7IBI Investigating a Business Issue from a Human Resources Perspective

Module Overview

Investigating a business issue from a human resources perspective (7IBI) is a module that focuses on providing the learners with the opportunity to develop and demonstrate ability to identify diagnose or investigate a complex issue from the perspective of human resource. This involves collecting information within contemporary knowledge and practical setting analysing the data and derive conclusions that help to make actionable recommendations on the issue identified.

This unit is highly applicable to the professionals within an organisation as it helps to examine the effects that a business issue could have on both the HR and overall performance of the organisation hence put up effective measures to ensure that the negative effects are avoided while building on the positivity that can be generated from the experience. Additionally, 7IBI is a unit that helps the learners to develop effective and sustainable solutions to problems that may arise within the workplace hence facilitate effective problem-solving skills that improve the performance of the professionals and the organisation in general.

Unit objectives

The unit aims at largely improving the understanding and knowledge of the learners on conducting effective investigations of business situations and scenarios and developing effective measures to improve the impacts experienced both by the human resource and the organisation. Some of the main objectives of this unit include:

• Be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of methodologies and business and management research

• Identify a business issue of strategic relevance to the organisation

• Identify the different methods of data collection and merits of each method

• Conduct and effective literature search on a business issue

• Identify and apply theoretical concepts of human resource practice in analysis, interpretation and evaluation of results form a business issue.

• Make realistic and practical actionable recommendations form collected and evaluated data.

• Understand the main issues associated with investigating a business issue through using research.

Suitability of the Unit

The unit is suitable for different levels of organisational leadership. It mainly targets the people professionals within the organisation as it seeks to study the problem form the context of human resource professionals. As such, the people professionals are provided with critical knowledge within this unit that is applicable in identifying a situation and devising strategies to investigate and breakdown the business issue against existing theoretical frameworks and concepts that helps them to understand the implications of the issue on the performance of the employees.

7IBI is also applicable to other managers within the organisation. Managers should generally be good problem-solvers. The process of problem-solving involves being able to understanding the business context and issues that could be experienced within this context hence generate effective solutions to the issues. As such within this unit, the learners are provided with the informational backing as well as training on the skills that they should develop to be able to effectively achieve the responsibilities of investigating a business issue, evaluating the results and developing recommendations that can be acted upon to minimise the negative impacts of the issue to the organisation.

Key Learning Areas

The unit covers several learning topics and sections. Some fo the main ones that are covered within the unit include

Investigation Procedure

The investigation procedure is important when handling a situation, especially from the HR perspective. This is because it is important to determine the level of effects that the issue has had on the employees and organisation in general already hence effectively putting up measures that support the identified recommendations to minimise negative or adverse effects on the organisation.

7IBI helps learners to develop an understanding of different steps in investigation of a business issue. This involves understanding the risk factor to the actual effects that are experienced within the HR as a result of the issue identified hence help in making critical conclusions on the issue. There are different methods of investigation including research that are used within the process hence the learners should develop an understanding of the different methods and the efficient of each to achieve the desired informational goals.

Research Skills and Techniques

7IBI builds on the ability of the learners to effectively conduct business and management research .Such research involved identifying a problem or issue and conducting a study that helps to provide better understanding of the issue with the aim of devising effective interventions to address the negative impacts of the issue.

This area of study covers critical aspects of learning that include the data collection approaches used in the research process, the methodologies used to analyses the data and the ethical issues associated with the study.It is important for the learners to understand the various risks that are associated with each research process that could affect the overall outcome of the research hence put up effective strategies to mitigate this shortcomings that could affect their ability to achieve the desired outcomes. This information is largely provided within 7IBI unit hence making it important for the professionals.

Data Analysis and Presentation

7IBI helps the learners to develop an understanding of different tools that can be used to interpret and make data presentation in support of their arguments and recommendations. It helps to build the necessary knowledge that the learners require to understand the process of analysing data into relevant information that can be easily interpreted for the process of decision making. This unit further guides the learners into developing the knowledge on how to develop visual representation of data that boosts their ability to make arguments using this data.

Wrap Up

The unit is evaluated using a written assessment.t eh learners are required to complete the assessment by exhibiting knowledge of theoretical frameworks learned within the course as well as the ability to apply these principles in their real lives. This is achieved through using the aspect of practical examples in the assessment. Learners should include practical examples in the process of completing their assignment to help the assessor identify the ability to implement the frameworks in specific situations within the workplace.