For some reason, such a task as a case study causes a lot of dissatisfaction among students. Some immediately panic, while others delay the task until the last day. Yes, there is some truth in the fact that this task is not very simple. But in reality, everything is not as scary as it seems at first glance.
The whole difficulty lies in not understanding how to complete the task. But since you are here, you can forget about the complexity of this issue. Using our complete guide on how to write a case study in Human Resources you can not only easily complete the task, but also get a good mark. Let’s start our journey in the case study.
Case Study in Human Resources: What Is the Essence?
Human Resource is a huge area that addresses both business issues and the personal aspects of employees and even psychology. Students whose future professional activities will be related to this discipline will need to solve many issues. Starting from knowledge of labor law, compensation benefits, and also engage in employee development and workflow planning.
That is why the implementation of such a task as a case study is simply an integral part of the learning. The student is expected to conduct an in-depth analysis of the subject. So, what is the essence of such a task? You will need to make an analysis of the subject you are studying. That is, you will need to identify the problem/situation, provide background information and, of course, recommendations on how to solve problems in the context of the subject.
And HR is just that discipline that is ideally suited for these purposes. There are a lot of topics to study, so you will definitely choose the one that suits you the most. Well, let’s look in more detail at how you can complete such a task.
How to Write a Case Study in Human Resources: A Step by Step Guide
As we mentioned before, completing this task is simple if you follow our instructions. We have prepared really non-standard advice. We assure you that you did not even think about some of them.
Let’s Choose a Topic
If you have been given the freedom to choose a topic, we recommend that you pick the one that interests you the most. What HR topics are suitable for case studies? You will not believe it, but almost all HR topics are suitable for this. In fact, in each topic, you can find a problem and how to solve it.
If you do not know which direction to choose, then we offer you several options. You may be interested in a certain topic or you will have an understanding of which direction to draw inspiration from:
- Organizational Culture as a Fundamental Aspect of Success;
- Employee Satisfaction Through Workplace Motivation;
- Compensation Management for Company Success;
- HR Problems in ‘Company X’;
- Training and Development of Personnel in ‘Company X’
Carefully Read the Requirements of the Assignment
First of all, it is vital to understand the essence of the task. Most likely your professor has provided you with the requirements and what is expected of you. This is an important point since many students neglect to familiarize themselves with the initial requirements, and then a lot of difficulties arise. Read the requirements so you don’t miss anything.
Preparation for Assignment
If, after the first recommendation, you still have confusion about how to complete the tasks, then you can use the following questions.
Define the background of your assignment: for example, the type of industry, company, or location.
- What is the main problem in the context of your topic?
- What questions are suitable for the analysis.
- What tools will you use?
Should You Use Interviews? Be Ready for Another Secret Tool
A case study is exactly that type of academic assignment where an interview is a good tool for obtaining data. Moreover, then you can achieve a really deep analysis of your topic. It is also the easiest way to get data.
Is this method applicable in the context of such a discipline as HR management? Depending on your topic, yes. If your topic is related to the human factor, and not the success of the company, then this is an ideal tool for obtaining data.
What is the secret tool?
If we are talking about an industry or a company, then the option of studying the history of the company and compiling a SWOT analysis, which will highlight the strengths and weaknesses, is suitable for you.
In fact, the data obtained from this analysis will be your information for the case study report. Many people believe that SWOT analysis is not applicable to HR or case studies.
But in fact, this is the easiest and fastest way to help you write your assignment. Here you will immediately identify the problem, all weaknesses, threats, and you can draw up a further plan of action to eliminate weaknesses (problems). In fact, this is what you need for a case study.
By the way, maybe earlier you performed SWOT analysis within the framework of the HR discipline? And you were given the freedom to choose a topic? Then you make your task easier. You can take your SWOT analysis and make a case study out of it. What could be easier?
If the object of your research will be a certain type of employee, an interview is the best tool. All you need to do is prepare a list of questions. Formulate the questions in such a way that they give the clearest answers for a complete picture of your research. Use less water. The more specific your questions, the easier it will be for you to conduct an analysis.
For example, if you study the issue of what difficulties graduates face in finding work, then your questions may be as follows:
- How many interviews did you attend before your final hiring?
- What salary do you expect?
- What difficulties did you encounter during the interview?
- How does the employer relate to graduates?
- What are your feelings about internship/training in the workplace?
- Have you met your expectations for work?
How to Conduct an Interview for a Case Study
Once your list of questions is ready, you need to decide how you will conduct the interview. You can arrange an oral survey that will allow you to get much more relevant information. And you can prepare questions as a written questionnaire.
If you choose the second option, then you will have to prepare not only questions but also answer options. Please note that not everyone will be ready to prescribe detailed answers to your questions. So then you will have to carefully study both the questions and the answer options so that you can get the necessary information rather than empty results from the questionnaire.
