HR

1) Imagine how “Well-designed HR systems can influence business results.” Read Fast Company’s

article on SAS (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/21/sanity.html) as well as the article on

CBS "60" minutes (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/18/60minutes/main550102.shtml--),

and visit the SAS website (http://www.sas.com/corporate/index.html) to learn more about the

company.

Consider how SAS used organizational strategy to drive HRM practices. What are they doing

that is different than most others? How and why did SAS do what they did? What was their goal?

How did it work out? How did it impact their employees in terms of retention, satisfaction, and

productivity? Could your firm do what SAS did? Explain why or why not

2) Almost every organization with more than 200 employees has at least one significant conflicting

HRM practice, which undermines the total performance of the organization at least marginally—

examples abound. Discuss one or more conflicting practices you have experienced and

recommend one or more alternative HRM practices that could appropriately minimize, or even

eliminate, the conflict. Explain in detail. Present your views in 200 words or more