Professional Development and Ethics Report: Retail Sector

This report details a student's professional development plan, focusing on a career in human resource management within the retail sector. The report begins with a self-introduction and outlines the student's background and experience, including group projects and leadership roles. It then provides a 'big picture' overview, emphasizing the opportunities within business administration, particularly in the expanding retail industry. The report includes a PEST analysis, examining political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological factors relevant to the retail sector. The student sets specific career goals, including multilingual flexibility and technological proficiency, aiming for a senior HR management position. The report also discusses professional values, ethics, and social responsibility, emphasizing equal treatment, ethical considerations, and the importance of organizational acts and legislation. The plan highlights the need for diversity management and employee training, providing a comprehensive approach to professional growth in the field.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ETHICS
Professional Development and Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
This particular study has focused to make an effective learning and development plan after
involving within a particular business organization. Being a student of business administration I
have gone through several phases where I have developed my personality on how to manage the
entire team. I have observed that retail business sector in the current business scenario is
flourishing its market demand. Therefore, I would like to develop my professional career as an
efficient human resource manager of retail business organizations. However, in order to develop
my professional skill and competency I have made an effective professional development
program in this particular study.

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Table of Contents
1. Self-Introduction:........................................................................................................................3
2. Big-picture:..................................................................................................................................4
3. Industry-specific Megatrends and Challenges.............................................................................5
4. Goals:...........................................................................................................................................7
5. Professional Values, Ethics and Social Responsibility................................................................8
6. Competency Assessment (Socio-cultural and Personal Competence)........................................9
7. Competency Assessment - Managerial and Technical..............................................................11
8. Competencies Needed – Targets for Development...................................................................13
9. Proposed Professional Development Program..........................................................................14
10. Summary and Conclusion........................................................................................................16
Reference:......................................................................................................................................17

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1. Self-Introduction:
The primary purpose of the students of business administration is to know how to manage
a performance level of team members amidst the diversity of culture and religious backgrounds
(Moon, 2013). Being a student of APIC I have completed my graduation on business
administration. While continuing my course I had to deal with the students of diverse cultural
backgrounds and attitudes. Therefore, I had to conduct numerous projects in group work. As I
am a student of business administration I am having enough skill and competency on how to
manage the performance level instead of being a part of team members. Every team member
associated with the group is possessed with different psychological backgrounds and attitudes.
Therefore, in order to conduct the entire team project successfully, I had to make an effective
communication with every single group member. It is undeniable that I have faced innumerable
difficulties in dealing with every team member equally due to the lack of psychological barrier as
well as communication barrier. In addition, as per the instruction of our guide I had to become
the leader of this particular team.
Therefore, my prime responsibility was to make a constant communication with every
single individual so that the entire project can be accomplished successfully. In addition, while
conducting the course I had to be associated with a small business organization as well in the
post of business leader. In that particular field I have gained immense knowledge and experience
on how the business leader should lead a team for meeting business target. I had to face major
challenges in leading the entire team members. After facing innumerable challenges I have come
to know how much difficulties the business leaders have to face while keeping a constant control
over the entire team members.

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2. Big-picture:
While doing this specific course I have evaluated those students of business
administrators are having innumerable scopes and opportunities for being the part of an
organization. As per the business scenario all over the world a particular business organization
without having a management team is meaningless. In this kind of situation, every business
organization is willing to recruit employees from business administration backgrounds so that
they can manage the performance level of employees. Therefore, the responsibility of business
managers is to communicate with the employees in order to resolve their issues (Nicholls, 2014).
The primary purpose of being the student of management is getting the flexibility in job
opportunity. Every business organization belonging to different industry is endowed with a
proper management team. Being a student of business administration I am having an opportunity
and scope to be the part of any organization.
I have completed my graduation on human resource management from the University of
APIC. As per the current business scenario I have observed that retail business industries are
expanding their entire process of business all over the World. In addition, the numbers of retail
business organizations are wide in range. In this kind of situation, I will get a scope to be the part
of retail business organization as one of the most active employees. While continuing the project
I am having an experience of leading a team. Therefore, the challenges that the business leaders
have to face for directing team properly have also been faced. However, in future I am focusing
to be the part of retail organization. Employees are from different geographical backgrounds and
attitudes. Therefore, after appointing in the post of human resource managers I should have the
capability of measuring the employees’ performance level. In need to develop my
communication skill for dealing with the employees of different cultural background. I am not

