Business and Management : Human Resource Management (HR) Archives

“Exploring Legal Issues and Providing Recommendations: A Research Paper and Client Memorandum Project”

Title: Legal Analysis of Mascot Approval Applications for Scottsdale College, Mississippi Valley State, and Dartmouth University

The HRM Group Project
Groups of up to five (5) students will work together during the semester to write a business report.
In the first week groups must select their countries. Then each group must submit their written choice prior
to the beginning of class in the second week (Monday, February 19th). The group must, in addition,
provide the names and e-mail addresses of group members, a team name, and the countries and a short
summary of what the group plans to accomplish. A group draft should be emailed in a Word Doc format and
is due prior to the beginning of the class (8:00am) on Monday March 18th
.
The Final Report (Word Doc and PDF) and preliminary Presentation Power-point slides are due for
ALL G01 GROUPS on Monday April 28th prior to 8:00 am. There will be no late acceptances.
3
Each group MUST provide:
A written report with a maximum of 5,000 words (word count to be shown on front cover); (double spaced,
12 pt font, with two cm margins) not including the Executive Summary and Table of Contents, Appendix,
references, pictures, and cartoons; and an oral presentation of not more than 20 minutes in length.
3.1 Topic
1. Research, discuss and compare the similarities and differences in acceptable HRM laws, regulations,
importance and relevance, practices, and style from four (4) countries from four (4) different geographic
regions. For example, the report must cover: Government laws and regulations, performance evaluation
programs, job satisfaction, general HR policies, role of HR in Management and the Company, training,
employee selection, retention, discipline, termination, pay structures and other relevant aspects. There can
be no duplication in countries between groups, so first come first obtained.
The written report and oral presentation should be insightful, creative, conclusive, and professionally
completed.
Use, at a minimum, 40 references no older than 4 years (note: data prior to 2020, other than to indicate trends or form
historical notes is not acceptable)
Show and note all references both in text and at the end of the report
Your group needs to include specific examples and demonstrate insight and creativity
Use of charts, graphs, pictures, cartoons, tables, timely graphics related to topic are expected in all papers
Ensure the report flows – build bridges between the separated topics of research
Ensure the sections are all researched and approached in a similar manner
The evaluation will be determined using the following criteria.
Written report:
thoroughness of research
depth/breadth of analysis
practical value
creativity of research and report
form/style of report
blending of report
attention to report details
logic of recommendations and conclusion
Reports are required to be fully referenced within the body of the report and with a complete bibliography of
sources. A minimum bibliography should have at least 40 separate major reference sources from which
multiple selections can be used. (Refer to the Written Marking Sheet)
Human Resource Management, Spring 2024
Final Project Draft
Fodor Vivien, Brattengeier Dorka, Juhász Luca, Domján Lala, Denysenko Anastasiia
Selected countries: Greece, Jamaica, Canada, India
Work division:
Introduction, comparison, summary — Vivien
Greece — Luca
Jamaica — Lala
Canada — Dorka
India — Ana
Contents on the project as for March 16th, 2024:
Legal and Regulatory Environment:
an overview of each nation’s applicable legal frameworks, employment laws, and labor laws
employment agreements, dismissal policies
rights of employees that are exclusive to a given country
Cultural Context:
exploration of HRM being is impacted by cultural norms, values, and traditions in every nation.
comprehension of cultural differences
exploration of frameworks such as Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.
attitudes on power, hierarchy in the workplace in every country
Workforce Demographics:
demographics of the population, such as the distribution of ages, genders, and levels of education
rates of labor force participation and patterns of unemployment
factors related to diversity, including language, religion, and ethnicity
Recruitment and Selection:
the recommended routes and strategies for recruitment vary by country
cultural norms and legal constraints that impact hiring procedures in every country
the selection criteria (such as educational prerequisites and skill evaluations)
HR Technology and Innovation:
adoption of HR technologies, such as HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems)
incorporating analytics, AI, and automation into HR procedures
You are writing and completing a Business Report. This differs from a thesis and a normal “paper” in how it is written and presented. There is NO Argument or Thesis Statement. Instead address the specific task and provide valuable information and direction as outlined in the Topic selected. Imagine the Report is being written for the CEO of a company and is being used to set strategic and/or tactical direction involving millions of dollars.

