Step 1: Business Strategy

Consider yourself the human resource manager of the organisation you are looking at.

Begin by describing the organisation. Develop a profile of the organisation. What is the organisation's core business product(s)? Undertake a PESTEL/STEEPLED analysis and describe the business environment in which the organisation operates. What are the external threats and opportunities confronting the organisation? Describe the organisation's goals. Then, taking these into account, develop a statement of business strategy.

Step 2. Design HR Strategy

Consider the implications of this business strategy for the HR systems. Think about the internal characteristics of the organisation. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Most importantly for this set of assessment items, think about the organisation's staff, their skills, the people management system. Think about how HR can add value. Taking into account the business strategy, develop a statement of HR strategy - the broad features of a people management strategy for the organisation that uses HR policies and practices to better achieve the organisation's goals. Outline the ways in which HR can help the organisation achieve these business goals. In addition, consider ways in which HR can be a source of strategic advantage.

Step 3: Delivery of HR Strategy

Next, consider the areas of HR activity covered in the course. What specific HR policies and practices will be needed to implement the HR strategy? Your task here is to convert the overall plan of the HR strategy into distinct HR activities. The policies should be explicitly linked to the HR strategy.

These steps fit neatly into the model associated with Week 2's work.

Assignment 2 - A - is concerned with steps 1 and 2
Assignment 3 - B - is concerned with steps 2 and 3 but needs some recognition of Step 1.
Assignment 4 is Steps 1, 2 and 3.

So, there will be overlap between Assignments 2 and 3.

Business strategy drives the whole process: business strategy is what the business wants to do; the HR strategy is the HR response to what the business strategy needs to do; and the HR practices are the tangible form that the HR strategy takes to better support the business strategy.

(ii) Yes, as you deem necessary. The word count is - as noted earlier - an artefact and should be ignored. Each powerpoint is to be ten pages of content plus one page at the beginning and at the end as outlined in the course outline. You just need to make the relevant dotpoints to convey your message.