MBA – Human Resource Management Strategic and Implementation

Assignment Requirements

 

Due date: 20 May, 2014, Tuesday, 11.45 am AEST, Week 12
Weighting: 50%
Length: 3000 words ±10% (excluding title page, reference list and appendices), presented in report format
Reference Style: Author-Date Style (Harvard Referencing Style) only

Assessment item 2 — Report on Performance Management

Objectives
This assessment item relates to course learning outcomes numbers 1 to 5.

Purpose
The primary purpose of this assessment task is to help students develop skills to apply HRM strategies within a contemporary organisational framework. The assignment also develops insights into implementation of performance management strategies and helps to understand the importance of those insights for the HR professionals, incorporate appropriate individual and organisational HRM strategies within an organisational context by way of analytical report and finally critically and analytically evaluate the relevance of new theories, design methods, HR laws and concepts within human resource management. The secondary purpose of this assignment is to give students the opportunity to develop research, analysis, self-management and problem identification skills, as well as skills in presenting an argument for performance management within the framework of a business report.

Description
Assessment task 2 requires the writing of a business report. The report should be designed as a management document that can be used to implement recommended changes. It should include a comprehensive analysis of the current situation using HRM theory, performance management models, strategies and frameworks. The report should clearly explain the various options available and analyse the consequences of these. Students are expected to engage in extensive research within the academic literature relating to strategic human resource management, performance management, employee performances, employee feedback and other relevant theories, models and frameworks.

Details
The assessment item is based on the case study titled Performance Management at Heinz Australia. The case and assignment requirements are included in the document and can also be accessed through the course website. You should read, and carefully analyse, the case and respond to the issues presented at the end of the case study within the context of a
professionally presented business report. You are required to support your argument with appropriate theoretical discussion and references.

The assignment should contain a coherent, but necessarily restricted review of the academic literature on the Strategic Human Resource Management topics in question. The literature review should be integrated into the assignment, not a separate section. A reference list formatted in the prescribed Harvard style is compulsory. Do not include a bibliography.

This assessment item involves researching your assigned topic to enhance your understanding of Human Resource Management (HRM) concepts, strategies and utilisation of academic literature. Whilst you should avoid using only textbooks, the prescribed textbook for the course should be cited in regard to broad human resource management principles. You will be expected to present information and evidence from, and cite, at least fifteen (15) relevant peer-reviewed, academic journal articles, academic references (minimum requirement). The quality and number of citations will demonstrate the breadth and depth of the literature used to answer the questions. Your marker is interested in the analysis that you have developed from your review of the literature and how well you use the literature to respond to the topic. It is suggested to avoid presenting a descriptive account only of your readings. What is required in this assessment is a critical evaluation of the academic literature as it relates to the specific details of the case study. Your marker is interested in the conclusions that you arrive at from your evaluation of the literature and of the case study.

Case Study: Performance Management at Heinz Australia

Fair Work Australia (FWA) has found it was unfair for HJ Heinz Company Australia to dismiss a sales manager named Moretti who refused to be performance managed because he feared it was designed to trigger his exit from the company.

In ordering the reinstatement of the former West Australian sales manager- Moretti, employed by Heinz from 1983 until his dismissal in August 2011, FWA Deputy President Brendan McCarthy said the performance grounds relied on by management had been ‘imperfectly, if not carelessly, formed for an employer of Heinz’s size’.

One of the reasons Heinz management gave the hearing for insisting on an individual performance management plan for the manager was a low score in his annual review. However, this score was not an individual performance rating, but a company-wide rating that gave all employees the same score.

‘It could not be a justifiable reason or even part of a reason for the development of a plan solely for [the sales manager- Moretti]’, McCarthy said.

After taking part in an annual performance review in May 2011, Moretti attended a meeting in early June with the retail sales general manager who, according to Moretti, told him that there was no longer a job for him and he should resign or he would be performance-managed out.

Heinz provided no evidence from the retail sales manager to dispute the employee’s account of this meeting, which included notes made immediately after the meeting.

In July and early August, a series of meetings and communications took place between Moretti and Heinz during which he was told the company had some performance concerns, but these would be discussed once he had agreed to sign an individual performance management plan.

