Critical Comparison of HRM Information Sources for Improved Organizational Performance

The assignment asks students to provide a critical comparison of two sources of information on how Human Resource Management (HRM) benefits organisational performance. The first source is an academic article by Tung-Chun, and the second source is a non-academic digital source. Students are required to choose one digital source from a list provided, and use APA6 referencing system. The presentation should be short, crisp, and evidence-based, and withstand challenge. The task is worth 10% of the total mark in the subject.

Assessment item 1
Critical evaluation of information sources
Value: 10%
Length: 1000 words +/- 10%
Submission method options
Alternative submission method
Task
This task must be attempted by all students.
In Topic 1, Israel Tobin, CERA’s HR Manager, has been asked to prepare a short, crisp
presentation for his executive management team colleagues on how HR benefits organisational
performance. This is a ‘moment of truth’ for Israel and for the company. CERA is an SME
whose executives have a limited understanding of the strategic role of HRM. So, it is important
for Israel to base his presentation on information that is persuasive, evidence-based and can
withstand challenge.
Your task is to provide a critical comparison of two sources of information
that will contribute to explaining the role of HRM in effective organizational
performance. Select the academic source by Tung-Chun, above, and locate
one non-academic, digital source that you believe is useful in explaining to the
CERA executive team how HRM benefits business performance.
Your task is to provide a critical comparison of two sources of information that will contribute to
explaining the role of HRM in effective organisational performance.
Rationale
This assessment task will enable you to demonstrate your achievement of the following learning
outcome in the subject:
• be able to critically evaluate the role of human resource management in effective organisational
performance
Marking criteria
201690 HRM 502 Marking guide – Assessment 1
Criterion and
weighting
High distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail
Critical
comparison of two
sources relating to
Critical thought is
applied to the
comparison of
Identifies the
implications of
the differences
Correctly analyses
the differences
between the two
Correctly
identifies several
differences
Poor quality
answer that
contains little or

the role of HRM
in effective org.
performance (7
marks)
sources, having
regard to the
purpose to which
the information is
being put. The
paper demonstrates
depth in evaluation
of sources.
between the two
sources, and
demonstrates
critical thought in
doing so.
sources and is able
to demonstrate how
this is relevant to the
information task.
between the two
sources, but some
inaccuracies or
errors in
judgment. These
are linked to the
information task,
but there are
several gaps.
no substantiation
of claims. (< 3.5)
Referencing (3
marks)
(Minimum
referencing
requirement: three
sources, including
one academic
source.)
Correct use of the
APA 6 system for
in-text citations
and references.
Minor errors in
use of
punctuation and
italics in
applying the
APA 6 system
for in-text
citations and
references.
Errors in providing
correct details of
sources in applying
the APA 6 system
for in-text citations
and references.
Errors in
punctuation and
details of sources
in applying the
APA 6 system.
Fails to apply the
APA6 system in
all or most in-text
citations and
references. (<
2.5).
Presentation
• Use sentences and paragraphs, with an introduction and conclusion.
• A table may be used.
• 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing.
• Title page showing the word count (excluding the reference list), name, student number, subject
title.
• Numbered pages, with a running header showing name and student number.
• Provide a reference list of sources used in the paper.
Requirements
 This assignment must be submitted through Turnitin.
 Use only two information sources, as specified in the task.
 Do not use appendices or footnotes.
 Use the APA 6 referencing system.
 Do not number or dot point the reference list.
For this asessment APA referencing format is required. For guidance in the use of this
referencing please see the CSU Referencing website at
http://student.csu.edu.au/study/referencing-at-csu
Additional information to assist you with your assignment can be found here
http://student.csu.edu.au/study/skills/guidesandtips/writing-at-uni

