Description
Report written as 5000-word essay with 3 main parts
• A discussion of the nature and context of HRM – sessions 1 and 2
• A discussion of the main theme – sessions 3 or 4 or 5
• Presentation of individual study findings.
Report Structure (1)
Introduction: 200-250 words
• Introduces the essay topic
• Summarises the main points covered in the main body
of the essay
• Gives a short statement of the main conclusion
The HRM context: about 1200 words
• The (contested) debates about the purpose and nature
of HRM- assumptions, theories/models, critiques
• The external pressures and constraints that shape
HRM approaches (linked to need to drive down labour
costs /control employee performance)
Report Structure (2)
The main theme: organizational change or high
performance paradigm or performance
management: about 1200 words
• Refer to the essential and relevant supplementary readings
associated with session 3, 4 or 5.
• Explore the issues covered in the lectures/tutorials, and
relate them to the particular issue you wish to cover eg.
• New methods of working / new forms of employment to maximise
labour utilisation and their impact on employees / workers
• The ‘high performance workplace’ – purported links with
employee commitment; high trust relations; positive
psychological contracts plus critiques
• Nature and purpose of Performance Management – processes
involved and problems/critique
Report Structure (3)
Individual study findings: about 1200 words
• Report what you set out to look for
• Report what you found out
• Give references to all of your sources
Conclusion – about 200-250 words
• Summarise the main points leading to your conclusion
• The HRM context
• The research issue
• Your main findings
• State your main conclusion
Independent Study
• Topical issues (indicative)
• New methods of working and flexibility of labour – eg: new
forms of employment ; use and abuse of zero-hours contracts;
the rise of the gig-economy; work intensification; use and abuse
of agency workers; skill mix changes
• HPWS – trust; commitment; empowerment; are workers really
‘empowered’? Do unions have a role to play?
• Performance Management: use/impact of targets; use/impact of
PIPs; surveillance in the workplace; PM and work
intensification; measurement and ratings problems
• Possible sources
Newspapers (e.g. Guardian on gig-economy)
• Reliable internet sources (e.g. see module outline p.16 or
check with supervisor)
• News broadcasts (eg BBC)
• Datasets: e.g. UK Census, ILO labour standards, WERS
2011; ONS; ASHE Surveys
• Additional academic readings (e.g. research based, not text
book and not over-used)
• Sector-specific publications (eg Kings Fund on NHS)
• Trade union data/publications
1. A Research Proposal. This will consist of up to two pages outlining the title of the Independent Study
Project, the literature relevant to the study, the research resources to be used, and a timeline of activities.
Students must submit this proposal and may not start work on their research until told by the tutor that the
proposal is acceptable.
Compulsory Research Proposal – 400 words
• Title and proposed theme to study
• Literature relevant to the study
• Research resources to be used
• Timeline of activities
Please have a look at lecture 6 – it explains everything in detail about the assignment. and also the file named
important. It gives you the list of essential readings and sites you could use for references