Report on Employment Relations

This assessment item relates to course learning outcomes numbers, 1, 2, 3 and 4 as stated in the course
profile.
Purpose
The primary purpose of this assessment is to assist students develop skills in use of human resource
management (HRM) principles, theories and models in the analysis of HR practices in organisational
issues related to employment relations. The assignment requires students to analyse the current
situation, identify organisational issues and suggest practical solutions related to the organisation’s
employment relations management. The second purpose is to give students the opportunity to further
develop skills related to research, analysis, critical thinking, problem identification and academic
writing.
Before starting this assessment, please read the marking criteria (at the end of this document) and refer
to http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/28578/5ReportWriting.pdf for the guidelines
regarding writing academic reports.
The Moodle course website also provides useful information in regard to the development of this
assessment task. You should always check the course website for course-specific instructions, which
may be updated continuously.
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, models 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 human
resource management.
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Details
The assessment item is based on the case study titled Constructive Relations at Top Trucking
Company (pp. 169-170) of the textbook: Human Resource Management in Australia (5th Ed., 2014)
by Kramar, Bartram, De Cieri, Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart & Wright, McGraw-Hill Australia). For
your convenience, scanned copy of the case is located in Moodle site. You should read, and
carefully analyse, the case and respond to the issues presented in, and hidden behind, the case scenario
within the context of a professionally developed business report. You are required to support your
arguments with appropriate theoretical discussion and references.
This assignment MUST be a properly constructed business report. It MUST contain headings and subheadings.
The introduction should introduce the report, thesis statement (main objectives of the
assignment) and include your argument. The main body of the assignment should present the evidence
you have collected to support your arguments for the questions you are required to research. The
conclusion section should restate your arguments, summarise the evidence and make a conclusion
from all previous discussions.
The assignment should contain a coherent, but necessarily restricted review of the academic literature
on HRM topics in question. The literature review should be integrated into the assignment and not be
a separate section. A reference list formatted in the prescribed Harvard style is compulsory. Further
information regarding formatting of assignments and other information is available at
http://www.cqu.edu.au/about-us/service-and-facilities/referencing
This assessment item involves researching your assigned topic to enhance your understanding of and
utilisation of academic literature. Whilst you should AVOID using only textbook, the prescribed
textbook for the course should be cited in regard to broad HRM principles. You will be expected to
present information and evidence from, and cite, at least twelve (12) relevant peer reviewed
journal articles (absolute minimum requirement). These do not include other academic references
such as books, conference papers, and book chapters and so on. Although you can cite these other
academic references in your report, they will not be counted as part of the 12 journal articles. Refer to
your recommended readings for examples of academic journals. While you can cite these
recommended references, it is expected that you find twelve (12) peer reviewed journal articles not
listed in the course materials. The quality and number of citations will demonstrate the breadth and
depth of the literature used to support your arguments. 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
discuss the topic.
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 also interested in the conclusions that you reach by evaluating the literature and the
case scenario.
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Tasks
Case Study: Constructive Relations at Top Trucking Company (Pages 169-170 of the textbook)
Based on the case scenario, answer the following questions in business format. You MUST answer
all questions listed here:
1. How do the new workplace practices introduced by the new yard manager complement one
another?
2. What are the risks to sustaining these changes if George or the yard manager moves on?
3. Do you think tough blue collar unions like the Transport Workers Union are more of less
likely to engage in workplace changes like these than public or service sector unions? Why?
How would you find out if you are right?