Globalisation
“Globalisation has had a transformational and irreversible impact on work and working lives over the past thirty years and will continue to do so over the next thirty years”. Discuss.
2) It is common for commentators to predict a near future in which secure employment becomes rare as machines replace people and jobs. To what extent do you agree with this view and why?
3) After fifteen months of a pandemic in which large parts of the UK economy were closed down, the proportion of people who are unemployed remains at an historically low level (4.8%), while employers complain of chronic skills shortages. Explain why this is the case. Justify your answer.
4) Why do unethical business practices continue to be so common at a time when corporate social responsibility (CSR) is being so widely promoted? To what extent is this state of affairs likely to continue in the future?
5) What advice would you give to a large employer operating in the service sector about how it might improve its ability to recruit, retain and engage many more older workers? Discuss the business case for investing funds in your suggested initiatives.
6) Critically discuss the impact of any TWO of the following environmental trends on HRM work:
- i) rising affluence
- ii) increasing social inequality
iii) increased individualism
- iv) trade union decline
- v) the rise of identity politics
7) “Securing a sustained improvement in labour productivity is a major public policy priority. It can only be achieved with the active co-operation of HR managers.” Discuss.
8) Why is the effective management of expatriate workers so challenging in practice? What advice would you give to an international company that is looking to adopt ‘best practice’ in this field of HR activity?
