Assess the trend towards greater globalisation of international business activity and consider whether this has now peaked and there will be reduced globalisation in the future. Justify your answer.

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7CO01 Work and Working Lives in a Changing Business Environment

7CO01 Work and working lives in a changing business environment

Student Assessment Brief

Assessment ID / CIPD_7CO01_24_01

Level 7 Advanced Diploma in

  • Strategic People Management
  • Strategic Learning and Development

Introduction

Your knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this core unit will be assessed through your answers to four of the questions listed below. Your assessor will let you know which questions you are to answer. You are expected to complete all the learning for the unit, irrespective of which questions you are asked to answer.

The four questions will be drawn from different learning outcomes, featuring one assessment criterion in each learning outcome. These questions encompass a wide range of generalist HR, OD & L&D subject areas.

You will write four answers of approximately 1000 words to the questions posed and submit them together in a single document. This constitutes your assessment for this unit. The total word count for the assessment will therefore be 4000 words, plus or minus 10%. The bibliography or list of references is not included in the total word count.

You must demonstrate within the submitted evidence (through headings and sub-headings) which learning outcomes and assessment criteria you have addressed. We are unable to moderate your work if this is not included.

As this is an Advanced Level Diploma, it is important that you are able to demonstrate not only good knowledge and understanding of the material associated with each learning outcome, but also the ability to develop an original argument and justify it persuasively with reference to wider reading. Examples of approaches taken in a range of organisations are also an effective means by which to justify your arguments.

The six main criteria that CIPD requires centres to use when marking your assessment are outlined below, but it may be that not all these criteria are present in every question.

(1) focus

(2) depth and breadth of understanding

(3) strategic application and professional advice

(4) research and wider reading

(5) persuasiveness and originality

(6) presentation and language

Assessment questions

Question 1 (AC 1.1)

Assess the trend towards greater globalisation of international business activity and consider whether this has now peaked and there will be reduced globalisation in the future. Justify your answer.

Question 2 (AC 1.2)

Critically evaluate whether advancing technologies, and particularly artificial intelligence (AI), will soon destroy a good proportion of existing jobs, leaving many people either unemployed or under-employed. Justify your answer with reference to examples.

Question 3 (AC 1.3)

What do you consider to be the most significant current demographic trend affecting your country? Justify your choice. Evaluate its significance for labour markets, employment and the world of work.

Question 4 (AC 1.4)

What is the most important long-term economic trend currently affecting your country? Justify your answer. Appraise the significance of this trend for your industry now and in the future.

Question 5 (AC 2.1)

Evaluate how technological developments are currently affecting the practice of recruitment and selection in organisations. Drawing on examples from your own experience and reading, explain why these developments are occurring and what benefits flow from them for employers. Justify your answer

Question 6 (AC 2.2)

Assess any one contemporary public policy development in your country in terms of its likely or potential future impact on work and employment. Justify your answer with reference to examples, statistics or published research.

Analyse a major legal development or likely future development in your country and justify a proposal for a change in your country`s current employment law based on this. Explain what your proposed change would involve, what it would look to achieve and in what ways it might be contested either by some employers, employees or their representatives.

Question 8 (AC 2.4)

Critically discuss the current state of the major labour markets in which your organisation competes for staff in terms of both demand for and supply of skills. Explain whether these labour markets are loosening, tightening or stable. How do you anticipate that this situation may change over the next ten years? Justify your key points with reference to statistics and examples.

Question 9 (AC 3.1)

Analyse any one of the major published models that have been developed to guide managers when leading organisations through major change episodes. Explain what features of the model you find most and least useful from the perspective of contemporary people management.

Justify your answer with reference to published examples or your own experience and observations.

Question 10 (AC 3.2)

Resistance to change is inevitable but can be reduced. Examine to what extent the mantra `people support what they help to create` should underpin the approach taken by managers when restructuring an organisation. Justify your answer with reference to examples or to your own experience and observations.

Question 11 (AC 3.3)

Evaluate the current trend for organisations to move from a five-day to a four-day working week without reducing their employees` pay. Justify your answer with reference to published research and your own thinking in respect of your organisation.

Question 12 (AC 3.4)

Assess the contribution of people management professionals in helping their organisations to become more creative and innovative. Justifying your answer with examples, assess the roles played both by organisational culture and human resource management practices in promoting innovation and creativity.

You are asked to advise a public sector organisation of your choice that is keen to develop formal `values-based recruitment` (VBR) practices. Explain to managers what the purpose of VBR is and its major potential advantages and disadvantages. Propose one measure that could be swiftly introduced to make the organisation`s recruitment practices more values based. Justify your answer.

Question 14 (AC 4.2)

Explain what the term `psychological resilience` means in practical terms. Evaluate your own organisation`s activities in the promotion of better resilience and set out any one new measure you would like to see adopted that will help your people become more psychologically resilient. Justify your answer.

