HRPD 712
Assignment #1 – Strategic Management
Assignment Type: Individual Report
88 Marks (15% of final course grade)
Instructions:
1. Individually prepare responses to the 4 questions/tasks outlined below.
2. Prepare a word-processed file of no more than 8 pages double spaced, with a font size of no more than 14 and no less than 12.
3. Papers of more than 8 pages double-spaced will be penalized; References must be part of the 8 pages.
4. Please include a cover page, and note your name and student ID (this page will not be included as part of your overall page count).
5. Please submit a printed paper copy of your assignment to your professor at the beginning of class the week of September 23, 2013. Late papers will be penalized 5% per day unless extenuating circumstances prevail as per the School of Business Assignment Policy.

6. The paper must be authored by the HRPD 712 Fall 2013 student to be graded.
Outline:
Purpose:
Students will conduct primary (as available) and secondary research, present opinions while they compare and contrast corporate strategies as it relates to the HRM function.
Students will also develop smart objective statements to support corporate mission statements as well as conduct a SWOT analysis for an organization against theories reviewed in Chapters 1 & 2 and class discussions.
Students will also prepare supporting and opposing positions on the role of HR as a strategic partner based on Chapter 2 and in-class discussions.
Question #1: (24 marks)
? First step is to select two companies in the same industry sector (hotels, restaurants, post-secondary institutions for example) one company must be utilizing a low-cost provider strategy and the other a differentiation strategy.
? Your task is to compare and contrast the practices of these two organizations with particular emphasis on the impact these business strategies have on the following human resource management functions including:
o recruitment and selection,…