEO, explaining:

1.  what legal risk the company has regarding Mr. Banks’ complaint.   In doing this,
   1. Identify the specific laws that may pertain to this situation.
   1. State the key legal criteria for each law.
   1. Analyze whether the details of the case meet the legal criteria, then explain how they do or do not fit.
   1. State your conclusion about the legal risk.

•  what your recommendation is for handling the case.  In doing this,
  • State your recommendation.
  • Explain your rationale for the recommendation.
  • Identify the advantages for doing it.
  • Identify the disadvantages or risks for doing it.

Presentation criteria

The CEO values your opinion but also likes to know that it is well-grounded; so, use APA to cite appropriate sources for ideas you borrow, for support you use, and for key terms in your analysis.  He also expects excellent writing from his staff.  This means it should be clearly stated, carry the appropriate tone, be grammatically correct, and be sensitive to his time constraints.  Write concisely, limiting your response to a maximum of 2 double-spaced pages of text. 

HRMD 620

Note: Submissions will not be accepted after grades for this assignment have been posted.  Alternate assignments are not available.

Synthesis Project Description:  Research Briefing Paper

This document explains the requirements for the briefing paper.  Please read all sections carefully.  In some instances, the instructions intentionally do not follow APA format.  If you have questions about this assignment, please post them in the discussion forum so everyone will have the same information. 

TIP:  Begin checking for available material right away to be sure there is enough for you to do what you intend.  Engage a librarian to help you obtain the best material available.  Librarians often know more sources to consult. 

General Description of the Assignment (from the syllabus)

Research Briefing Paper (Synthesis category = 20% of Course Grade)  – The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen your research skills, enhance your presentation skills, and expand your knowledge.  You will need to research material beyond the class readings to investigate labor/employee relations at a specific organization.  You will report your findings to the class in a briefing paper (5 or 6 double-spaced pages, not including the title page and reference list).  You’ll need between 15-20 sources. Scholarly sources from academic libraries should dominate your research.  Wikipedia is not an acceptable source. Of course, you may use online libraries, such as the one at UMGC.  Given much of the information available via the web is not screened for accuracy, you should be careful in selecting information from this source.  In other words, website information should be used appropriately (i.e., to describe a specific company’s program or report a governmental policy).  APA should be used to reference your sources.  Additional instructions will be provided.  (Course Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 6)

Note:  Graduate School courses require about 25 sources for a standard term paper.  The 15-20 sources needed here are part of the overall research requirement.  Instead of writing an 18-25 page paper, however, this assignment reduces the requirement to 5-6 double-spaced pages of an executive briefing.  This way you meet the research requirements but have a smaller writing task.  Being concise and knowing which information to include, however, can be challenging; so, allow yourself enough time to craft a suitable product.  Good presentations of any nature have much more research to support the amount of material that is presented, so this is a good skill to develop.  It may help to think of this assignment as a presentation to a meeting of very busy people.  They will give you a few minutes of their time to present your 5-6 double-spaced pages of information.  You’ll want to include the key points in it.  Exceeding the 6 page limit does not indicate a “better, more thorough” paper.  Having less than 5 pages raises the question of adequacy. 

Identifying your Topic

Choice of Organization

Assume you are an external consultant hired to provide executive level management a concise report about labor relations in an organization.  Choose one current organization in the private or public sector. You will likely need to choose a large, visible organization in order for material to be available. There is usually a sufficient amount of material for retail giants, supermarkets chains, clothing manufacturers, prominent hotels, key airlines, automotive manufacturers, hospitals, mining companies, and large government agencies.  In order to keep an objective mindset, do not select an organization for which you work or did work.  Perhaps you’d like to choose an organization that provides a product or service that you use.  Just be sure there is enough accessible information.  You will need to consult publicly-available material, such as reputable news reports, journal articles, and government documents.  Confidential information internal to the organization should not be used, but public material provided by the organization and/or a union can be used as long as its credibility is given appropriate weight. 