Assessment 1 - Information sources business presentation (800-
1000 words, +/- 10%. See due date in the Study Schedule.)
This task must be attempted by all students. It is worth 10% of the total mark in
the subject.
Israel Tobin, CERA’s HR Manager, has been asked to prepare a "short, crisp
presentation" for his colleagues on the executive management team on how HR
benefits organisational performance. This is a ‘moment of truth’ for Israel and
for the company. CERA is an SME whose executives have a limited
understanding of the strategic role of HRM. So, it is important for Israel to base
his presentation on valid and reliable information that will be persuasive,
evidence-based and can withstand challenge
Your task is to provide a critical comparison of two sources of
information that will contribute to explaining the role of HRM in
effective organisational performance. Select the academic source
by Tung-Chun, above, and locate one non-academic, digital
source that you believe is useful in explaining to the CERA
executive team how HRM benefits business performance.
Here are some possible non-academic sources of HRM information:
www.hrmonline. http://www.hrmonline.com.au/
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/
HC online: http://www.hcamag.com/
HR Leadership Council for midsized companies:
https://www.cebglobal.com/public/hr-midsized/home.html
When I work (HRM blogs): http://wheniwork.com/blog/top-10-human-

resources-bloggers-you-must-follow/
Cite and reference the sources that you use.
Upload your work in a Word document (not Pages, or rtf or pdf) to Turnitin. Do
not use appendices or footnotes. Use dot point sentences. Avoid lengthy direct
quotes. Use the APA6 referencing system to write your citations and reference
list. Answers that exceed the word count may not be fully marked. A marking
guide for this assessment task can be found in your Subject Outline. The due
date is shown in the study Schedule link on the Interact2 site.
CERA WEBSITE: https://doms.csu.edu.au/csu/file/677decc2-6646-404b-8e59-
8920a739d262/1/CERA%20.zip/CERA%20/index.html
Israel Tobin Profile
My name is Israel Tobin, HR Manager at CERA. I remember that meeting like it just
happened a moment ago; even though it’s been about a week now. Mark French is my
CEO, a quiet, serious man. Just under six feet tall (excuse the old school
measurement), slightly tanned from his soft European heritage, with a solid build and
piercing, dark eyes. Mark cuts an imposing figure in the corridors of CERA, located in a
pretty swank office block at Sydney Olympic Park. He is well known, liked and
respected in the civil engineering industry in Australia. Even his critics would say that he
is a visionary leader - a formidable CEO.
We were in an executive team meeting. The meeting had been going for just over two
hours - strategy, operational plans, financials, trouble spots with projects, the usual
things. People were getting a bit tired, and I wished we could have had a break before I
was up. We’d only just started to talk about my plans for the HR function at CERA.
Mark was getting frustrated with my pitch that we needed an HR group that engaged
with the strategy of the business; not just keypad-pushers who did admin stuff and
occasionally punched out some data for the executive team’s deliberations. I remember
seeing the eyebrows raise and the brows furrow amongst the others on the team when I
said this. I’d have to say that was really the first time it hit me.
Mark and the other executives at CERA had some idea of what HR was about; but
maybe their ideas were a little dated, if not out of whack altogether. I suppose I should
have known. I’d been hired by a recruiter, and had only met Mark for about half an hour
before my start date. Didn’t really have a chance to talk about HR very much. The good
thing, though, was that I reported directly to Mark, not through Susumu Takada, the
Manager, Finance, Legal and Administration, or one of the engineering executives. That
was a plus, yes, but I knew I had my work cut out for me.

Since joining the company just about six months ago much of my time has been spent
fighting fires, like getting people’s pay sorted, placing ads for vacant positions, arranging
some information sessions for managers on the Fair Work Act, putting together PDs for
my own team and going through the staffing processes.
This was really the first time that I’d had a chance to talk about my perceptions of HR in
front of the whole executive team, and it was not going well. I could see the colour rising
in Mark’s face. At first, he looked down, not saying anything. (Calm before the storm, as
I was to find out.) But, as I kept talking about strategy, metrics, and two-way linkages
between HR and the corporate planning process, I could feel the tension in the air.
Then, the outburst; and there was silence....
I was given a week to prepare “a short, crisp presentation” about how my HR function
would make a difference to the performance of CERA