Performance Management and High Performance Working practices

Learning Outcome
1. Structure and Approach: Relevance to question; treatment in depth; originality and creative thought; justification of organisational choices; logical structure; introduction and summary/ conclusion. 20% 1,2,3
2. Investigation and Use of Sources: Academic Definitions, Use of Conceptual Framework, Critical discussion of Strategic Alignment 30% 1,2,3
3. Reasoning, Argument and Analysis: Accurate presentation of 4 topics of evidence; logical development of argument; intelligent discussion to compare organisations; depth and detail; application of course material and reading; appropriate conclusions drawn 40% 1,2,3
4. Presentation and Style: Legibility; grammar; spelling; absence of typing errors; clear layout; requested information included. 10% 1,2,3

TOTAL MARKS 100%
As part of the seminar work and in preparation for your assessment you will have been researching and reviewing case studies of Performance Management and High Performance Working practices from organisations within or without the United Kingdom.

Question/Task
Research and choose two organisations using high performance work (HPW) and/or Performance Management (PM) practices, which you can compare and contrast in their approach.

Choices/ options
• You may/ might explore two organisations in the same sector (e.g. manufacturing)
• You may/ might explore two organisations in different sectors (e.g. manufacturing and service; public and private)
• You may/ might explore HPW or PM in different sized organisations (e.g. large and SME).

Your essay should include the following:

An introduction to the companies you have chosen, and your rationale for choosing these in order to compare and contrast their approaches
.
A critical discussion of academic definitions of PM/HPW

Evidence of understanding of the conceptual framework that underpins PM; e.g motivation theory

Critical discussion of how companies achieve strategic alignment/clear line of sight

A discussion which compares and contrasts 4 of the following areas in the chosen company approaches:

• Performance Measures (Behaviour or Results)
• Performance & Learning/Development
• Performance & Reward (Non-financial rewards and pay)
• Process of Performance Management: A Cycle of Expectations, Goal Setting, Support (Feedback & Coaching), Review, Analysis and Assessment
• Team Performance
• Managing Performance Management (Roles of HR, Line Manager & under performance)
• Integration with other HR practices (HPW

A final conclusion to summarise the key points of the essay discussion, and makes the links of the theories discussed with practice.

NO RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REQUIRED AS THIS IS A COMPARISON ESSAY