Once the organization is selected, discuss:  How well does it manage its labor/employee relations?   What are its strengths and weaknesses?  Tip:  One way to think about the content is through a series of questions:

–Definition:  For purposes of your analysis, who is the organization?  Is it only part of a larger enterprise?  For instance, is it only the U.S. locations or specific operations within the U.S.?  What role does labor have in its operations?  For instance, how large is the labor force?  Who are the employees?  Is labor a critical piece of production or does technology do most of the work?  

–Management’s view:  How well does it think its employee/labor relations is going?  Is it meeting its own criteria for “good”? Does it do what it claims in its strategic plan and public professions? What is the evidence that it is or is not?  What would it continue or change if it could?

–Labor’s view:  How do employees think they are treated?  What is the evidence?  What role have unions had/tried to have in this relationship between employees and management? What would employees/the union continue or change?

Tip:  To obtain needed evidence, also consider other points of view:  How does the government, industry, and other facets of society view the organization’s labor relations?  For instance, has the NLRB ruled against the organization consistently for the same reason?  Did the organization win any industry awards for managing its people?     

Briefing Paper Checklist

Administrative Preparation

_____The paper is posted by the deadline in the proper place, using a Word file format.   Per the syllabus, a grade penalty can apply if the document is late. 

_____The title page contains your name and class section.  

_____Pages are numbered.

_____The page number does not exceed the stated limit.  (The page limit asks you to think about what is most important and to communicate it concisely.  This is a valuable business skill since managers often have time to read only the executive summaries or the first page of a resume!  Note:  This does not mean that substance should be sacrificed; it just means it should be presented concisely.)

_____A 12-point font is used, and margins are reasonable. 

Content (Body of the Paper)

_____ Special terms are defined. 

_____ The content is substantial and represents a significant literature review.  In other words, the material extends substantially beyond the course readings. The issues discussed are key facets of the topic.  

_____ The data sources demonstrate a solid method of evaluating labor relations; the types of sources are meaningful and appropriate.      

_____ Both labor’s and management’s views are presented in an unbiased manner.  Your task is to be a neutral fact-finder.  You may draw a conclusion based on the facts that you discover, but it would not be appropriate to do the research by trying to prove one position vs. the other.

_____ The ideas express your own analysis, and borrowed material is used primarily to substantiate your points.  Remember that long quotes are usually not needed.  Paraphrasing shows that you understand what the other author has said.  You wouldn’t paraphrase, however, if you want expert support for a particular idea; a direct quote is preferable then.  

_____ Points are logically sequenced.

_____ Points are well supported with logic, data, and/or examples.

_____ Conclusions demonstrate integrative, critical thinking.

Presentation

_____The introduction tells the reader the purpose of the research and the agenda for the paper.   Do NOT use an abstract. 

_____The summary recaps the key points and provides psychological closure to the discussion.

_____Technical aspects of writing (i.e., grammar, sentence structure, and spelling) are correct.  Tip:  If writing is not your strongest skill, consult the free writing tutors who are available via the classroom.  Plan enough time for a tutor to assist.   

_____Academic style (i.e., appropriate diction, clarity, smooth transitions, and an audience-oriented approach) is demonstrated.  Tip:  Each organization has its own style for reporting to its leaders.  What is important in our class is to remember that you are talking to the top level of an organization.  What would they want/need to know about your topic? You don’t get much of their time in the meeting, so you need to present the most important information right away.  You need to set the stage/orient your audience quickly then raise the key points.  Nitty-gritty details are usually left for follow-up activities if the leaders are interested.  Use enough details to support your point, but don’t get bogged down in things an executive would not want/need to know.  

_____Citations are given for non-original material, using APA format for the in-text citation as well as the reference list. 

Reference List

Organize your reference list into two sections: 

1)  Those that are cited in the body of the presentation.  This is a standard APA requirement. 

2)  Any source that you do not cite in the body of the presentation.  Annotate these in the reference listing.  Think of those as additional resources to use in a Q&A period after your presentation.  This, of course, is not standard APA protocol. 

_____The references conform to APA format (author, year, title, etc.)

_____ The sources are appropriate (i.e., pertinent, reputable and time-sensitive).

_____ The sources that are not cited in the body of the presentation are annotated in the reference list.