Leadership and People Management

ECM22EKM: Leadership and People Management

Individual Coursework (50% mark)

Microsoft is a multinational technology company and one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Microsoft has been listed as the biggest tech company of 2024. Microsoft is arguably the world’s largest producer of PC software with over 220,000 employees. The company produces more than 200 products with annual revenue of $245 Billion and total market capital of more than $3 trillion. Microsoft’s philosophy for product development has been to cultivate its roots as a highly flexible and top-quality entrepreneurial company.

Using Microsoft as a case study, critically examine Microsoft’s HRM practices and HRM approach. Furthermore, critically analyse communication processes (between employer and employees; between employer and employees’ representatives [trade union] and between employees and their representatives [trade union]) at Microsoft. Your knowledge and understanding of the topic will be critically examined. Please do undertake critical research of Microsoft to enrich your work (i.e. a wider search of literature regarding Microsoft will enhance your work). It is important that you incorporate key debates, contemporary issues, and use real world example of Microsoft in your work. Consider using different credible sources, e.g. newspapers, academic journals, CIPD publications, etc. for your work. Please work on, and ensure an excellent level of criticality, coherence, and flow of your report. This will require effective discussion and clarity. Please note that a significant amount of the marks is awarded based on wider reading, critical and logical presentation, quality of argument, referencing, academic integrity and academic writing conventions. Assessment criteria:Nature of the topic/introduction 10%A review of appropriate academic literature 30%Analysis and discussion 35%Conclusions and recommendations 15%Presentation & referencing 10%Further GuidanceYou are required to provide a minimum of 10 appropriate academic references to support your work.General GuidelinesNature of the topic/introduction (10% of marks = approximately 350 words). In this section of your assignment, it is expected that you identify the key issues associated with Leadership, People, and Management from a broader perspective of the employer. Review of appropriate academic literature (30% of marks = approximately 950 words). In order to build knowledge, it is important that you access a range of relevant and credible resources. A literature review is concerned with judging the merit or otherwise of a body of research that addresses a research question. The purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, including their strengths and weaknesses. The literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g. your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available or a set of summaries.http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/literature-reviewAnalysis and Discussion (35% of marks = approximately 1150 words). Having reviewed relevant literature on Leadership, People, and Management, as mentioned earlier, it is imperative that you present a sound analysis and discussion. In this section, you will be analysing and discussing key issues regarding HRM practices and approach and communication at Microsoft.Conclusions and recommendations (15% of marks = approximately 550 words). In this section you conclude the main points of earlier research and discussion – please note that you should not include any new materials at this point. Also, you provide your recommendations.Presentation and referencing (10% of marks) these are critical elements of undertaking academic study. It is imperative that you correctly cite and reference all sources used in your work. Guidelines on Harvard Referencing are available on Moodle.Date of submission: Word count (3000 words +/-10%) excluding abstract, appendices, and bibliography/references. Exceeding or falling short of the admissible word count incurs a one-grade penalty; i.e. the next lower grade will be applied to your overall assignment, or will be considered a Fail if 40% or more below or above the admissible scope for the assignment.Assignments are to be submitted to turnitin.com (as will be advised in separate instructions) prior to submission for marking according to the attached assessment sheet.Assignments can be accepted only in MS Word Document format (2007 or later versions), not as PDF. The assignment should be formatted double-spaced, font size 12 (Times Roman or Ariel) and set within standard page margins of 1 inch.