1. Ensure you read and understand the specifics of the Topic’s requirements – including number or countries, the actual topic parameters and expectations
2. The results and analysis MUST be Country specific to those countries you have selected = do not just provide generic and superficial information and data
3. The companies are fictitious – do not waste space on a detailed company description
4. The Report requires a “creative” Cover Page and Title (also the word count) – “sell” the content of the Report early with the cover
5. The first page (Page 1) of a report is not the cover – it is the page with the Introduction
• Number individual pages with a page number
• The cover DOES NOT have a page number and is considered to be “zero” (0)
6. There must be an Executive Summary at the beginning of the Report presenting and wrapping up the important points in one or two pages
• This is normally the only part of the Report a busy CEO or Manager will read
• It is NOT an introduction!!!
• Written once the Report has been completed and contains the MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION from within the Report
7. There MUST BE an Appendix for the Report to receive a passing mark
• An Appendix is used to provide value-added information and support to the Report
• It must increase the Report’s impact and value – it is NOT a place to put charts, pictures and graphs
8. A Table of Contents is required and ensures the Headings and Sun-headings match the actual page numbers.
• Learn to use Word’s Table of Contents builder as a poor Table of Contents gives a bad impression and it is carried forward to the report and FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT
• It must tell the “story” of the Report as well as a road map
9. The first page of the Report is the page containing the Introduction – all pages prior to this must be numbered differently – such as “i”, “ii”
10. Use Headings and Sub-heading to help the reader navigate through the report.
• Keep them short; capitalize the first letter in each word in Headings and Sub-headings
• Sections should have similar headings and subheadings
• There must be text following every heading and subheading, DO NOT just place the heading or subheading on the page
11. There must be a section of Recommendations and this comes prior to the Conclusion
• These must be practical, relevant, actionable and provide value
• Do not use “could” instead use “should” or “should not” or “must”; be bold in your recommendations
12. There must be a Conclusion and this follows the Recommendations Section
• cannot introduce new material in conclusion,e information needs to be in the report first;
13. Reference section; must start on its own page and follow the Harvard accepted style
• Ensure the required number of references are sighted and used correctly, failure to use the required number of references WILL NEGATIVELY impact your mark
14. Since the Report is limited in the number of words, reduce the amount of “filler” (useless facts used to fill space with no relevance to the report)
• keep the information relevant, informative and to-the-point
• do not use “flowery” words – this is not a story or work of fiction – it is a Business Report
15. Build bridges between the sections within the Report and ensure the sections are similar in layout and the type of information provided
16. Define, define, define, define, define define!!!!
• Be specific and quantitative; do not use terms such as “some”, “a lot”, “huge”, “large”, “poor”, “significant”, “higher”, “big” as these have no relevance in global business and these are all lazy words and provide no real insight into the issues
• Use dates instead of “today”, “as of now”, “currently” or other descriptive terms
• Use real numbers to define quantitative items – this will help add to your references
o “Company will need a significant increase (define what is significant) in production of their goods”
• Write out numbers from one to ten (1 to 10) and then place the actual number in ( ) following the written number
o Three (3) – the word comes first followed by the number in ()
• Verify ALL numbers from at least two (2) independent sources to ensure you are using a correct fact
• Other examples of what NOT to do
o “turnover of the business sector in Finland over the past year”…. (what year, is it 2015 or 2013 since using a 2014 quote) – crucial to give specific dates
o “In 2012 the female ratio was 22% in the Board of Directors, compared to today’s 31%. (City Group, 2013)” CANNOT write “today’s” here as the reference is from 2013 not from 2016 when the report was written
• What is defined as “doing the right research”? Companies do not want to do the “wrong research” although it does happen because the terms and specifics are not known or made clear
17. When referring to a specific company and use the word “company” to refer to that specific company within your report be sure to use a capital “C” = Company
18. Do not just state a series of facts and expect the report to be valid
o You must value-add and tie the facts into their relevance to what it is you are attempting to convey within the Report
o The facts MUST be specific to the Country – do not just use general terms
19. Be Creative in your report
20. Do not personalize the report
o do not use “I, we, me, us, you” a report is written in the “third person”
o must be written gender neutral – use employee instead of “him” or “her”
21. Report MUST be consistent throughout its entirety any changes or deviation makes the report look as if more than one person wrote it and looses creditability
22. Examples of unacceptable submissions
• using “USD” and then changing to “US$” and then back to “USD” – use only US$
• font changes in type and style due to copy and paste – this includes the References and Appendix sections too
• THIS IS POOR AND SHOWS LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND DETRACTS FROM THE REPORT
23. Never use pen or pencil to make corrections or add to the finished Report or any material submitted for review
24. Proof read the final report for spelling, sentence structure, content and presentation. Mistakes have a negative affect on the report and raises questions about the Report’s entire integrity, worth and value
• Using spell checker does not catch all spelling mistakes or the wrong word spelt correctly
• spelling mistakes indicate sloppiness, a lack of caring and an unprofessional approach to your work
• do not randomly repeat information within the Report
25. Make statements and add value DO NOT ask questions when writing the report; you are intended to answer and address the situation with valuable insight and direction
26. In a business report you do not write the same way as you talk
27. Companies are “its” – people are “their” – when referring to companies use the term “it” or “its” or the company name; the term “management” should be used instead of, “their”, “them”
28. The Report MUST incorporate visuals into the report
• Pictures, charts, graphs, cartoons and maps MUST be in Report not the Appendix
o Products, examples, use visuals instead of words to describe
• Do not just drop these on the page, incorporate them within the page and text – take pride in your work
• Need to add a text box and attach to images,
• The text box explains the visual
o Figure 1: and name of the visual or use “Map 1:_____”; “Image 1______”
• Create and use a timeline for a series of chronological events
o This adds value and save words while increasing the impact of the Report
• Use maps to show locations, reach and proximity to other locations or events
o Do not use words – save them for better use and value in the Report
• Examples
o …. number of different cereal brands, such as “Cheerios”…. a great place for picture or illustration of product to add value and insight
29. Learn how to write proper sentences
• Sentences can not be a paragraph in length
• One thought = one sentence
• Long sentences weaken the report and make it difficult to follow and understand
• Can not start a sentence with a number
• Make statements short and to the point for impact;
• Changing the length of sentences, combining shorter and longer sentences within paragraphs, helps deliver a stronger and more interesting Report
30. Spell words completely
• Write words in full never use short and apostrophes (use cannot instead of can’t)
• Abbreviations and short form are a sign of laziness and lack of professionalism
31. There MUST be paragraph breaks on the page not just one long line of text!!!!
32. All currency MUST be designated with a country designation. All currency must be converted to either US$ or euro and the date and conversion rate provided
• An example – 5,000HUF (US$20.00 August 8, 2018)
33. References must be presented in Harvard style
• Although 40 references are the minimum a well researched and written report is expected to have at least 60 different references
• Reports in the past have achieved 50 to 80 relevant references and incorporated them effectively into the report
• The Reports MUST incorporate the references – do not just pad the reference section
34. The Reports MUST use current (2022) information
• Any information more than four (4) years old can ONLY be used for historical providence or to show a trend
• Example of what NOT to do from actual 2017 Reports
o “The USSR trades…..” the USSR no longer exists in 2017!
o “It is defined as process where women with a child earn less than single female workers (Murphy, 2009)”. This was in 2009 (date is already useless unless for historical purposes) is this still true in 2017 and what proof can be offered
35. Write actively
• Remove and do not use “which” and “that” as a filler
• Read the sentence without the “that” and if it makes sense then it was not required
• Use action words to replace the passive use of “that” and “which”
• When used appropriately “That” refers to things and companies, and “which” refers to people or places
36. If you are using the “Synonyms” option to change words you MUST ensure the new word fits correctly in the sentence and provides the same meaning as the word replaced
• An example of a poorly replaced word
o “Morgan Stanley has evaluated the effect at a granular business line” was Google translated or synonym used to replace “molecular level”, the original term in the quote
37. Write positively – remove “not only” and rewrite the sentence
• Use a positive tense – do not use “not so”, “not just”, “not only”, “not be”; as an example – “persuading people not just to visit the park one time but come back again” should be written as “persuading people to visit the park numerous times” or “persuading people to visit the park more than once”
38. Always write the term out in full the first time it appears in a Report, therefore “Promote GMO’s” should be “Promote Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)” when used the first time in the Report
39. When comparing two or more facts ensure to use the same measure
• “. . .represent twenty-five percent (25%) of the UK population compared to the 17 million people in…..” be consistent – so either give a total population number at the beginning so the reader knows what 25% represents or give a percentage number after the 17 million

