1. Understand the role of HR in the managing of contemporary business issues and external contexts

2. Understand how organisational and HR strategies and practices are shaped and developed

3. Know how to identify and respond to short-term changes in the business and external contexts

You have been commissioned by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of an organisation to examine and report on the role of the HR function in managing the organisation and to demonstrate how the organisational and HR strategies are shaped and developed within it. You are also required to indicate how the organisation measures its performance in these areas and how it communicates this to managers and staff.

Your report is expected to cover the following issues:

- an identification and analysis of the major forces shaping the HR agenda within the organisation

- an examination of HR's roles within the organisation and the extent to which HR contributes to sound business ethics, effective accountability and organisational effectiveness

- a review of the organisation's business and HR strategies, incorporating SWOT and STEEPLE analyses, and a commentary on the extent to which there is vertical and horizontal integration of strategies within the organisation

- an assessment of how the organisation measures the effectiveness of these strategies and communicates them within the organisation, including the provision of costs where appropriate.