Using Human Resource Management Practices to Support Organizational Culture

/in /by

Assignment 2: Using Human Resource Management Practices to Support Organizational Culture

Organizational cultures are intentionally created and carefully maintained by companies. They shape the “feel” and visual artifacts of the organization as well as support the organization’s business strategy. A business strategy can allow a company to leverage the organization’s set of core competencies to create a competitive advantage. Two examples of a business strategy or core competency are superior customer service and innovation. In addition to employing methods that support the overall business strategy of the organization, each internal business unit also creates its own practices that support the strategy. The human resources (HR) management business unit, for example, formulates the HR practices to ensure that the company’s human capital efforts support a culture of innovation.
As an example, an organization whose business strategy or core competency is innovation might foster the overall culture of innovation by instituting a work-when-you-want policy and creating nontraditional workspaces. In addition, the HR business unit might design practices to enhance the culture of innovation, such as hiring only from universities known for encouraging innovation, implementing a bonus program for employees who acquire a patent, or using an employee selection test to screen for the most innovative among the group. However, if the strategy or core competency of the organization were superior customer service, the overall policies and business unit practices would differ greatly. A distinctly different culture would be created, one that supports the customer service business strategy.
For this assignment, select an organization you know well or research an organization that interests you. Respond to the following:

  • Describe the business strategy of the organization (be sure to include sufficient detail to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the strategy).
  • Analyze three unique, noteworthy aspects of the organization’s culture and explain how they support the overall organizational business strategy or core competencies:
    • If the culture does not currently support the strategy, offer suggestions for changes.
  • Identify and analyze three distinct HR practices that support the organization’s business strategy or core competencies:
    • If the HR practices do not currently support the strategy, offer suggestions for changes.

Support your statements with scholarly references. Be sure to include a separate title page as well as a reference page.
Your final product should be a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document, using a minimum of 3 sources from professional literature. Professional literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov). Be sure you write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Autism and Asperger’s Disorders

/in /by

Autism and Asperger’s Disorders – One or Two Categories?

The most common pervasive developmental disorders tend to fall into one of two categories: autism disorder and Asperger’s disorder.
Watch the fifteen-minute online video Autism’s Causes: How Close Are We to Solving the Puzzle on autism, which was aired on the PBS NewsHour’s show on April 20, 2011. You may also opt to read the transcript or listen to the audio available on the same web page.
Review the information presented in the video and complete the required readings for this week. Submit a 3- to 4-page paper and respond to the following:

  • Take a position on the current debate about whether Asperger’s disorder is a type of autism? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) moved Asperger’s disorder into the autism category and addressed it as a mild form of autism. There are many critics of this change to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) which placed the two diagnoses in separate categories, indicating that Asperger’s disorder is not a form of autism (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
    • Should Asperger’s have been labeled as a high-functioning (mild) form of autism, or should it have remained in its own category as a disorder separate from autism? Support your decision with information from academic sources.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental 
           disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishers.
PBS News Hour. (Producer). (2011, April 20). Autism’s causes: How close are
           we to solving the puzzle? [Video]. Washington, DC: Public Broadcasting
           System. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-
           june11/autism3causes_04-20.html

Submission Details:

  • Support your responses with examples.
  • Cite any sources in APA format.
  • Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.

Initial Assessment

/in /by
1.Initial Assessment
Discuss the important elements of an initial assessment of a client. What are some questions you want to be sure to ask? Discuss how your favorite theory or theories of counseling influence the content of your initial assessment and the way you use the acquired information for goal setting and treatment planning.
2. Treatment Planning
How well did you do in constructing an effective treatment plan in your skills? What else do you need to know about treatment planning? What other skills do one might need to develop to be able to create effective treatment plans in collaboration with clients?

Sleep Disorders

/in /by

Discussion
Prior to completing your initial post, read Chapter 5 and 8 of your course text and viewing Sleep Disorders. These required materials examine topics on neurotransmitter and receptor systems, anatomical structures, neurological functional pathways and their role in control of movement, consciousness and sleep, and how they correlate to selected related disorders. Choose from the following options for your initial post:
Option A: Evaluate one of the disorders of consciousness covered this week. Explain theories of etiology (causation), including the neuroanatomical structures, neurotransmitter/receptor systems, and the functional nervous system pathways involved. Include an analysis of the contribution of genetics, the environment, and lifestyle to the development and natural history of the condition. Provide information regarding diagnostic criteria and evaluate options for care interventions (both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic). Lastly, identify the neuroanatomical structures and any neurotransmitter/receptor systems involved.
You must use a minimum of one peer-reviewed source that was published within the last five years, documented in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.  Your post should be a minimum of 250 words. You may cite and reference your textbook, required reading and/or multimedia, but these will not fulfill the source requirement.
Option B: Evaluate one of the sleep disorders covered this week. Explain theories of etiology (causation), including the neuroanatomical structures, neurotransmitter/receptor systems, and the functional nervous system pathways involved.  Include an analysis of the contribution of genetics, environment, and lifestyle to the development and natural history of the condition. What information can you add regarding diagnostic criteria? Evaluate the options for care interventions (both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic).  Lastly, identify the neuroanatomical structures and any neurotransmitter/receptor systems involved.
You must use a minimum of one peer-reviewed source that was published within the last five years, documented in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Your post should be a minimum of 250 words. You may cite and reference your textbook, required reading and/or multimedia, but these will not fulfill the source requirement.