Moretti repeatedly asked for details of the performance concerns and expressed his fear that the company was going to use this process to force him out. Ultimately, he was given until 17 August to sign the plan or be dismissed.

Heinz argued before McCarthy that the dismissal occurred because Moretti refused to take part in discussions about performance concerns or sign up to an individual performance management plan.

However, McCarthy said that he did not accept Heinz’s argument, but believed that it was instead based on a possibly flawed view that his performance required improvement.

He said that the company chose not respond to repeated requests by Moretti for details of the performance concerns the company purported to have, insisting that he instead sign the performance plan before further discussions.

When Moretti refused to sign, company management told the hearing there was no other option but dismissal. ‘I disagree. There are alternative actions Heinz could have taken’, McCarthy said.
He said the employee (Moretti) had ‘good reason’ to be suspicious about the company’s intentions.

‘He (Moretti) had not been subjected to any performance plans of this nature in the past, no other managers were being subjected to performance plans, his experience was that when employees were subjected to performance plans it was because of poor performance plans and importantly [the retail sales manager] had told him he was going to be performance-managed out of Heinz’.

McCarthy said the company had not satisfied him that reinstatement was not possible and ordered that the company appoint him to a position on no less favourable terms and conditions and repay the remuneration the manager had lost between his dismissal and reinstatement.

(Frank Moretti Vs. HJ Heinz Company Australia Ltd. 2012, FWA 1016, February 7, 2012, https://www.fwc.gov.au/decisionssigned/html/2012fwa1016.htm)

Task:

You are asked as an independent consultant to conduct a critical review of the company’s employee performance management strategies for Heinz Company Australia and recommend the way forward. Write a business report that answers all the three questions:

1. How was Heinz’s approach to performance management invalid in relation to Moretti’s job? Explain your answer in relation to significance of strategic performance management, appraisal and employee feedback in organisational context.
2. How was Heinz’s approach towards employee performance management unreliable? Discuss your answer that relates employee performance management and its impact on strategic human resource management and organisational performances.
3. Identify the ways in which Heinz’s employee performance management could be improved. As part of your answer, make sure you explain carefully how the company should implement your recommendations because so much of success in this area depends on the ‘how’ of any strategy is implemented.

All the answers must be written with supporting academic references

HRMT 20008 – HRM Strategy and Implementation
Assessment item 2 – Marking criteria for Report on Performance Management
Case Study: Performance Management at Heinz Australia

Name…………………………………… Student No.……………..

Your report will be assessed on the extent to which it meets each of the following criteria:

Main Criteria Marks
A thorough knowledge and understanding of the problem(s) identified in the case study. Report demonstrates an understanding of HR strategies, performance management strategies and Management concepts. (10 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Student identifies, integrates and justifies the relevant strategic HRM theories, models and arguments to analyse the questions asked in the case study. The report should also include a comparison/ justification of proposing strategic HRM theories pertinent to employee performance management, employee performance, employee feedback models, theories and frameworks.
• Student describes and justifies the strategic HRM models, theories they have chosen to answer the case questions and presents in a logical manner with a clear beginning, discussion and conclusion.

Main Criteria:
Appropriateness of responses to the case study problem. Solving the problem, development of a convincing report, using supporting evidence; recommending practical and creative solutions to the HR problems. (10 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Students scholarly demonstrate critical analysis of theories and models and justification of decisions using a wide variety of sources and own reflection to answer the questions and in favour of their arguments.
• Students should develop logical arguments in a scholarly fashion supported by evidences.
• Students should draw conclusion, arguments in a scholarly manner.
Main Criteria:
Report demonstrates the application of strategic HR or Management concepts to solve the HR problems (performance management) in the case. Implementation steps of recommended strategies mentioned in the report. (10 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Students show in depth, excellent knowledge on strategic HRM models, employment relationship theories and apply those in the context of the case study to describe the employee performance
Main Criteria:
Demonstrates an understanding, application of HR challenges, issues and practices associated with various directional strategies. (10 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Student clearly demonstrates understanding of the HR challenges and applies relevant theoretical concepts related to strategic HR in relation to managing HR issues in the subjected case study/ organisation.
• Student utilises academic references to support their arguments.

