For: ATHE Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management

ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management

Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment

Assignment Scenario

You are a manager in the HR department of an established multi-national manufacturing

company EasiClean plc., which manufactures soaps and detergents. You report directly to
the People Director. The organisation has been in existence for almost 100 years and has
seen significant change during this period. Changes have included extension of the product
range, investment in research and technology to support operations and logistics, and the
diversification to paper-based products such as baby wipes. In addition, the company has
embraced the sustainability agenda and managed global expansion so that it now operates
in 15 countries. It has also acquired subsidiaries which focus on beauty products.

This is a challenging business environment with keen competition from organisations such
as Procter and Gamble and Unilever. In her letter to shareholders at the time of the last
annual report, the CEO made it clear that the company needs to improve and will have to
streamline and strengthen the product portfolio. Productivity will need to improve but with a
focus on managing costs and operating to budgetary constraints. There needs to be a
general raising of performance to consistently deliver balanced growth.

The Human Resources Department will play a key role in delivering this efficiency agenda
and a strategic human resource management strategy will need to be created. The People
Director has called a meeting of the managers in the department to discuss the implications
for this strategy. In preparation for the meeting, she has allocated tasks to individual
managers.

Task 1
You must produce a discussion paper for the meeting which:

• Analyses the effect of organisational structure and culture on organisational human

resource management strategies
• Assesses the importance of financial resources in the creation of a human resource
management strategy
Extension activities

To achieve a Merit, you must also include an additional section which analyses the impact of
legislation on human resource management strategies.

This can be an organisation of your choice; your colleagues will use it as an exemplar, and it
will facilitate discussion.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO1 AC 1.1, 1.2, 1M1

Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment v1.0 13/02/23

Task 2

Given the potential developments in the organisation, it is important to involve other staff at
an early stage in the change and development process. You have been asked to work with
the more junior staff in HR to help them understand how the department will contribute to the
achievement of the organisation’s strategic plans.

Produce a presentation and accompanying notes for a training workshop which:

• Analyses the different models of strategic human resource management

• Explains how human resource management contributes to the achievement of the
organisation’s strategic plans.
• Assesses the factors to be considered when preparing human resource management
strategies
• Evaluates the key elements of a human resource management strategy

Extension activities

To achieve a Merit, you must also include:

• An evaluation of the different models of preparing strategic human resource

management plans for an organisation

• An analysis of how internal and external factors impact on the elements of human
resources management strategies

To achieve a Distinction, you must also evaluate the model used by an organisation in the
development of its HR strategy. (You may use an organisation of your choice as a working
example.)

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO2 AC 2.1, 2.2, 2M1

LO3 AC 3.1, 3.2 , 3M1, 3D1

Task 3

Your line manager wishes to model good practices in development of the new strategic
human resource management strategy and plans for your organisation. She has asked you
to develop a strategy that can be used as an example when working with the rest of the
team so that good practice can be modelled. You must:

• Develop a strategic human resource management strategy for an organisation of

your choice
• Explain how your proposed human resources management strategy will support
achievement of the business objectives for this organisation

Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment v1.0 13/02/23

Extension activities

To achieve a Distinction, you must also include an assessment of the potential barriers to
the implementation of your human resource management strategy.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

LO4 AC 4.1, 4.2, 4D1

Note: When citing sources of information that you have used, provide a reference using an
appropriate format, e.g., Harvard.

Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment v1.0 13/02/23

Guidelines for assessors

The assignment submitted by learners must achieve the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by the assessment cr iteria for the
unit. To achieve a merit or distinction grade, the learners must demonstrate that they have achieved all the criteria set for these gr ades. Where
work for the pass standard is marginal, assessors can take account of any extension work completed by the learners. The suggested evidence
listed below is how learners can demonstrate that they have met the required standards. The command verbs contained within the AC are
highlighted in bold in the suggested evidence boxes.

Task LOs and AC Suggested evidence Suggested additional Suggested additional

number PASS evidence MERIT evidence DISTINCTION
1. LO1 AC1.1 In the discussion paper, the learner must 1M1 The analysis of the
AC 1.1, 1.2 produce a detailed analysis which carefully impact of legislation must
1M1 considers the effect of the structure and culture of identify the different pieces
organisations on HR strategies. The learner of legislation and consider
should use examples to illustrate the points which their impact on human
are made. resource management
strategies.
AC1.2 The assessment must be balanced and
the impact of financial constraints should be
considered alongside other potential issues.

2. LO2 AC2.1 In the presentation, the learner must refer 2M1 The evaluation of 3D1 The learner must
AC 2.1, 2.2 to a range of models and the analysis must the different models of produce an evaluation for a
2M1 examine each theory in detail, showing how they preparing strategic human named organisation. The
are related to practice. resources management information should be
LO3 plans for a named considered from different
AC 3.1, 3.2 AC2.2 The explanation must clearly show the organisation must be perspectives and lead to
3M1, 3D1 relationship between HR management and balanced. The learner reasoned judgments.
strategic plans and the contribution made by HR should examine the
strategies. strengths and weaknesses
and/or the similarities and
AC3.1 The assessment should refer to a range of differences between the
factors that need to be considered when preparing models and make
human resource management strategies and this judgements.
must lead to balanced judgements.
Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment v1.0 13/02/23
 3M1 The analysis must
AC3.2 The evaluation should consider the key refer to a range of internal
elements of a human resource management and external factors and
strategy examining each one in turn and their show their potential
relative importance and impact. The evaluation impact. The learner should
must lead to balanced personal judgements. use examples to illustrate
the points which are
made.

3. LO4 AC4.1 The learner must develop a strategic 4D1 The learner must identify
AC 4.1, 4.2 human resource management strategy for a a range of potential barriers to
4D1 named organisation. The learner is advised to use implementation, assessing
an SME, the college/centre where they study or an each of these in turn and the
organisation they know well personally. In this issues posed. The learner
way, the strategy and the linked explanation will be should identify examples from
manageable in the context of the assignment. The actual organisations to
learner will need tutor guidance to inform their illustrate the points which are
decision on the chosen organisation. made.

AC4.2 The learner needs to explain how the

proposed human resource management strategy
will support achievement of specific business
objectives and consider the information and
research that has been completed for the other
tasks in this assignment.

Unit 13 Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment v1.0 13/02/23