Assignment Instructions
La Gustocoffee is an Italian coffee bar chain specialising in organic high quality coffees and French pastries. Its unique stance on ethically sourced delicious products have made it a big hit in Europe where it also has stores across the UK, France and Spain. La Gustocoffee is looking to break into the Asian market and is planning to open its first stores in Shanghai and Beijing (China).
As before, the new stores will operate in a very similar way to operations in Italy (HQ), with the same product line in order to retain their individuality and unique ethical selling point. A General Manager (PCN) has been identified and is available to be flown over to China in the first instance from Italy, but the company require more advice on staffing policy and whether to hire local staff for management positions (as well as at barista level).
The company has approached you, as an experienced HR consultant, to advise them about key HRM considerations for establishing their business in China. Your report should address the following key areas and make clear your reasons for recommendations:
What are the main challenges that La Gustocoffee will encounter setting up China?
Answers will debate:
a.   The key cultural differences between Italy and China and how this may impact HRM and managerial practice.
b.   The most effective IHRM staffing strategy to adopt (citing appropriate models)
c. The difficulties expatriates (PCN’s & TCN’s) specifically may face adapting in China and ideas to overcome these.
d.     Discuss ethical issues which may be relevant for a European MNC setting up in China, with a specific focus on ‘migrant workers’, decent work (ILO) and reward.
This case study assignment should be undertaken as an individual piece of work. As it is an academic piece of work you must support your analysis, arguments and recommendations by referencing from published material (academic text books, peer reviewed journals and appropriate media). APA reference style must be used.
Assignments should be in report format (i.e with a contents page, sections, subsections, a clear introduction, a conclusion, comprehensive referencing and bibliography).
Recommended Structure:
1.     Abstract/Executive summary (word count not included)
2.     Introduction (approx.300 words)
3.     Discussion (approx.3000-3500 words)
4.     Conclusion (approx.300 words)
5.     Recommendations. (approx.300 words) (Acceptable to bullet point these).
6.     Reference List (word count not included)
7.      Appendices (word count not included)