Main Criteria:
Demonstration of additional research beyond the course material and textbook including use of recent and relevant peer reviewed academic journal articles, academic references (minimum of fifteen (15)).
(5 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Students engage with strategic HRM literature
• Student demonstrates a sound knowledge of strategic HRM and aspects of strategic HRM , negotiation strategies through application of the relevant literature
• Students introduce, discuss and integrate recent, relevant 15 peer reviewed academic journal articles, academic references (books, book chapters etc.) in their discussions

Main Criteria:
Presentation, including referencing, formatting, layout and grammar.
(5 marks)
2
4
6
8
10
Sub-Criteria:
• Student presents a structured and logical discussion of the analysis within a business report structure
• Headings and subheadings as appropriate and aligned to your structure of arguments.
• An appropriate introduction and comprehensive conclusion
• A well-structured concise and clear expression of argument (s).
• In Introduction, clearly mentioned the purpose of the report with a guideline of the report
• logical flow of information among different sections and in conclusion, mention and reinforce the ideas presented in the report and no new ideas being mentioned or explained in conclusion part.
• Clarity of expression, spelling and grammar
• Referencing:
– All in-text
referencing is correct – Harvard reference system
– Reference List is alphabetical and uses Harvard referencing system
– Length approximately 3000 words for the body of report (not including Title page, Executive summary, Table of contents,

TOTAL: /50

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS

Strategic Human Resource Management
Author/s : Jeffrey A. Mello Year : 2011
Edition : 3rd Publisher : Cengage Learning
City : Melbourne State : VIC
Country : Australia

Strategy and Human Resource Management
Author/s : Boxall, P. and Purcell, J Year : 2011
Edition : 3rd Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan
City : Basingstoke
Country : UK

Please do the following
Please write a BUSINESS REPORT that answer all the 3 questions,

Please consider the Marking criteria for Report

Please do the following Report structure:

.Title page,

.Executive summary, – Please describe 200Words-
– Use the company name HEINZ!!Focus on problems + solutions (Past tense)
Write one page about problems and solutions.
Fair Work
Implementation of strategic performance plan

Heinz don’t have the strategic performance plan
Solution; implementation of the strategic performance plan

.Table of contents,

1. Introduction – Please describe the case 200Words- Provide context – Definitions: – Performance Management and Performance Appraisal

1.1. Background: 120 Words

1.2. Aim – What the paper is doing, Analise the case and provide recommendations to HEINZ Australia 60 Words

1.3. Scope 60 Words

.Analysis & Discussion Body – (Need headings)
Analysis and applications underneath of each principal heading and before the subheadings
Please in the body write 2110words

Conclusion: 80words
Reinforce your argument – Why? – Must be supported in the body of your report

Recommendations(suggestions): – Please write 170words
The recommendation is for HEINZ must be aligned with what Heinz … and to put two keys of recommendations: – 1) Implementation Balance Score Card System; 2) To recruit a lawyer… Ex: Heinz should implement …
The problem with Heinz they don’t have the…
Heinz had a brech….

Reccommendations should be in dot points. Ex: How do they do in the future. Action list/action Words: – Implementation, development, measure.
Put in dot points : Implementation, Development and Training

Reference list

*Please: see/use this site as well.: www.fwc.gov.au
.Unfair Dismissal – Guide 1 Overview of the Unfair Dismissal Laws
Website: Fair Work Commission Unfair Dismissal-Guide 1
To mention that: “What is unfair dismissal? – The employee was dismissed, and the dismissal was harsh, unjust or unreasonable, and…

HRM Systems needs to use:
Performance – R.O.I.
Balance Score Card
H.R. Score card
Performance drivers
How the organization access
Performance Management: – How to inspire & encourage performance;
– Legal consideration: Fair Work Act *
How the market forces influence the companies, Ex: management performance, Low cost
Strategic alignment

Key Word : Performance Management – Chapter 10 (Pag 357-360)

