Human Resource Management
Spring 2004

Style Sheet for Paper on Prospects and Challenges for HRM

Due May 17

The purpose of this assignment is for you to see the issues we have discussed over the course of the semester from the perspective of an actual practitioner of personnel management.  In particular, this will be your opportunity to learn what he or she believes are the pressing issues of the day and how they may be resolved in the future.

 Your task is to contact the personnel officer of a local, state, or federal agency or a non-profit organization (provided it has a staff of least 100 employees).  You are strongly encouraged to contact an individual at an agency that you are particularly interested in, or where you may even be interested in seeking employment in the future (you are welcome to conclude your interview by asking the personnel officer about what they look for in candidates or anything else about the organization).   Please let me know who you are going to contact before you call so that I can ensure there is no duplication. 

Ideally, you would conduct the interview after the April 19 class session, when we have covered most of the functional areas of HR and you have heard from the panel of personnelists.  (You may do the interview before then, if you wish).  I suggest that you contact the person you hope to interview to schedule an appointment with by mid March to ensure that person can fit you into his or her busy schedule.    If you are absolutely unable to locate a personnel officer to interview, let me know no later than March 15 and I will request an interview on your behalf.  Another option available to you is to team up with another class member to conduct a joint interview (you will be required to ask different questions and do separate write-ups).

Your interview should also briefly address address the work of the agency and the job of the HR professional you interview.  It should then focus on challenges facing his or her organization in at least three of the following areas and what potential solutions are likely to be developed to address them in the future. 

Your write-up will put their answers into the context of the readings and class discussions we have had in that particular area.  For example you might say, " According to Shafritz, performance appraisal has been criticized because.....  Joe Schmoe agreed with this, saying that in his experience....."    .  Or, "The Volcker II Commission recommended that the recruitment process for federal employees be simplified and accelerated. Mr. Schmoe stated that the City of XX has already developed such a system and ....."   You may also cite other readings (perhaps those used in your policy paper).  Readings from class texts and other assigned readings can be can be cited informally as I did in the above examples. Other readings should include a complete citation.   You may wish to review an example of a well-written paper to see what I have in mind.

Organization and Style

 The paper should be no more than 5 pages, double-spaced.  It should begin with a brief introduction and conclude with a brief summary of your main points.  Your grade for the written paper will be based on the following:

1. Does your paper briefly describe the organization and the job of the personnel official, as he or she sees it, within that organization?

2.  Does your paper reflect the fact that you asked important questions about the three (or more) functional areas you chose to address and that you understood the answers

3.  Do you place the questions and answers within the context of the discussions and readings we had on those topics in class?

4. Is your paper well organized and clearly and concisely written?