1. Critically examine the conditions under which HR strategy may help a firm secure competitive advantage.

MN2705 Human Resource Management

Essay Questions: Autumn Term 2018

Deadline: Noon, Monday 14 January 2019

Please write an essay of not more than 2,000 words on ONE of the following topics:

1. Critically examine the conditions under which HR strategy may help a firm secure competitive advantage.

1. Analyse the ways in which the employment relationship involved in the various areas of the ‘gig economy’ differ from those in a ‘standard’ employment relationship. Do you believe that the gig economy requires regulation? If so, how?

1. What do you understand by the terms ‘unitarist’, ‘pluralist’ and ‘radical’ perspectives of the workplace? Critically assess their value in understanding various forms of conflict at work.

1. Are trade unions still of relevance to the workplace in the 21st century? Discuss your answer.

1. Critically discuss the ways in which the use of employment agencies changes the relationship between employer and employee. Use examples in your answer.

1. Examine two or three policies that organisations can introduce to ensure a ‘good’ work-life balance and discuss whether such a balance is what employees actually want from their working life. Use case studies to inform your answer.

1. ‘Customer management techniques … have helped employers perfect the direction, evaluation, and discipline of their subordinates’ (Fuller and Smith, 1991: 14). Discuss the significance of this statement for the nature of the relationship between employers and employees.

Please note that assignments must be fully referenced and contain a full bibliography. Marks are deducted for failure to do so. Extensions are given only in exceptional circumstances, and work received late is subject to a range of penalties.

Your attention is drawn to the penalties for plagiarism outlined in your Student Handbook. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Michael Gold

October 2018