International Human Resource Management
Written Assessment: Report
You are the HR Manager of an Australian based airline that operates both domestic and international services and has its headquarters in Melbourne. Your organisation has decided to recruit a manager who has extensive experience in the airline industry in the United States of America. You are asked to write a report for the incoming manager outlining the employment relations and human resource management issues that will impact on the working life of this manager in Australia
Word Length: 2500-3000 words
PLEASE MUST READ ALL THE MESSAGE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY...PLEASE AGAIN
Message 1:
Referencing is an integral part of academic writing because it is important for the reader to be able to identify the source of your ideas. In this course, you can use either the Harvard or the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing system.
Information on the Harvard system can be accessed on the course website and at the following link:
https://www.cqu.edu.au/?a=14032
Information on the APA referencing system can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/14033/APA-abridged-guide.pdf
The important point is that your essay and report must be referenced and obviously you cannot reasonably expect high marks if your essay and report is poorly referenced.
Message 2:
Please make use of the "Study help" & "report writing" material that is located in the top section of the website. I am not bothered by how you structure your report but you will need an introduction and a conclusion to advise the examiner of what you propose to do and what you have actually done. What you have to say about working as a manager for Qantas is what interests me.
Message 3:
In the Week 5 section of the course website I have placed a video on the report in which I briefly discuss the following matters:
Why is this question being asked?
Do not spend much time discussing the IHRM relocation issues. These issues were covered in the essay!
Discuss what is happening in the airline industry in general and in Australia in particular.
Briefly discuss the major industrial dispute involving Qantas in 2011. What impact did this dispute have on Qantas?
What has changed at Qantas since 2011? What is the future for this airline?
Please discuss these matters in your report and remember to answer the question that has been asked!
Message 4:
In very broad, general and simple terms I am asking you to inform the examiner what the HR and employment issues were for Qantas in 2011 & 2012 and what they are in 2015 and 2016. In some respect therefore, the report amounts to a discussion on the future of Qantas.
Once again I will give you wide latitude to answer this question, but you must discuss the HR and employment issues that have challenged the management of Qantas since 2010.
Message 5:
This article reveals that this topic remains "live":
Smith, M 2016, 'Wake-up call as Qantas cuts growth', Australian Financial Review, 19 April, p. 34.
Please remember that the references that I have provided are good enough for your research into this particular industrial dispute. They cover all of the matters that I want you to cover in the report. Nonetheless, if you are following this dispute in the media, because it is "live" you will see from time to time more newspaper articles on this topic. Feel free to read them if you have the time and can easily access them, but please do not worry if you cannot.
Message 6:
Please remember that because the report focuses on a current issue, it is perfectly acceptable to use newspaper articles as well as official government, union and employer websites. You will be aware that I have used these articles and websites in the list of references that I have compiled for you.
Message 7:
Please make use of the "Study help" & "report writing" material that is located in the top section of the website. I am not bothered by how you structure your report but you will need an introduction and a conclusion to advise the examiner of what you propose to do and what you have actually done. What you have to say about working as a manager for Qantas is what interests me.
Message 8:
If you need help to know where to start your research for the report, have a look at these articles:
Addis, J 2016, 'An apology to Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Airways', Sydney Morning Herald, 26 February, viewed 29 March,
https://www.smh.com.au/business/intelligent-investor/an-apology-to-alan-joyce-ceo-of-qantas-airways-20160225-gn3g4h.html
Bamber, GJ, Gittell, JH, Kochan, TA, & von Nordenflycht, A 2009, 'Contrasting management and employment-relations strategies in European airlines', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 51, no. 5, pp. 635-652.
Forsyth, A & Stewart, A 2013, "Of 'Kamikazes' and 'mad men': the fallout from the Qantas industrial dispute", Melbourne University Law Review, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 785-830.
Sarina, T & Wright, CF 2015, 'Mutual gains or mutual losses? Organisational fragmentation and employment relations outcomes at Qantas Group', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 686-706.
Smith, M 2016, 'Qantas keeps execs connected', Australian Financial Review, 24 February, p. 32.
Xenophon, N 2015, 'Alan Joyce and the Qantas revival: was there ever a crisis?', Age, 23 October, viewed 29 March,
https://www.theage.com.au/comment/alan-joyce-and-the-qantas-revival-was-there-ever-a-crisis-20151022-gkfsyn.html
Message 9:
I locate journal articles through the "e-Journals & e-Books" link in the Library. I use "more search options" to take me to the Library's "e-Journals & e-Books" link and then I locate the journal that contains the article that I want to read.
Message 10:
Locating references from the Australian Financial Review is not always easy. I locate them through the Factiva database in the Library. I use "more search options" to take me to the Library's databases and then I locate the "Factiva" database. For most references I use an abbreviated reference such as the title of the article and make sure that I select the correct date, author etc.
For the following article I used only the title of the article in the 'free text search', that is: Qantas keeps execs connected
Smith, M 2016, 'Qantas keeps execs connected', Australian Financial Review, 24 February, p. 32.
Message 11:
The most important point to remember about the report is that I am trying to get you to research what it would be like for a manager to work for Qantas both now and in the future. Furthermore, I do not expect you to be across all the material that I have given you, but I can reasonably expect you to study a few articles from the following list:
Bray, M & Waring, P 2014, 'Chapter 5: Employment relations', in R Kramar, T Bartram, H De Cieri, RA Noe, JR Hollenbeck, B Gerhart & PM Wright, Human resource management in Australia: strategy, people, performance, 5th edn, McGraw-Hill Education (Australia), North Ryde, CQUniversity Course Resources Online (HRMT20027).