Regardless of which type of survey you choose; it is important to remember the following:
- Interviewees should be notified that their answers will be used only for educational purposes.
- The questionnaire is anonymous.
These are the basic rules of the interview with which people will be willing to make contact. Not everyone is ready to answer tricky questions without anonymity. So be sure to notify respondents. If you will conduct an interview through a questionnaire, then write down this information before the questions.
Data Processing and Analysis
When you receive the answers, you need to analyze each of your questions. Review the answers to each question and analyze why the person provided such an answer.
You need to do the same with the data that you received from the SWOT analysis. Further, we will consider the structure, and then you can sort the data obtained by the desired items.
Analytical Instruments and Theories
Determine what additional analysis tools you will use. For example, it may be your textbooks, similar work on your topic. The sources that you choose for your analysis should note the appropriate methodology. SWOT analysis or interview will not be enough since your analysis results must also be scientifically supported. So choose the right sources in advance.
The Structure You Need to Follow
After you have completed the analysis, let’s look at the structure of such an essay. Yes, there is a traditional structure that consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. But here in the body, there will be slightly different information that distinguishes this type of task from the rest.
- Introduction: At the very beginning of your text, it will be necessary to identify the main problem in the context of your subject. Also do not forget that in this part you need to identify the thesis. The optimal volume for this is one or two sentences.
- Body: We already mentioned that there will be some differences in structures. Let’s see what you need to indicate here:
- Background information: Here you must indicate why the problem selected for analysis is a problem. It will not be superfluous to use the facts, refer to authoritative resources and provide the study of the problem itself.
- Alternatives: Here it is necessary not only to provide several alternatives but also to explain why some of them should be rejected.
- Solution: This is the highlight of your assignment. Here it will be necessary to provide a solution to the identified problem. It will be essential to justify this decision. Remember that the decision should be put forward on the basis of your analysis and be supported by theoretical concepts.
- Recommendations: Another important component. When you have identified a solution, you need to outline what you need to implement the solution. This implies a certain strategy and action. Create a short plan for implementing the solution.
- Conclusion: All according to tradition, briefly summarize your work. In fact, your recommendations are the main part of the conclusion.
Tips That Will Help with Structure
When you know how you should look at your text, we have prepared several recommendations. They will help you to more thoroughly work out the main parts of the case study.
Definition of a Problem
The starting point in completing such a task will be to determine the subject of your analysis and what relates to it. For instance, if your subject will be a certain company, it will be necessary to familiarize yourself with the history of the creation of the company. Note, how certain situations and decisions affected the success/failure, and how this all affected the current activities of the company.
Provide Background Information
Such information means a description of why the problem you are investigating is a problem. Using this information, you set the direction for your study and the correct perception of your thoughts by the reader. Of course, you will need to provide facts, numbers or refer to authoritative sources/research. You can also use phrases from the interview.
Such information is necessary so that the reader can come to his own conclusion with your help. In simpler words, this task is like a puzzle. Each of your sentences is a puzzle and your conclusion already adds up the overall picture.
Remember that the goal of a good case study is to give the reader such a direction that he not only reads your text but also thinks with you.
Description of Solutions
Remember to work through the recommendations and solutions well. Recommendations are extremely important in this type of assignment, as it will play a decisive role as to whether you completed this assignment correctly. For each identified problem you will need to provide a solution. Remember that it should be detailed and contain an action plan. In order for you to simply make recommendations, you can provide answers to the following questions:
- Why this solution will work?
- What are the risks of implementing the recommendation?
- What are the costs of implementing the recommendation?
- How long will it take to implement the recommendation?
This way it will be easier for you to make your recommendations. Remember that they are significant in this task, so work through this part with special attention.
Check the Ready Text
Once your main text is ready, you should spend your time reading the text. Check how logical your sequence of presentation of thoughts is, and find out if there is the presence of errors and typos.
Also, be sure to check compliance with a specific format. Most likely, your professor has given you a clear requirement as to which format to adhere to. So be sure to check if you have complied with this requirement.
This is the final action on your task. Only after that, you can consider that your work is ready. Now, you are convinced that everything is not as difficult as it might seem? Get down to the task with our guide and get a good mark!
Writing an “A” paper is a very challenging task for most students. Actually, it`s not odd at all that most students encounter a lot of problems on their way to successful assignment completion. They might feel some difficulties while starting their essays, structuring them, and choosing the appropriate writing technique. What is more, some students can`t avoid failure at checking their own papers. If you recognize yourself in these lines, you should do your best and get professional help. And we are always here for you Essaytutor.net. Our essay writing service is always happy to take some of this academic load off your shoulders.