HR REPORT

Information Management and Financial Analysis for HR Managers - Level 7

Reassessment Case Study

Autumn Leaf Trust (ALT) is an independent health care provider specializing in the care of
the elderly. The Trust has expanded rapidly over the last 15 years and now owns a chain of
residential nursing and care homes across the country as well as providing care facilities in
the community.

With a stated mission to provide high standards of professionalism, service and quality of
care whilst nurturing a working environment which attracts, motivates, develops and retains
the very best people in the sector, demand for the ALT's services is exceptionally high. As
many of the residential homes also offer emergency respite care, the level of demand
frequently places a heavy burden upon staff, who need to work long hours and at short
notice to ensure the twenty-four hour care which many of the residents require. However the
level of staff dedication and care is such that clients' gratitude and the strength of the Trust's
reputation is normally sufficient reward.

A sizable proportion of the Trust’s work is local authority funded and although the fees are
not insubstantial local authorities strictly monitor and negotiate all charges and can be quite
slow in settling accounts. This places considerable pressure on the Trust’s finances and tight
control and management of all financial resources is essential. Consequently each care
home and facility is provided with a fixed annual budget and performance is closely
monitored on a monthly basis. Repeated over spends and significant variances have to be
accounted for and explained.

Balancing the demands of residents with the constant need and pressure to focus on the
financial implications of decisions does affect staff morale and the senior management have
become increasingly concerned as to the impact on staffing levels and the achievement of
the Trust's long-term objectives and values. For example within the last few months several
long serving professional members of staff have resigned and the Trust has had difficulty in
replacing them. This is particularly disappointing considering the Trust worked hard to recruit
the necessary levels of experienced and dedicated staff to maintain high levels of service
and care throughout the period of rapid expansion.

Following the recent retirement of the Human Resources (HR) Manager, the Trust has
appointed Helen Baxter to the position. One of her first major tasks is to address the current
staffing issues and improve the recruitment process within the Trust. As well as replacement
staff the Trust is also planning to expand further, again requiring the continuous recruitment
of additional staff. To support Helen there is a small dedicated HR team based at the
Sheffield Head Office. Most systems within the department are manual but a legacy HRIS is
in place to manage the application and employee databases. The system was implemented
over ten years ago when the Trust had less than 100 employees and basically provides for
storage and retrieval of employee and applicant data. The system is limited and with the
rapid increase in staff is quickly reaching full capacity. The Department has also experienced
problems with applicant files. Much of the data is stored in paper form which is circulated
between members of staff and unfortunately on a number of occasions the files have been
misplaced.

The senior management is aware of the shortcomings of the Trust's information systems and
is currently undertaking a full review of all information requirements and computing facilities
across the organization.
REQUIRED

Produce a report addressing the following:

a) Appraise the information an organization such as the Autumn Leaf Trust would require to
effectively manage staff and human resourcing issues across all levels of the
organization.
(30% weighting)

b) Recommend and fully justify appropriate information systems and technologies which
Autumn Leaf Trust should employ to provide the information you have identified in (a) as
well as to support and improve the operations within the Human Resources Department.
(50% weighting)

c) Critically discuss the key issues the Trust needs to consider before implementing your
recommendations in (b).
(20% weighting)

Note:

• Word limit 2500 words

• Use academic writers to support your arguments

Submission: please submit a hard copy of your report together with a "Turnitin" report to
SHIP in the Stoddart Building by 18th August 2010. You should also submit your report
electronically using the Turnitin facility available under the Assessment tab on Blackboard.
Assessment Guidelines
MSc HRM
Case Study Assignment

Appraise the information an organization such as the Autumn

Leaf Trust would require to effectively manage staff and
human resourcing issues across all levels of the organization.

Use and application of relevant models to analyse information

requirements - Mgmt levels, Process mapping etc 25
Ability to realistically demonstrate the information requirements of
the HR role.
Attention to problem areas as specified in the scenario
Appropriate use of examples

Recommend and fully justify appropriate information systems

and technologies which Autumn Leaf Trust should employ to
provide the information you have identified in (a) as well as to
support and improve the operations within the Human
Resources Department.

Assessment of IS in line with requirements specified in (a) 40

Conclusion and gaps identified were appropriate
Recommendations - expect types of systems rather than specific
software / should address conclusions & gaps as well as benefits
delivered

Critically discuss the key issues the Trust needs to consider

before implementing your recommendations in (b).
15

Presentation and referencing

Presentation - clarity in style and argument, development of the

argument; discussion of opposing views
20
Referencing and use of relevant academic literature.

Total Mark 100

Recommended Text

Laudon and Laudon, Management Information Systems, Global Edition, 11th

edition, Prentice Hall 2009

This is the most recent edition but previous editions are also available – 10th /
9th, Chapter numbering in the 10th edition is similar but you will need to check
earlier editions.

Further Suggested Texts

Stair and Reynolds, Fundamentals of Information Systems 4th edition, Thomson

2008

Bee, Management Information Systems and Statistics, Institute of Personnel and

Development, 2nd Edition, 2005

Frank Wood & Alan Sangster - Business Accounting 1, 8th edition

Although this is an introductory text, it does get a little technical.

However you may find the section on ratio analysis (ch 48 p 531) useful.

Accounting for Non-accounting students, J R Dyson, 5th ed'n Prentice Hall.

Relevant chapters:

9 - Interpretation of Accounts and

15 - Planning & Control: Budgeting - the chapter discusses the budgeting process
and there is a short section towards the end of the chapter on behavioural
consequences, which may be interesting.

Management Accounting for Non-Specialists, Peter Atrill & Eddie McLaney 2nd
edition Prentice Hall.

Chapter 6, p126 - Budgeting, provides a description of the budgeting process.

You may also wish to look at other titles by these 2 authors.

Accounting and Finance for Non Specialists

Financial Management for Non Specialists

Accounting for Managers - J G Glynn, J Perrin & M P Murphy Chapman & Hall

Chapter 7 - Obtaining useful information from accounts, Ratio Analysis

Chapter 12 - Budgetary planning & control - again description of budgetary

process