ASSESSMENT TASKS

Assessment 1: Essay [Individual]
Indicative Length: 1500 -2000 words
Weight: 15%
Due: Week 5

Please choose one of the two topics, and develop an academic essay.

Topic1
Is there a link between strategic human resource management practices and organisational performance? Discuss the key challenges facing researchers and practitioners.

Topic 2
Define and discuss the key components of High Performance Work Systems. How might they benefit organisational performance and what are some of the challenges in their application?

Your assignment should:
• Be in essay format
• Include 5 academic journal articles.
• Include relevant books, websites in addition to the journal articles.
• Summarize, synthesize, or critique your sources by discussing a common theme or issue.
• Provide background information, such as definitions and/or a history.

Criteria for Grading Written Work:
a. Planning (30%) – selecting and weighing relevant and reliable evidence, and structuring valid arguments based on that evidence showing discrimination in selecting key points and summarising the issues; a coherent, logical ‘flow’ of arguments from one point to the next
b. Content – Understanding (30%) – demonstrating a broad and deep knowledge of the substantive subject-matter, including but not limited to the set textbooks and readings, particularly those most relevant to the question: covering all major viewpoints relating to the set question
c. Content – Analysis (30%) – demonstrating your own independent and critical thinking in reaching conclusions (e.g., not merely ‘parroting’ arguments, or making untested assumptions, on matters open to dispute).
d. Referencing - (10%) accurate citation of references using the Harvard system.