final assessment of learning in the Strategic Human Resource Management course and is considered to be a Student Portfolio Project. You will individually develop a report on the HR strategy of their current or recent employer. This report will involve research not only within the organization, but also on strategic choices available to management to ensure alignment of human resource programs with the mission and strategic plan of the organization. During the course, strategic topics and choices will be a major part of the readings, case studies, and Discussions. These sources of information may also contribute to the report content. The facilitator will assist students that are not employed in selecting an appropriate organization to use as the project. Description of the organization: Provide a brief description of the organization and industry, its primary purpose (mission), its size, its organizational structure, its geographic location(s), and its objectives. While a formal SWOT analysis is not required, do describe the competitive and environmental trends that may strongly affect the organization. What are the major challenges that the organization will face in the next two to three years? Description of the organization's strategic planning process: In your write-up of the strategic planning process, include the role of human resource management. Does the human resource function participate in the strategic planning process? If not, why? Look for the most logical reasons for the way that your organization conducts its planning process. Description of HRM strategic planning process: Provide a brief description of the current human resource management function or department. If you are analyzing a small organization, you may not have a formal HRM department. Even in very small firms, someone has responsibility for HRM functions. In such a case, describe what functions are performed and by whom. How do human resource management programs align with the strategic plan of the organization? Analysis and Identification of Issues: Using outside resources, such as professional human resource articles, conduct a comparison of your organization's HR programs versus those that would appropriately support the mission and objectives of the firm. Describe any issues or areas where there are challenges that need to be addressed. Will there be an expansion, a redirection, or a reduction in the need for human resources? Identify various alternative approaches and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses for your organization's industry, situation, mission, and strategic objectives. Recommendations for change: Based on the analysis conducted, the research, and readings on strategic choices available to management, what are your primary recommendations? Try to prioritize and limit them to no more than five. In the prioritization process, consider feasibility with respect to cost, length of time to implement, organizational culture and receptivity, and existing available talent and skill. Include in your final recommendations your thoughts on a logical implementation plan for making the change. Report Format: This report should be formatted as a formal written assignment that will include a reference page with a minimum of five references regarding HR policies and practices from professional sources. Each source must be cited within the report at least once. Please note that style format of citations and references will be graded accordingly. The format of the cover sheet should include the student's name, course number and section, date, name of the assignment, and instructor's name. The paper will be a minimum of 5 pages of body text and be double-spaced with page numbers in the upper right-hand corner. Please consult the Portfolio Project Rubric for information regarding how the Portfolio Project will be assessed.