Introduction:
If you agree that the best HR strategy is the one that is aligned to the business, how much should you know about the business?
If we are to develop an HR strategy aligned to the business goals, we need to know how a company fits into the bigger picture (from a global standpoint). An industry gives us the broadest view of a business and sets the stage for understanding those trends that can serve as the backdrop for HR policy.
You will examine the broad definitions of industrial classifications as defined by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). From that system, you will identify the factors that define different industry sectors in the global marketplace and select one industry to study.
Directions (read carefully):
Step 1: Review the broad NAICS industry classifications at the 2002 NAICS Codes and Titles site.
https://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/naicod02.htm
Step 2: Select one sub-industry to use as a framework for your tasks in the following three units. You can select your sub-industry by your own interest areas, searching on your interests, and examining at what level it falls in the hierarchy of classification. It is best to stay within a 3 or 4 digit code, unless there is a specific area you would like to explore. The codes get more specific as the number of digits increase.
For example, if you are interested in wind power and did a search on the NAICS site and started with wind power in your search box, you would find:
Wind Power Structure Constructionâ?"classified in industry code #237130.
To get to the broader category, drop the last digit and look at #23713.
Step 3: Length requirement: no more than two pages identifying your industry, the particular aspect you are interested in studying, and say why. Answer the following questions:
- What is the major product or service?
- What are at least three jobs that are fundamental in this industry? Give general, but not generic, descriptions such as sales, programmers, or customer service, but not executives or managers. Why did you select these jobs?
- What are some of the current issues for this industry? Describe one current issue.
To get started, you may conduct an Internet news search to find current stories.