Ashford University HR Skills Required for Build vs Buy Process Paper
Week 3: HR Skills Required for Build vs. Buy Process
Armstrong World Industries is a 150-year-old global manufacturer of flooring, ceilings, and cabinets. They outsourced their transportation function in 2006, but soon the number of complaints, late deliveries, and missed pick-ups mounted (Levans, 2010). Thus, in 2007, the company decided to dissolve its transportation partnerships and bring the function back in house. Marcus Smith, Manager of Transportation Procurement for Armstrong, deserves credit for quickly recognizing the problems, and for taking strong actions to address the situation.
Armstrong determined that their customers had specialized needs that were best met in house, and created a transportation department to meet those needs. Though HR’s role is not specifically addressed in this scenario, consider how a strong HR presence might have made a difference; whether more effectively implementing the partnering agreements, or perhaps averting a poor outsourcing decision altogether.
In this Assignment, you will examine outsourcing decisions made by HR executives.
Reference:
Levans, M. (2010). Viewpoint: Bringing logistics and transportation back in house. Logistics Management. Retrieved from http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/viewpoint_bri…
Week 3 Assignment: Comprehensive Outsourcing Decisions
When a company successfully makes use of outsourcing agreements time and again, its decision-making process is probably worth emulating. Smiths Medical is one such company that assesses potential outsourcing partners with a checklist that communicates the basic traits required of candidates (Barbella, 2009). Company executives explain Smiths Medical’s role in the medical device market, and question potential suppliers to determine if there might be a mutually beneficial fit.
To complete this Assignment, respond to the following in a 4- to 5-page paper:
- Analyze HR executives’ outsourcing decisions.
- How would the HR skills identified in the Human Resource Competency Study aid an HR executive in assessing potential outsourcing partners?
- How would the skills identified in the Human Resource Competency Study enable an HR executive to effectively manage outsourcing agreements?
- How would such skills enable an HR executive to effectively advise the CEO of the organization regarding outsourcing decisions?
- What has been left unaddressed in the Human Resource Competency Study? Explain your concern or rationale in thinking something might be missing.
Grading of any paper/project/discussion will be done by Professor Seay according to these specific standards as well as the rubric for the course.
As I am sure you are all aware, each professor grades assignments using different criteria. As stated, I will look for the following as a base for evaluations:
1. Creativity and Innovation in problem analysis
2. Critical Thinking in problem analysis
3. Inclusion of course materials in assignments
SEE BELOW NOT FROM PROFESSOR TO HELP WITH REQUIREMENTS:
Class, I have been asked many times in my three decades of teaching what is the best way to make sure all information is included in a paper. My answer requires a brief explanation.
FOR EXAMPLE, let’s say your assignment is highlighted in yellow below:
To complete this Assignment, review the Learning Resources for this week and respond to the following key points in a 3- to 5-page academic paper.
- Analyze why organizational change meets with resistance.
- Analyze the relevance of organizational culture to organizational change, and explain its dual role as both an HRM opportunity and obstacle.
- Analyze the value of strategic HRM in managing resistance to organizational change.
- Explain 2–3 HRM best practices to help manage resistance to organizational change.
The rubric for this assignment is as follows:
MANDATORY: The best way to structure your paper would be do FOLLOWING ATTACHED RUBRIC AND DO the following:
Title page
Introduction
First HEADER in paper: Organizational Change Resistance (First area on rubric)
Second HEADER in paper: Relevance of Organizational Culture (Second area on rubric)
Third HEADER in paper: Organizational Change as an Opportunity and Obstacle (Third area on rubric)
Fourth HEADER in paper: Value of Strategic HRM to managing resistance (Fourth area on rubric)
Fifth HEADER in paper: HRM Best Practices to managing resistance (Fifth area on rubric)
Conclusion
This is the format that is required. Remember, I require headers in ALL of my papers!
In addition to Dr. Seay’s tips for success, the rubrics will be used to assess your work:
Don’t forget to look at the rubric when writing and rubric for discussions. Remember Dr. Seay’s expectations in the announcement. Also, and perhaps the most important question that you could ever ask yourself when thinking critically and creatively:
WHAT HAVE I NOT THOUGHT OF YET?
You should ask yourself this question every 30 minutes when researching and writing. It should drive you to the edge of madness (not really…kinda). To seek perfection, you should try and use critical thinking to make sure you have covered as much of the topic as possible with the best answers possible. I use this phrase all of the time when I research. It helps with the 5 why’s. The 5 why’s are what you should ask about a problem. In other words, ask why 5 times to get to a root cause analysis.
