Assignment Task

ATHE Unit Name & Code  :  Resource Management

ATHE Level  :  Level 4

Credit value  :  15

 

Assignment

You are employed as a researcher for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK.  Funding has been given for knowledge of supply management in business.  The aim is to balance the management of physical and human resources in different sectors.

Your role is to research profiled businesses representing different sectors.   You will then choose a specific company to carry out further investigation.

Your research findings will be conferred in a statement.

You will find brief profiles of 3 businesses in Appendix 1.  You need to carry out additional research into similar companies to ensure detailed findings.

Task 1

The first section of your report consists of an analysis of the different resource elements of the three profiled businesses. This must be followed by an appearance of the critical factors that companies in various sectors must consider when managing resources.

This task covers assessment criteria 1.1 and 1.2.

Task 2

In this section of the statement, you should emphasize the importance of the practical use of physical resources by providing.

• An evaluation of how the use of natural sources is controlled and managed
• Assess Mentation of the impact of source wastage
• An assessment of the values of high form technological failures
• An assessment of the business case for the use of ethical and sustainable resources

You should give examples from each sector that relate to the businesses profiled.

This task covers assessment criteria 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4.

Task 3

Referring to the profiled businesses or similar organizations, provide a section in the report on how to maximize the effectiveness of human resources.

Include:

• An assessment of the necessary for human resource planning in the workplace
• Review of how theories of motivation can be utilized to exciting people at work
• An evaluation of the systems used to control and improve employee performance
• An assessment of the effectiveness of reward systems in different contexts

This task covers assessment criteria 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.

Task 4

For this section of your report, you will review the practical use of human and physical resources in a specific, live business of your choice.

You should consider the following beginnings of information and discuss these with your tutor before deciding how to proceed:

• Use already documented case study material
• Use a business in which you work/have worked
• Arrange a visit to a company (individual or group)
• Request a speaker from a store to talk to your group

To write this section of the report, you will:

• onitor the use of physical resources against performance measures and procedures
• analyze data on employee performance
• produce findings on the practical use of human and material resources
• make recommendations to improve efficiency

This task covers assessment criteria 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4.

A bibliography must be attached to your report.

Appendix 1

Business 1 is an agricultural business in the primary sector.

‘Stems’ is a family business based on the concept of ‘picks your produce.’  Four family members are permanent employees of the company, and seasonal workers are hired as needed.

The season lasts from June to October.  The main crop is strawberries but there are 20 crops in all, and the family is hoping to expand on this.  The plants cover 50 acres. Facilities are provided to attract customers, and these include car parking, toilets, and containers for the picked crops, a shop with snacks and drinks and a picnic area.

The farm has its reservoir to provide water for irrigation.  A series of drains and filters carry the water to the crops.

A new development has been to make picking easier by growing plants in troughs filled with peat.  A steel structure supports the channels. This gives the gutters height so that customers do not have to bend to pick the crops. It also reduces crop damage from slugs and woodlice.

Business 2 is an engineering business in the secondary sector.  It is a private limited company run by two friends and business partners. The industry consists of a factory manufacturing lightweight panel systems for ships, planes and rail cars. The panels are made of aluminum.

The factory relies on lightweight panel technology and specialist machinery. There is ten factory staff that provides the necessary labor. They are relatively unskilled and can be quickly trained in the factory process. Also, the company employs 3 administration staff. Sales are handled by the partners.

Business 3 is a call center operating in the tertiary sector on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis.  The center provides a professional telephone answering service to businesses.

The center employs 100 telephones who each require 2 weeks training to be fully operational.

The business is heavily dependent on technology using:

• All scripts software which creates scripts for agents
• Web based technique which uses a client’s database on the call center’s server
• An interactive voice response system with a menu of options, messages, and music
• Call recording

 

Module Specification and Learning Outcomes:

4.2 Resource Management
Unit Aims	The aim of this unit is to provide an overview of the human and physical resources needed in a range of organisations, including those in the primary, service and manufacturing sectors, and provide an understanding of the impact of efficiency on the organisations. Learners will use this knowledge to review the effective use of resources within an organisation.
Unit level	4
Unit code	F/503/7083
GLH	60
Credit value	15
Unit grading structure	Pass
Assessment guidance	Assignments in accordance with awarding organisation guidance.
Learning outcomes The learner will:		Assessment criteria  The learner can:
1 Understand the key features of resource management		1.1 Analyse the differing resource requirements of  organisations in different sectors of the economy1.2 Outline key requirements relevant to resource  management in organisations in different sectors of the economy
2 Understand the importance of the effective use of physical resources		2.2 Evaluate how the use of physical resources is  monitored and managed2.1 Evaluate the impact of resource wastage 2.3 Assess the costs of high profile technological failures 2.4 Assess the business case for the use of ethical and sustainable resources
3 Understand how to maximise the effectiveness of human resources		3.1 Assess the need for human resource planning in the workplace3.2 Using motivational theories, analyse what motivates people 3.3 Evaluate the methods used to monitor and  improve employee performance 3.4 Assess the effectiveness of reward systems in different contexts
4 Be able to review the effective use      of resources		4.1 Monitor the use of physical resources against  performance measures and procedures4.2 Analyse data on employee performance 4.3 Report on the effective use of human and physical resources 4.4 Make recommendations to improve efficiency