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having multi lingual flexibility. Therefore, people of other geographical areas may have immense
problems in communicating with me. In order to resolve this issue I can enhance my
communication skill so that people belonging to different geographical markets can maintain an
effective communication with me.
3. Industry-specific Megatrends and Challenges
As per the Megatrends and Challenges I would like to make an in-depth PEST analysis
based on which various political, environmental, socio-cultural and technological factors can be
critically evaluated.
 Political:
Political environment of a particular country is highly influential for the success of a
business industry. As per the overall business scenario it has been observed that retail business
industry is situated on those geographical locations where the governments acts are regulations
are flexible enough. Business organizations would not have to face difficulties in maintaining
regulations related to taxation policies (Ensmenger, 2012). As per the overall business scenario,
it is evident that retail business sectors have been expanded on those geographical areas which
are free from political chaos. In various geographical areas of Australia like Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane large number of retailed business industries has already expanded their business
process (Cummings & Worley, 2014). As Australia’s government policy is very much favorable
for running the retail business organization I have chosen to be part of human resource managers
in the industry of retail sector and supermarket chain.
 Economic:

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Retail business organizations are established on economically developing countries.
People belonging to different geographical boundaries are the part of a business organization
(Ford & Richardson, 2013). As per current business strategy of retail business industry the
organization has to focus on huge number of target market. Therefore, the business experts
intend to target both low cost as well as premium customers. I want to be the part of retail
industry because this specific industry in the current market scenario is most flexible in terms of
their flexibility. If I can be the part of retail business organization I may have to face limited risk
factors for sustaining my job role.
 Socio-cultural:
Retail business industry is situated on those areas where the people of different social and
cultural backgrounds are there. The products and service process of the business organizations
are designed in such a way that people of different cultural attributes can show their interest in
purchasing the products (Crane & Matten, 2016). In addition, it is also undeniable that
employees associated within the retail business organization are also from different cultural
backgrounds. Therefore, being the part of those organizations I will be able to exchange my
thoughts, ideas and knowledge with the people of different diverse work culture. As a result, I
would be able to enhance my skill, knowledge and competency.
 Technological:
As per the current business scenario retail business sectors are controlled with the
advancement of technology. The industries are situated on those areas where the target customers
are developed in their technological skills and competency (Welford, 2013). If I want to be the
part of this retail business sector I would have to gain the flexibility in operating advancement of

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technology in order to communicate with the employees properly. Being human resource
managers I should have proper competency in measuring the entire performance level of every
single employee by using the advancement of technology. In this kind of situation, being a
student of business administration I need to have enough expertise in technology so that I can
handle any kind of sudden technological barrier at the workplace. Otherwise, the entire process
of business may have to face innumerable challenges in running successfully.
4. Goals:
As a student of business administration I am having a specific goal behind joining on the
retail business sectors. Initially I want to be a part of a business organization belonging to retail
sector as a mere human resource executives. My first purpose as an employee is to render
multilingual flexibility. In order to evaluate the performance level of the employees I have to be
a good communicator in order to interact with every individual employee. Therefore, rending
multi lingual flexibility is highly important. In addition, as a human resource business executive I
should maintain a good rapport with my senior managers so that they can be flexible in
communicating with me. I have focused to be one of the most integral part of my tea, within one
year so that I can be appraised to human resource manager to the mere executive.
In addition, my future goal is to develop my technological skill as well so that I can
maintain the entire employee performance record chronologically. Use of organizational
software in maintaining database is inevitable with the help of which the entire performance
record of a specific business organization can be kept within control (Anderson, 2016). As I am a
study of human resource management, my ultimate goal is to be a senior human resource
manager. After getting the designation, I would like to render work flexibility as well as diversity

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management within the organization. I have observed that large number of business
organizations tends to recruit the employees being culturally biased. I personally believe that
employees should be judged as per the skill and competency level of the rather than their cultural
and religious backgrounds. Therefore, being a human resource manager I would like to entertain
the entire skillful and competent employee from different cultural and religious backgrounds. At
the same time, I would like to provide every individual employee an effective training session for
developing their communication skill. Automatically, I would not have to face any kind of
difficulties in interacting with my organizational employees properly. However, rendering
diversity within workplace is one of the most primary goal that I have to meet after being an
integral part of a retail business organization.
5. Professional Values, Ethics and Social Responsibility
As per the professional value of a human resource manager every single employee within
the business organization should be treated with equal respect and dignity (Eisenbeiss, 2012).
Within a retail business sector people are from different geographical attitudes and backgrounds.
Employees may have to face innumerable barriers in interacting with the other members.
Therefore, as a human resource manager I should give equal priority to every individual member
associated within the workplace. In addition, if a particular employee has to face any kind of
difficulty in providing good services towards the organization I as a responsible human resource
manager should make an interpersonal communication with that individual. I should know what
kind of difficulties this individual is facing while performing at the workplace.
As per the ethical consideration employees should not be forced for doing over time duty.
I as a human resource manager should not implement such policy at the workplace that

