Downsizing (ZARA)

Downsizing (ZARA)

You are the most senior HR person in your organization (ZARA) and a part of the senior management team. You have been involved in initial discussions about a new organizational strategy (DOWNSIZING). You have been asked to do some research and to report back to the senior management team outlining the key implications for management of human resources if this strategy were to be implemented. Your report needs to show that:
You understand the organizational goals and strategies, have researched and understood the particular strategy being proposed (Downsizing)
Identified the critical considerations for Human resources management if the strategy is implemented
Made 4 realistic recommendations on how to manage the strategy in the case organization.
In addition, you are asked to identify the role you believe the HRM function should play in the implementation of the strategy – in particular focusing on the HR Competency Domains (Brockbank, et al. 2012) “CHANGE CHAMPION & CAPABILILITY BUILDER”

Format:
This is a report to the senior management team and therefore you should use a report style including executive summary In particular for this report, it is critical for you to demonstrate that as well as being able to write a report that is informed by research and provides strong analysis, you can also summarise this in a way that provides the key details to a busy management team that may not read your full report. Therefore, your executive summary is a critical part of your report and subject to a separate criterion within the requirements for this assessment. The executive summary should not have any further information than in your report but should summarise your key points. It should be 1 page in length, making use of bullet points to summarise key issues and recommendations wherever possible.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Do we need to revisit information about our case organisation?
No. Assume that your reader is familiar with your case. If you are referring to specific issues then feel free to summarise again, but do not take up valuable word space going back over things they already know.
How do I address the criteria about social and legal issues? Should it be a separate heading?
You could use a separate heading but that is not essential. Throughout your discussion, it is important that you demonstrate an understanding of ethical and/or legal issues relating to your recommendations and have been explicit in discussing these.
Do we have to justify why they have chosen the potential strategy?
Not in detail – you can assume it is considered a worthy potential strategy. For example, don’t focus on justifying why a function should be downsized, focus on discussing the issues and impacts of downsizing and implications for the organisation.
What if after doing research, I don’t agree that the strategy is appropriate for the organisation?
It is OK to say you don’t believe it is the most appropriate strategy given your knowledge of the business and it goals. If you do this however you need to give arguments against the strategy backed up by research and make suggestions for alternatives.