Henley Business School
Pre-Experience PG Assessment Brief
Module Code and Title MMM0122 Principles of HRM
Module Convenor Dr Elizabeth Houldsworth
Type of Assessment Essay In-Class Test
Report Group Report
Project Group Presentation
Practical Skills Exercise Portfolio
Other: Click or tap here to enter text.
Weighting of Assessment 70%
Submission Deadline Week 19
Submission Point
(Blackboard/Turnitin/Other)
Turnitin
Items to be Submitted Essay
Individual or Group
Assessment
Individual Group
Module Convenor Office
Hours/Opportunities for
advice and feedback
Via email liz.houldsworth@henley.ac.uk or in timetabled tutorial
session
The following table shows which of the module learning outcomes are being assessed in this assignment. Use this table to
help you see the connection between this assessment and your learning on the module.
Module Learning Outcomes Being Assessed
Academic Knowledge and Scholarship: Students should be able to
demonstrate subject knowledge in terms of the origins of the origins of
what is now known as HRM and identify the principles upon which it is
based
√
Academic Business Knowledge and Analytical Skills: Students will be
able to critically evaluate the implications of viewing people as ‘human
resources’
√
Awareness of Business Practice: Students will be able to demonstrate
their knowledge and understanding of current business practices, and
challenges in relation to
specific areas of HR policy and practice such as performance and reward
management.
√
International Perspective: Students will be able to demonstrate (i) their
understanding and appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism
through the process of engaging with their cohort, by working in teams
and by engaging with international business situations, (ii) their
understanding of the global context in which organisations operate, and
√
1. What is the Purpose of This Assessment
(iii) their roles and responsibilities to support organisational activity
which encourages positive outcomes and results in a fairer and inclusive
society.
Personal Development: Students are required to demonstrate their
appreciation of the personal development that has occurred as well as
the need for continuing development and learning
√
Task (attach a separate
briefing document if
required)
Question total word count 3,000
Critically compare and contrast the approach to Human Resource
Management reported at Southwest vs. American airlines
1.Consider how aligned the HR practices appear to be with
the business strategy
2.Consider the likely impact of the HR strategy upon business
performance
3.Using your own experience or what you have read in the
media or researched on the web provide at least more recent
example of an aspect of HRM in practice within an
organisation of your choice.
4.Suggest how your example is similar or different to the
approach at either American or South West explaining the
strategy-performance linkage.
5.Provide a reflection on your personal learning from the
module. Include a self- assessment as to what you knew
about HRM at the beginning of the term, how this has
developed (or not) and how you envisage using it in your
future career.
Guidelines/Details of How
to Prepare Your
Submission
This assignment requires you to select appropriate theories, explain
them and how they integrate with each other, and then demonstrate
their application to the two organisations in the article as well as to
the organisation you select to illustrate a more recent example.
The introduction to the assignment should clarify the frameworks
and models that you would use to understand HR strategy and the
HR-performance link.
It has to be clear how you have analysed the implementation of HRM
strategy and the link to performance by referring explicitly to the key
theories, models and forms of analysis you applied in your essay.
Show that you have studied and understood the key texts and
specialist readings, and can integrate individual theories coherently.
Do not rely only on lecture notes.
2. What is the Task for this Assessment
3. What is Required of me in this Assessment
For the last part of the question justify your choice and indicate how
the example is similar or different to the approach seen at American
or Southwest Airlines. Use theory from the module to explain (or
predict) the impact of this approach to managing people upon
performance. Use your conclusion to pull together your arguments
and to make original points, which bring new insight to this area.
At the end of your assignment (but before your references and within
your total word count) you must provide a reflection on your
personal learning from the module. Include a self- assessment as to
what you knew about HRM at the beginning of the term. For example
indicate whether you had any prior experience either from academic
study or employment Suggest ways in which the learning from the
module might be useful in your future career.
The assessment criteria to
be used for marking this
piece of work
Refer to the marking criteria rubric at the end of this document.
Self-Regulation: Make sure
That You…
Fully participate in the group work component of this module as it
will help you with your preparation for the individual session.
Start early with your essay to avoid a class of deadlines. Be very
mindful of inadvertent plagiarism.
Three Key Pieces of Advice
Based on the Feedback
Given to the Previous
Cohort who Completed
This Assignment
Ensure that you understand the question in all its parts
Ensure you have attended all the lectures and catch up on any work
you may have missed or did not understand
Fully engage in the in class activities during lectures some of which
are designed to help support you with the analysis for this
assignment.
For Group Work Only: Elements of Group Working:
Classroom briefing by Module Convenor
Regular meetings of all team members
Record and keep evidence of meetings (agenda/minutes)
Record attendance and member contributions
Team reflection document
Submit Peer Assessment required
Formatting Guidelines Essay format
The general format of this report includes introduction, body,
conclusion, reflection and bibliography. Please follow the usual
conventions for footnotes, endnotes, citations, and bibliography. For
ease of reading, it is recommended you use very few headings and
sub-headings. An essay should be well-structured, concise and
focused. Please use the following format:
Front page – Essay title, your student numbers, and word
count (word count includes everything except the front
page, appendices, tables, references and figures)
Introduction: Be brief and strategic. Do NOT waste your
space summarising the case.
Body – Present your analysis and argument Arguments
should be developed in a logical order and supported with
evidence. You should answer the questions in order.
Tables and figures – They do not count in the wordcount.
You may provide supplementary figures or tables which
should contribute to the discussion, be referenced in the
text and be fully explained. You do not need to duplicate the
figures or tables. If you cut-and-paste figures, tables and
diagrams from other sources, make sure you clearly state
the source, and make sure the image is legible! – If we
cannot read it, we will not mark it. If the image is not legible,
we advise you to make your own graphic.
Conclusion. Briefly summarise your argument
Reflection – Ensure you complete this section including
likely implications of your learnings.
Bibliography and references – All sources (e.g., books,
articles, internet sites, etc.) used in the preparation of an
essay must be listed in a bibliography. Citations must be
accurate. Any data from the internet employed should be
cited and should come from a reliable, recognisable source
(e.g., government, international body, the company itself,
etc.). Nonetheless, do not also excessively cite! It distracts
the reader from the story. Any journal article or book will
provide a clear example of the referencing style. Be
consistent throughout your essay.
Appendices (not essential) –these do not count in the
wordcount and may be used to show background of analysis
or a detailed theoretical application of a theory in a given
case, that needs considerable explanation. So you then may
add details in an appendix. It is considered ‘optional’ (that
is, the casual reader can understand the report without
reading the material) but may be used when you feel your
work is of exceptional quality , to show its backbone.