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employees have to be overburdened for meeting the business target at the workplace. In order to
get best performance from the employees I can implement the policy of flexible work hour so
that employees get motivated towards performing well at the workplace. The concept of social
responsibility believes that human resource managers should have a proper responsibility
towards the organizational employees. I being a responsible human resource manager should
follow organizational acts and legislation properly. As per the organizational acts and legislation
implementation of health and safety act is inevitable.
This particular act implies that employees after facing any kind of health issue at the
workplace should get necessary facility and benefits from the employers (Hill, Cronk &
Wickramasekera, 2013). . Business employers should take the responsibility of every employee
who falls sick at their workplace. In addition, employees should get a proper estimated sick leave
for certain days for their recovery. These particular social responsibilities are inevitable in order
to sustain organizational managers. I personally believe that human resource managers should
improve the performance level of employees by implementing necessary strategies and policies.
At the same time, it is also undeniable that employees should not forget their moral ethics as well
as social responsibilities towards the business organization. Employees should not be over
burdened with pressure so that they intend to leave the organization (Thiel et al., 2012). The
primary purpose of a human resource manager should be retaining the organizational employees
at the workplace as well for maintaining organizational sustainability.
6. Competency Assessment (Socio-cultural and Personal Competence)
In order to develop myself socially as well as culturally I should have a flexible
communication with every individual member with my team. While maintaining my learning

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process I had to deal with every individual member belonging to different geographical as well
as cultural backgrounds. Initially I was not able to understand language of other people
belonging to different cultural background. I used to avoid their opinion while taking a decision
regarding team or project development and progression. In order to deal with the customers of
different geographical markets I have taken an effective training and development session. This
particular training session has enhanced my communication skill. After being flexible in
multilingual attitude I was efficient enough in dealing with the every individual member with my
team. While taking a major decision in developing the group project I have exchanged my ideas
and thoughts with those members as well. As a result, my socio-cultural attributes have been
automatically developed after exchanging thoughts and ideas. While taking decision regarding
developing the project I got the scope for taking collective decision as well. In this kind of
situation, other team members have showed their enthusiastic attitude in being an inseparable
part of project.
Personal competency increases not by gaining theoretical knowledge by increasing the
practical experiences (Burke & Noumair, 2015). After being part of the business organization I
would have to be acquainted with the people of different cultures and attitudes. In order to get
good performances from those employees I would have to be flexible with their culture.
However, enhancing my skill in technology is highly important for keeping a constant control on
overall business process. I have observed that I am not very accustomed with operating
technologies. Therefore, I need to enhance my skill in technology so that I can maintain
chronological database through automation process. After being a part of business organization I
will have to maintain a database on the overall employee performances. In this kind of situation,

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I should know how to use bid data and business intelligence so that entire information can be
stored, maintained and evaluated.
In order to develop my personal competency I need to enhance my leadership skill as
well. While leading a project team in my institution I have observed that I used to follow
autocratic form of leadership style. As a result, I did not intend to take the decision from other
team members. In this kind of situation, other team members intend to show their reluctant
attitude in leaving a contribution towards the project development. After being a part of
organization, I should follow democratic form of leadership style instead of following autocratic.
With the help of democratic form of leadership style employees would get the scope to share
their own opinion as well. In this kind of situation, organizational employees would get their
enthusiastic attitudes in performing well towards meeting the business target (Tai & Chuang,
2014). As a result, I would be able to make a good team rapport. It is undeniable that the success
of a business organization is highly dependent on the performance level of employees.
7. Competency Assessment - Managerial and Technical
While leading the team I have observed that I used to impose my own decision on my
team members. As a result, they intended to show their reluctant attitude for providing any kind
of positive feedback for developing the project. Whenever I will be the part of a business
organization, I should never maintain a dominating attitude so that employees get hesitated to
share their own opinion regarding the success of business. In order to control the entire business
process the business managers should motivate the employees. Employee motivation is one of
the major parts of getting good performances. In order to become a good manager I should have
proper skill in managing people. With the help of participative form of leadership style, I should