Question 15 (AC 4.3)

A colleague asks you to recommend how your organisation could make its activities more `green` (i.e. environmentally sustainable). Critically evaluate underpinning theory and practice in this area and make recommendations for your organisation.

Question 16 (AC 4.4)

Critically discuss the view that organisations can never be considered as true equal opportunity employers unless they have in place formal measures to tackle the prevalence of unconscious bias among managers and employees. What kinds of measures would you expect to see in place in an organisation that was serious about reducing unconscious bias? Justify your answer with reference to published research.

Marking Grid

The student will receive a Pass, Merit, Distinction or Refer/Fail result at unit level. Assessors must provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each Learning Outcome in the unit.

To pass the unit assessment the student must achieve a 2 (Pass) or above for each of the learning outcomes.

The overall mark achieved will dictate the grade the student receives for the unit, provided NONE  of the learning outcomes have been failed or referred.

Overall mark

Unit result

0 to 7

Refer / Fail

8 or 9

Pass

10 to 13

Merit

14 to 16

Distinction

The student result will be recorded in a marking grid similar to the example below.

Marking grid:

Learning outcome

Mark

 

LO1

2

LO2

3

LO3

3

LO4

2

Overall mark

10

Unit Result

Merit

Generic grade descriptors

 

REFER/FAIL / 1

 

PASS / 2

 

MERIT / 3

 

DISTINCTION / 4

Focus

Fails to address all the questions either sufficiently fully or directly.

An adequate attempt to address all the questions fully and directly.

A good attempt to address all the questions relatively well and directly.

An excellent attempt to address all the questions very well and directly.

Depth & breadth of understanding

Inadequate knowledge and understanding in respect of one or more of the questions. Limited depth and breadth of analysis.

Adequate knowledge and understanding across the questions. Satisfactory breadth and depth of analysis.

Full and solid knowledge and understanding across all the questions. Good breadth and depth of analysis.

Very full knowledge and understanding across all the questions. Excellent breadth and depth of analysis.

Strategic application & professional advice

Fails to provide appropriate or well-justified advice and/or recommendations. Lacks a strategic approach.

Provides adequately justified advice and informed recommendations Some strategic application.

Provides solid and thoughtful advice and well-informed recommendations. Clearly strategic in orientation.

Provides excellent advice and very well-informed recommendations. Strategically oriented in all respects.

Research & wider reading

Limited original research and/or appropriate wider reading for the assignment. Limited or no referencing.

Evidence of sufficient research and appropriate wider reading for the assignment. Satisfactory in- text referencing.

Evidence of significant research and thoughtful, appropriate wider reading for the assignment. A good standard of in-text referencing.

Evidence of considerable research and excellent, appropriate wider reading for the assignment. An excellent standard of in-text referencing

Persuasiveness & originality

Limited development of persuasive and original arguments. Inadequate use of examples.

An adequate attempt to develop original arguments and to justify these persuasively. Includes appropriate examples.

Some strong original arguments are presented which are mainly justified persuasively. Good use of examples.

Mostly strong original arguments are presented and justified very persuasively. Excellent use of examples.

Presentation & language

An inadequate standard of presentation or language. The assignment is poorly written and/or poorly structured. It is not at the level required for a management presentation.

A solid standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are satisfactory for a management presentation.

A strong and professional standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are well crafted for a management presentation.

An outstanding standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are very well crafted for a management presentation.

Eample Answers

Question 1 (AC 1.1)

Assess the trend towards greater globalisation of international business activity and consider whether this has now peaked and there will be reduced globalisation in the future. Justify your answer.

The trend towards globalisation has seen international business activity expand due to technological advancements, reduced trade barriers, and integrated supply chains. However, recent protectionist policies, such as Brexit and US-China trade tensions, suggest globalisation may have peaked. Factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities, and the push for regionalisation or reshoring indicate a shift. While complete de-globalisation is unlikely, the future may focus on selective globalisation, balancing global interconnectivity with local resilience.

Continued...

Question 2 (AC 1.2)

Critically evaluate whether advancing technologies, and particularly artificial intelligence (AI), will soon destroy a good proportion of existing jobs, leaving many people either unemployed or under-employed. Justify your answer with reference to examples.

Advancing technologies, particularly AI, are expected to automate repetitive tasks, potentially displacing jobs in industries like manufacturing and logistics. However, new roles, such as AI specialists and data analysts, emerge as a result. For example, the automation of administrative tasks in accounting firms has streamlined processes but created demand for tech-savvy accountants. While AI may lead to structural changes in employment, it is unlikely to cause mass unemployment, as upskilling and reskilling initiatives help mitigate adverse impacts.

Continued...

Question 3 (AC 1.3)

What do you consider to be the most significant current demographic trend affecting your country? Justify your choice. Evaluate its significance for labour markets, employment and the world of work.