Word length should be approximately 4,500 words (+/- 10%). This does not include appendices, bibliography or any supporting tables/graphs.
Other texts/articles which you may find useful for both the assignment in addition to the reading given within the units. NB: this is not essential reading but a supplementary suggestion to help with expanding your viewpoints in certain areas. Please also conduct your own research.
Chan C K-C & Hui E S-L (2012) ‘The Dynamics and Dilemma of workplace trade union reform in China: The case of Honda workers’ strike. Journal of Industrial Relations. 54:653
Chan J, Pun N & Selden M (2013) ‘The politics of global production: Apple, Foxconn and China’s new working class’. New Technology, Work and Employment, 28:2, pp100.
Chan J (2013) ‘ A suicide survivor: The life of a Chinese worker’. New Technology, Work and Employment. 28:2,pp84.
Friedman E (2012) ‘Getting through the hard times together? Chinese workers and Unions Respond to the Economic crisis’. Journal of Industrial Relations. 54:459.
Leopold, J., Harris, L., and Watson, T. (eds) (2007) The Strategic Managing of Human Resources, Harlow, Financial Times/Pitman Publishing.
Mendenhall, M., Punnett, B. and Ricks, D. (1995) Global Management, 1st Edition, Blackwell, Oxford.
Malcolm Warner (2010): ‘In search of Confucian HRM: theory and practice in
Greater China and beyond’. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21:12, pp2053-2078

“Navigating Change: A Case Study of a Small to Mid-Size Publicly Traded Company”

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