Addis, J 2016, 'An apology to Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Airways', Sydney Morning Herald, 26 February, viewed 29 March,
https://www.smh.com.au/business/intelligent-investor/an-apology-to-alan-joyce-ceo-of-qantas-airways-20160225-gn3g4h.html
Bamber, GJ, Gittell, JH, Kochan, TA, & von Nordenflycht, A 2009, 'Contrasting management and employment-relations strategies in European airlines', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 51, no. 5, pp. 635-652.
Bamber, GJ, Gittell, JH, Kochan, TA, & von Nordenflycht, A 2009, Up in the air: How airlines can improve performance by engaging their employees, Cornell University Press, Ithaca.
Bray, M & Waring, P 2014, 'Chapter 5: Employment relations', in R Kramar, T Bartram, H De Cieri, RA Noe, JR Hollenbeck, B Gerhart & PM Wright, Human resource management in Australia: strategy, people, performance, 5th edn, McGraw-Hill Education (Australia), North Ryde.
Cleary, A 2011, 'How to break an airline', Weekend Australian Financial Review, 15-16 October, p. 49.
Forsyth, A & Stewart, A 2013, "Of 'Kamikazes' and 'mad men': the fallout from the Qantas industrial dispute", Melbourne University Law Review, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 785-830.
Freed, J 2014, 'Staff morale the key to Qantas', Australian Financial Review, 15 April, p. 38.
Freed, J 2014, 'Fares to rise as airline war ends', Australian Financial Review, 4 June, pp. 15 & 21.
Freed, J 2014, 'Competition keeps margins in check', Australian Financial Review, 4 June, p. 21.
Freed, J 2014, 'Qantas split not a political problem', Australian Financial Review, 24 July, p. 6.
Freed, J 2014, 'Big cuts for Qantas', Australian Financial Review, 18 August, pp. 1 & 12.
Freed, J 2016, 'Qantas out of the clouds', Australian Financial Review, 27 February, p. 36.
Freed, J 2016, 'Jet fuel price drop allows airline industry to lift targets', Australian Financial Review, 27-28 February, p. 38.
Freed, J 2016, 'Qantas to cash in as Moody's gives credit rating a tick', Australian Financial Review, 1 March, p. 19.
Freed, J 2016, 'Moody's sure fuel leap no risk to Qantas', Australian Financial Review, 11 March, p. 23.
Hyland, A 2014, 'Hard landing for Qantas', Australian Financial Review, 30-31 August, p. 21.
Magyer, J 2016, 'Can Qantas maintain its upward course?', Australian Financial Review, 10 February, p. 28.
O'Sullivan, M 2015, MayDay: How warring egos forced Qantas off course, Viking, Melbourne.
Sarina, T & Wright, CF 2015, 'Mutual gains or mutual losses? Organisational fragmentation and employment relations outcomes at Qantas Group', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 686-706.
Smith, M 2014, 'Qantas raises fare war white flag', Australian Financial Review, 22 May, p. 36.
Smith, M 2014, 'Airline woes good news for passengers', Australian Financial Review, 4 June, p. 21.
Smith, M 2015, 'Market woes add to earnings hit', Australian Financial Review, 25 August, p. 34.
Smith, M 2016, 'Qantas keeps execs connected', Australian Financial Review, 24 February, p. 32.
Wright, CF & Lansbury, RD 2016, 'Employment relations in Australia', in GJ Bamber, RD Lansbury, N Wailes& CF Wright (eds), International and comparative employment relations: National regulation, global changes, 6th edn, eds, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest.
Xenophon, N 2015, 'Alan Joyce and the Qantas revival: was there ever a crisis?', Age, 23 October, viewed 29 March,
https://www.theage.com.au/comment/alan-joyce-and-the-qantas-revival-was-there-ever-a-crisis-20151022-gkfsyn.html
Furthermore the following websites should be useful for you to research:
https://www.alaea.asn.au/
https://www.aipa.org.au/
https://www.twu.com.au/
https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/media-room/global/en
https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/company/global/en
Message 12:
In very broad, general and simple terms I am asking you to inform the examiner what the HR and employment issues were for Qantas in 2011 & 2012 and what they are in 2015 and 2016. In some respect therefore, the report amounts to a discussion on the future of Qantas.
Once again I will give you wide latitude to answer this question, but you must discuss the HR and employment issues that have challenged the management of Qantas since 2010.
Message 13:
In the Week 5 section of the course website I have placed a video on the report in which I briefly discuss the following matters:
Why is this question being asked?
Do not spend much time discussing the IHRM relocation issues. These issues were covered in the essay!
Discuss what is happening in the airline industry in general and in Australia in particular.
Briefly discuss the major industrial dispute involving Qantas in 2011. What impact did this dispute have on Qantas?
What has changed at Qantas since 2011? What is the future for this airline?
Please discuss these matters in your report and remember to answer the question that has been asked!
Message 14:
When you have submitted your essay it will be time to direct your attention to the report. The details of the report are as follows:
You are the HR Manager of an Australian based airline that operates both domestic and international services and has its headquarters in Melbourne. Your organisation has decided to recruit a manager who has extensive experience in the airline industry in the United States of America. You are asked to write a report for the incoming manager outlining the employment relations and human resource management issues that will impact on the working life of this manager in Australia (40 marks).
Word Length: 2500-3000 words
International HRMT - Assessment- Report marking criteria