Human resource and talent management

Case Study You have recently started work as Resourcin" rel="nofollow">ing and Talent Manager in" rel="nofollow">in a large UK based company called Baros, which operates retail outlets sellin" rel="nofollow">ing jewellery, watches and accessories in" rel="nofollow">in 50 locations in" rel="nofollow">in UK shoppin" rel="nofollow">ing malls and airports. Baros is committed to a range of contemporary HR practices. Recruitment and selection procedures for sales staff in" rel="nofollow">involve attendance at: 1. a one-day assessment centre, 2. onlin" rel="nofollow">ine personality test, and 3. two references. A wide range of flexible workin" rel="nofollow">ing arrangements are available as is a management development programme which allows staff to develop management skills on-the-job and at off-site train" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing days. The majority of management staff have been in" rel="nofollow">internally promoted; many havin" rel="nofollow">ing started as part-time sales assistants while at school or university. Pay is relatively high for the in" rel="nofollow">industry, while a very popular staff discount scheme is also operated. The company prides itself on its range of cuttin" rel="nofollow">ing-edge’ practices in" rel="nofollow">in the area of diversity. Thanks to strong brandin" rel="nofollow">ing and effective management, the company has enjoyed considerable commercial success in" rel="nofollow">in recent years despite tough tradin" rel="nofollow">ing conditions. Nonetheless it has, for the time bein" rel="nofollow">ing, decided to suspend its UK expansion programme. Instead it has decided to start openin" rel="nofollow">ing some new stores overseas. Plans for the comin" rel="nofollow">ing year envisage the openin" rel="nofollow">ing of a number of new outlets located either at airports or in" rel="nofollow">in large shoppin" rel="nofollow">ing malls in" rel="nofollow">in the followin" rel="nofollow">ing cities: • Warsaw • Moscow • Shanghai • Mumbai • Dubai However, before proceedin" rel="nofollow">ing with the openin" rel="nofollow">ing of any of these new outlets, the senior management team would like to assess the local availability of suitably qualified staff. The company aims to staff these stores by employin" rel="nofollow">ing local nationals with experience of jewellery retailin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in their respective countries. However, it also accepts that for the first three or four years, in" rel="nofollow">in order to ensure the establishment of its existin" rel="nofollow">ing high standards, the company will need to send existin" rel="nofollow">ing managers from its UK stores to run the new outlets on an expatriate basis. To date very little detailed preparation has been carried out in" rel="nofollow">into the HR implications of these plans. Senior management efforts have in" rel="nofollow">instead been focused on plannin" rel="nofollow">ing fin" rel="nofollow">inancial, commercial and logistical elements. TASKS As part of the talent management strategy of the company you are required to prepare a report (2700 words) for the senior management team, ensurin" rel="nofollow">ing reference to appropriate research and debate, that addresses the followin" rel="nofollow">ing: 1. Critically analyse the current employment markets of any TWO of the above cities and make recommendations as to their suitability for expansion of Boras. (40%) 2. Identify and justify an appropriate resourcin" rel="nofollow">ing strategy that Boras can adopt when selectin" rel="nofollow">ing the UK managers to undertake an in" rel="nofollow">international assignment. (60%)