The ageing population is the most significant demographic trend in the UK. This shift increases demand for healthcare and retirement services while reducing the working-age population, intensifying labour shortages in sectors like care and construction. For example, the NHS faces growing challenges in meeting the needs of older patients. This trend impacts labour markets by necessitating policies to extend working lives, retrain older workers, and encourage migration to fill skill gaps.

Continued...

Question 4 (AC 1.4)

What is the most important long-term economic trend currently affecting your country? Justify your answer. Appraise the significance of this trend for your industry now and in the future.

The UK`s long-term economic trend of stagnant productivity growth profoundly affects industries. Productivity growth stagnation hinders wage increases, investment in innovation, and overall economic competitiveness. For example, the manufacturing sector struggles to adopt advanced technologies due to limited capital investment. Addressing this trend requires policies fostering innovation, skills development, and infrastructure improvements to enhance competitiveness in global markets.

Continued...

Question 5 (AC 2.1)

Evaluate how technological developments are currently affecting the practice of recruitment and selection in organisations. Drawing on examples from your own experience and reading, explain why these developments are occurring and what benefits flow from them for employers. Justify your answer

Technological developments like AI-powered applicant tracking systems (ATS) and video interviews have transformed recruitment and selection. These tools enhance efficiency, reduce biases, and improve candidate matching. For example, LinkedIn`s algorithms help recruiters identify passive candidates. These developments are driven by the need for cost reduction and better talent acquisition outcomes. Employers benefit from faster hiring processes, broader talent pools, and data-driven decision-making.

Continued...

Question 6 (AC 2.2)

Assess any one contemporary public policy development in your country in terms of its likely or potential future impact on work and employment. Justify your answer with reference to examples, statistics or published research.

The UK`s National Minimum Wage increases have significantly impacted work and employment, improving income for low-paid workers but challenging small businesses` profitability. For instance, the hospitality sector has seen rising labour costs, prompting automation adoption. This policy supports living standards but requires balancing economic competitiveness with social equity.

Continued...

Question 7 (AC 2.3)

The Equality Act 2010 has been pivotal in promoting anti-discrimination in employment, but gaps remain in addressing modern challenges like gig economy workers` rights. Proposing mandatory protections for gig workers, including minimum wages and benefits, would improve fairness. However, employers may resist due to increased costs, highlighting the tension between ethical practices and economic interests.

Continued...

Question 8 (AC 2.4)

Labour markets in sectors like technology are tightening due to high demand and limited supply of digital skills. For example, the UK faces a significant shortfall in cybersecurity professionals. Over the next decade, this may worsen due to rapid digitalisation unless addressed through enhanced STEM education and immigration policies.

Continued...

Question 9 (AC 3.1)

Kotter`s 8-Step Change Model is widely used for managing organisational change. Its emphasis on building urgency and stakeholder engagement is particularly useful. However, it is criticised for being linear, overlooking iterative processes required in dynamic environments. For contemporary people management, its focus on fostering a vision and empowering employees remains highly applicable.

Continued...

Question 10 (AC 3.2)

The phrase "people support what they help to create" highlights the importance of employee involvement in organisational change. For example, involving employees in restructuring decisions at a retail company reduced resistance and improved outcomes. Participative management fosters ownership and aligns organisational goals with employee expectations, reducing resistance.

Continued...

Question 11 (AC 3.3)

The move to a four-day workweek without pay cuts has gained traction, as trials show increased productivity and improved work-life balance. For example, a UK study found employees worked more efficiently within reduced hours. However, challenges in sectors with fixed operational needs, such as healthcare, highlight the need for tailored approaches.

Continued...

Question 12 (AC 3.4)

People management professionals promote innovation by fostering collaborative cultures and implementing HR practices like flexible working and training. For example, Google`s 20% time policy encourages creativity. Organisational culture and HR strategies play complementary roles in driving innovation, ensuring employees are motivated and equipped to contribute.

Continued...

Question 13 (AC 4.1)

Values-Based Recruitment (VBR) aligns hiring with organisational values, enhancing cultural fit and engagement. Its advantages include improved retention and alignment, but it risks subjective bias if not implemented transparently. For example, introducing structured behavioural interviews focusing on core values ensures consistency and fairness.

Continued...

Question 14 (AC 4.2)

Psychological resilience refers to individuals` ability to adapt to challenges. My organisation’s wellness programmes promote resilience, but a formalised peer support network could further aid employees. Such a measure would encourage shared experiences, enhancing coping mechanisms and workplace morale.

Continued...

Question 15 (AC 4.3)

Greening activities include energy-efficient practices and waste reduction. Adopting circular economy principles, like recycling unused materials, could improve environmental sustainability. For example, a UK retail chain achieved significant cost savings and brand reputation enhancement through such initiatives.

Continued...

Question 16 (AC 4.4)

Tackling unconscious bias requires formal training, anonymised recruitment processes, and diverse interview panels. Organisations serious about equality, such as a global bank introducing mandatory bias training, reduce inequities and foster inclusivity. Such measures, supported by research, are vital for creating truly equal workplaces.

Continued...


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