HR Simulation: Executive Summary Report/APA/single spacing with double spacing between paragraphs/1000-1200 words

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6.4 Dropbox HR Simulation: Executive Summary Report

Introduction and Alignment

In each workshop, Workshop One-Workshop Six, you will be given the opportunity to gain real-world insight into the role of the human resource manager by means of an HR simulation which requires strategic decision making within the parameters of both opportunities and constraints: corporate and human resources strategies, environmental factors impacting the operations of the business—both internal and external, and budget dollar limits.

In Workshop Six, the goal is for you to complete an analysis of the cumulative results of decisions you have made in the HRManagement simulation over the whole eight quarters encompassing Year One and Year Two. For this assessment, you will complete a management audit and executive summary report detailing the results of the two-year simulation activity.

Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:

  • Complete a management audit and detailed, quantitative and qualitative comparative analysis of HR management decision making spanning a two-year window of simulation activity.
  • Write an executive summary providing comparative analysis results and personal reflection on the HRManagement simulation activity.

Resources

Instructions

  1. Review the HRManagement’s: The Human Resource Management Simulation [Student Guide] and actual simulation results to support the contents of your executive report, as needed.
  2. For this Dropbox assignment, you will be completing a management audit for HR and writing an executive report to explain the details of the HR audit findings. “An HR audit identifies areas that may be out of compliance with legal requirements or are in need of updating because of strategic changes within the organization, and it defines elements that are working well” (Reed & Bogardus, 2012, p. 127).
  3. Download the Management Audit Quarterly Results Table (an Excel spreadsheet that may be copied and pasted directly into your executive report). Complete the table to include the simulation results for each of the eight quarters for your five-star hotel. This table may be placed in the body of the executive report (in the Synopsis of the Eight Quarters section) or in the appendices section of the report.
  4. Obtain a copy of the Quarter 8 averages for all other students in this course from your instructor. The instructor will provide the data to you shortly following the close of Workshop Five after all student decisions results have been submitted and finalized in the HRManagement simulation. You will use this information to complete the Management Audit Comparative Analysis Table (refer to the next step).
  5. Download the Management Audit Comparative Analysis Table (an Excel Spreadsheet that may be copied and pasted directly into your executive report). Complete the Table using the simulation results from Quarter 8 for your five-star hotel and the cohort averages for those same measures, as provided by your instructor.
  6. Following completion of the Excel tables, write the executive report. The aim of the report is that it should be quite detailed but very concise, with a near equal balance of paragraphs and graphics displays (i.e., tables, charts, graphs, illustrations) to support assertions made. Include the following sections in the written paper, using headings to match the bolded report elements, and following the same sequence in your report as listed below.
    1. Title Page
    2. Executive Summary
    3. Introduction
    4. Initial Strategies and Goals
    5. Qualitative and Quantitative Comparative Analysis
      1. Synopsis of the Eight Quarters Write one 3-5 sentence summary paragraph for each of the quarters to provide an overview of the actions taken and reasoning for the decisive actions.
      2. Review of Special Incident Selections Provide an overview and table or chart illustrating the special incident decisions made in each of the eight quarters.
      3. Comparative Analysis of Achieved Results Provide an overview of the findings of the Management Audit Comparative Analysis Table, with an insertion of the table either in this section of the report or in the appendices section.
    6. Conclusions and Recommendations
    7. Conclusions Provide conclusions based on the actual comparative analysis results identified in the previous section.
    8. Recommendations
      1. Make recommendations based on the identification of areas of strength and weakness—as determined by your analyses findings and the conclusions reached (see prior steps).
      2. Consider what could have been done differently when looking back (a historical perspective) and what should be done differently going forward [a look toward future strategic decision making]).
      3. Explain your recommendations and provide persuasive arguments for your five-star hotel’s executive management to consider when deciding whether to adopt your recommendations. In other words, make the business case concisely and based on researched information. (Refer to “Business Case Primer” at http://www.impactonthenet.com/bcprimer.pdf about what it means to “make the business case.”)
    9. Reflection on the Simulation Activity Summarize a reflection on the simulation activity to include: (a) what you liked most about the simulation activity, (b) what you liked least about the simulation activity, (c) what you would do differently as a result of hindsight, and (d) detailed explanation of how the simulation impacted your HR knowledge, skills, and/or abilities.
    10. References Include, at a minimum, two academic sources at least 3-5 pages in length and published within the last 3-5 years.
    11. Appendices include as an appendix in the appendices section any graphics that are larger than a half page. Note that graphic items (i.e., tables, charts, graphs, illustrations) are not included in the required word count.
  7. Your paper should be 1000-1200 words in length.
  8. Due to the type of report—an executive report—it is to be written using single spacing with double spacing between paragraphs. However, it is to otherwise be formatted per APA (i.e., 1” margins, ½” indention of first line of paragraph, headings, page numbers, title page, citations, and so forth).
  9. The executive report is to be written in a professional tone with quality graphic inclusions—a report that would be an impressive submission to the CEO and/or Board of Directors.
  10. Before submitting this assignment, thoroughly edit the written paper for APA formatting and mechanics. Checkmark the instructions of this workshop document and the rubric for this assignment to be sure that your paper has met all requirements.
  11. When you’ve completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor using the Dropbox by the end of the workshop. Be sure to include both the Word document and the Excel file.
  12. Additionally, submit a copy to the special Discussion Forum section especially set up in Workshop Six so that students may compare their reports and findings with other students in the same cohort.