Students will work in teams of 3 members to write an 8-page research paper excluding references (double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman Font). You will be assigned into groups on Moodle in the first week. Group members will be responsible for communicating throughout the semester to complete the project. You should make plans to meet, discuss and collaborate with your teammates. There are many technologies you can use for this including the email system on Moodle, skype, google hangouts, among others. This paper is due at the end of the semester and attracts 15% of the overall grade. In writing your paper, you are to read and cite at least 10 academic resources (Journal Articles, Books, and reputable Business magazines). For more guidelines on the paper, see Term Paper Guidelines and Grading Rubric uploaded on Moodle.
You are to assume that you work for an organization that does not have a human resource department. The C.E.O has asked you to write a research paper in support of the formation of a HR department. In essence, answer the question "why should the company support the formation of a HR department?" At the least, the paper should cover:
- What is HRM? - definition, what do HR professionals do, what are the major HR roles/tasks in an organization. (1-2 pages)
- Why is managing human resources important (compared to other resources). Make a case for prioritizing investments in Human Resources. (0.5 - 1 page)
- Contributions of HR efforts to productivity and competitiveness of companies (find articles that link HR functions/program and organization performance). Provide evidence or make a case that HR programs do work and do contribute to valued organizational outcomes. This should constitute the bulk of your paper. (5-6 pages)