Topics: managing Individual performance

Development of a plan
Low score of his annual Review
Annual performance review
Book to be used: Kramar, R. Bartram, T., De Cieri, H., Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. & Wright, p.m. 2014, Human Resources management, McGraw Hill Education, Sydney.
Please find some hints below:
Different approaches, organizational context/perspective – Framework – Plan for report.
Pag. 357 chapter 10 Performance Management see table 10.8 examples of performance feedback, etc
Pag 358 – HEINZ – What is required, when is? – see: “Encourage the subordinate to participate in the session”
.Heinz did not had opportunity to solve the problem…. They did not meet the criteria… ”Focus on solving problems”
.Critical to use all to analyse in this framework – What… “ Focus feedback on behaviour or results, not on the person” ; “Minimise criticism”
. Was not even part of the plan – to use the dot points “Agree to specific goals and set a date to review progress”
Pag 359 .Is marginal performance team… “ Managing the performance of marginal performers”
Figure 10.9 Ways to manage employees performance….(Motivation and ability)
03 keys areas: – Organizational context, Individual context and strategic performance management.
Pag 360 . Context in legal environment, read for context envolved with performance ”Managing the performance of Teams”
Pag 360 . Read how management… ”Developing & Implementing a system that follows legal guidelines”
Pag 362 ”How leaders kill meaning at work”
Pag 363 ”Use of Technology for performance management: Electronic monitoring”

Pag 496 part4 Rewarding people – key Word: Performance Management –
Put in the Recommendations: – strategic, HR, fits in organization “Programs”
Page 497 – Chapter 14 – Performance-related pay: Put at recommendations : Implementations: See: Table 14.1 Programs that are used for recognising individual employee contributions” (merit pay, Incentive pay, Profit sharing(Align & Middle management) and Ownership (strategic Position)
Encourage performance, increase,
Pag 506 Part4 Rewarding people – “Balance Scorecard”
Pag 510 Part4 Rewarding people – “Process & Context Issues” P.S.: (is the focus)” – Using performance for competitive advantage, to describe, suggest the way
Pag 511 -Chapter 14 Performance Related Pay – “Employee Participation Decision Making (Agency Theory…) ; Communication; Pay & Process: Intertwined effects”
Pag 512 Part4 Rewarding people -Chapter 14 Performance Related Pay – “Organization Strategy & Compensation Strategy: A question of Fit”
Pag 513 -Chapter 14 Performance Related Pay – “Table 14.7 – Matching Pay Strategy & Organization Strategy” ; managing for Globalization –Rewards for HR”

Question 1: Employee feedback -. Vision; Organization Strategy = How we get work done
3key area: Performance management, strategic management and …
“…. of strategic performance management” (WHY?)
What is strategic Management? How….
Answer: How the performance management approach is not strategic (related with the 3 areas of core course concept.

Question 2: “Individual Performance = How the individual contributes to the organizational performance.
“…on strategic H.R.Management & Organizational Performances “ (The measures are not individual, unreliables because no everybody performance is the some
Performance management strategy = How we measure our success at getting work done. (departments and executive performance)
Individual performance = How the individuals contribute to the organizational performance?

To suggest is not right context. Bridge of trust. Employee voice.
To acknowledge Fair Work and legality to all situation
Use Headings:
-Expectancy Theory,
-Temporal Theory,
-legality Theory,
– Contingency Theory

Question 3: Organization strategy/Performance Management Strategy = How we measure our success at getting work done.
Recommendation: – How to Implement a Performance Strategy
How you make it happen? Check Theories , find and Give recommendations
How to Implement a Performance Strategy? Check Theories , find and Give recommendations
Strategic HRM (Use Headings to answer questions because can overlap)

Is organization itself.

Hints: HRM system need to use and then link with Theories.

.Link Theory (Recommend different ways to manage Power management)
. To make assumptions
Support Heinz (is not happy with performance, how to manage)
Each question is about the case – Scenario to apply the theory. Apply Theory in the case. Don’t need to be in order. Watch over description, repetitive.
.To do the plan with headings don’t need to put Q1, 2, 3.
.Use core course heading in the report.
Description of scenario and application of theory. Each question- plan-report.
.Look the scenario & Theories
. Look all relevant Theories
Topic: managing Individual performance; performance management, etc

 

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