Assignment 1: Strategy, Planning, and Selection 
Due Week 3 and worth 170 points 

Assume  for this assignment that you are being highly considered for a  director-level HR management position for a best-in-class national  retailer. You are in the final phase of the interview process and must  respond to the interview panel regarding specific questions and  scenarios that will help them determine if you are a good fit for the  new role. The company’s culture is centered on the effective development  of strategy, plans, and selection criteria aimed at building and  sustaining a competitive and profitable organization. It will be  extremely important that you respond with a strategic mindset in order  to convince the organization you are able to help them ensure the  execution of the business strategy. 

Write a six to seven (6-7) page paper in which you: 

• Analyze different types of strategies (cost leadership,  differentiation, and focus/niche) and select which one you would deem  more appropriate for an “efficiency-minded” retail organization and  explain your rationale. How would the selected strategy ultimately  affect how HR does its job?  
• Examine the four (4) approaches to job design/redesign and  provide an example (not a definition) of each. Then, make a case to the  interviewing panel on the importance of effective job design  applications in supporting the overall strategic goals of the  organization.  
• Consider challenges and constraints associated with recruiting  workers and identify and discuss at least two (2) issues. What advice  would you give to ease your selected issues? Be specific.  
• List and describe 2–3 candidate selection process ideas that might add value and overall effectiveness to the process. HINT: http://www.selectinternational.com/blog/bid/147051/5-Tips-for-Designing-an-Effective-Employee-Selection-System. Also, what problems should HR and management teams avoid during the selection process?  
• Format your assignment according to these formatting requirements:  
  1. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with  one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or  school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional  instructions.  
  2. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment  (with running head), the student’s name, the professor’s name, the  course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the  required page length.  
  3. Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow  APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page  length. Use the Strayer University Library at  https://research.strayer.edu to locate additional sources to support  your work.  

The specific course outcomes associated with this assignment are:  

• Assess the strategic role of human resource management and the  components that provide a competitive advantage to the organization.  
• Examine the human resource management functions of recruiting and selecting, and their importance to business strategy.