Northeastern University College of Professional Studies

Course Syllabus

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Course Number: HRM6025

Course Name: Workforce Analytics

CRN: 21056

Quarter / Year: Winter 2018 CPS Quarter - 2nd Half Start

Term Length 6 weeks

Start / End Dates Feb 20 – Mar 31, 2018

Course Format:

Instructor Name: TBD

Instructor E-mail: TBD

Instructor Phone Number: TBD

Office

Technical Requirements In order to access this course, you will need a NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE OF

PROFESSIONAL STUDIES online Blackboard account, which can be obtained via the following link: http://nuonline.neu.edu/ Additional technical requirements include access to Adobe Acrobat and PowerPoint. Please see the Technical Help section of the course in Blackboard.

Each student is expected to be responsible for his or her access to the internet for purposes of this course and for research. Internet access is a required component of this course and will not be accepted as an excuse for missed work. If you know that you will be traveling, then make sure you plan accordingly.

Note regarding e-mail/voicemail: If you e-mail me, please include your name and class title. Please allow up to 48 hours for an email reply. All class correspondence will go to your assigned NEU email account. Any emails being sent to the whole class will go to your NEU email. It is mandatory you use your NEU/Husky email account when contacting your instructor. If you leave me a voicemail, please remember to include your name, class title, and phone number.

Required Text(s)/Software/Tools:

Edwards, M.R., & Edwards, K. (2016). Predictive HR analytics: Mastering the HR metric. London, UK: Kogan Page, Limited.

Required Supplemental Readings

Boudreau, J.W. (2017, June 16). HR must make people analytics more user-friendly. Harvard Business Review online. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/06/hr-must-make-people-analytics-more-user-friendly

Boudreau, J.W., & Ramstad, P.M. (2006). Talentship and HR measurement and analysis: From ROI to strategic organizational change. Human Resource Planning, 29(1), 25-33.

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Davenport, T.H., Harris, J. & Shapiro, J. (2010, October). Competing on talent analytics. Harvard Business Review, 88(10), 52-58. Economist Intelligence Unit (2016, May). Use of workforce analytics for competitive advantage. Alexandria, VA: SHRM Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/foundation/ourwork/initiatives/preparing-for-future-hr-trends/Documents/Workforce%20Analytics%20Report.pdf Feffer, M. (2017, Sept. 21). 9 tips for using HR metrics strategically. HR Magazine (SHRM). Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1017/pages/9-tips-for-using-hr-metrics-strateigcally.aspx?widget+mostpopular3 Kaplan, R.S., & Norton, D.P. (2006). Linking balanced scorecard measures to your strategy. In R.S. Kaplan & D.P. Norton, The balanced scorecard: Translating strategy into action (Chapter 7). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing. Society for Human Resource Management (2015, Mar 17). Scorecard: How can the balanced scorecard be applied to human resources? Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/howcanthebalancedscorecardbeappliedtohumanresources.aspx Optional Resources For supplemental instruction on basic statistical techniques and concepts, the following resources are recommended: Khan Academy Statistics Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1328115D3D8A2566 Specifically, videos 1-8 will be most helpful for reviewing the following topics:

Overview

Central Tendency

Sample vs. population

The variance of a population vs. variance of a sample

Standard Deviation

Variances & Random Variables

Probability density functions This course contains audio material and in some instances, you may be asked to participate in audio-based activities, such as a Voice Discussion Board. A headset (headphones plus microphone) will allow you to hear and record audio. The Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset, or the Plantronics Audio 470 or 500, or comparable brands/models, are recommended. Headsets can be purchased from online vendors such as amazon.com, bestbuy.com, or newegg.com. This course may also require a webcam. Webcams can be purchased at online vendors such as amazon.com

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Course Prerequisites Introduction to Human Resources Management (waived for students with HR experience)

Course Description

Human resources management helps drive business performance by delivering competitive advantage through people. This requires a solid grasp of HR analytics: the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data designed to improve decisions about talent and the organization as a whole. Topics include the characteristics of high quality data, key workforce metrics, and an introduction to common analysis techniques. Prepares students with the skills to plan and interpret an organization's "people metrics."

Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Below are the SLOs for your entire program. SLOs 2, 3, and 5 are applicable to this course.

Specialized Knowledge

Broad and Integrative Knowledge

Applied and Collaborative

Learning

Civic and Global

Learning

Experiential Learning

SLO 1 SLO 2

(Developing) SLO 3

(Practicing) SLO 4

SLO 5 (Practicing)

Incorporate human resource theory, skill development, and best practices to assess the role of human resource management in supporting an organization’s human capital and business strategy by influencing and the attitudes and behaviors of employees and other workforce stakeholders.

Design human resource policies and initiatives at the individual, organizational, and societal levels by using an interdisciplinary focus and integrative strategic methodologies including leadership, analytics, and business acumen.

Integrate and apply human resource concepts, research, knowledge, and skills to address workforce challenges in a range of organizations.

Develop human resource strategies and programs that can promote the building of intercultural and global networks within and outside organizations, based on high ethical standards and a deep global understanding.

Synthesize and transfer learning to new, complex situations and contexts.

Course Outcomes (COs) CO1: Understand workforce analytics in the context of big data and the role that HR plays. CO2: Apply LAMP framework to understand the techniques to plan, measure, analyze, and interpret HR data. CO3: Understand the value of workforce metrics in achieving desired outcomes. CO4: Analyze examples and understand the process for applying workforce metrics to implement effective human resources initiatives.

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Course Methodology Each week, you will be expected to:

1. Review the week's learning objectives. 2. Complete all assigned readings. 3. Complete all lecture materials for the week. 4. Complete and submit all assignments by the due dates, to include assignments which contain a Discussion Board component.

Weekly topics, learning objectives, and assigned readings are as follows:

Week 1: What is data science and how does it apply to HR?

Weekly Learning Objectives

Review the origins of big data and understand the components of data science

Show how data science is applied to HR

Demonstrate the role that data and data management systems play with HR

Unpack LAMP as a framework for workforce analytics Readings

“Use of Workforce Analytics for Competitive Advantage”, Economist Intelligence Unit, pages 8 -31

“HR Must Make People Analytics More User-Friendly”, Boudreau, Harvard Business Review

Textbook: o Chapter 1, “Understanding HR Analytics” pages 1 –

8 o Chapter 2, “HR Information Systems and Data”,

pages 10-12 and 53-54.

Week 2: What are the steps and considerations in data analytics?

Weekly Learning Objectives

Construct an approach for data analysis incorporating the necessary factors for planning, analysis, selecting metrics and collecting data

Identify the statistical methods and considerations to accurately describe and compare data

Analyze the levels of interpretation that are used to synthesize results and insights

Readings:

“Talentship and HR Measurement and Analysis”, Boudreau/Ramstad, Human Resource Planning, pages 25-31

Textbook: Chapter 3, “Analytical Strategies”, pages 56-74

Week 03: What are workforce metrics and how are they used?

Weekly Learning Objectives

Identify categories and uses of workforce analytics

Explain a process for analyzing human resources issues and determining the appropriate metrics to measure desired outcomes

Analyze issues of risk and ethics in the use of workforce analytics

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Classify and recommend workforce metrics to support business objective through Balanced Scorecard mapping

Readings:

Textbook: Chapter 12, “Reflection on HR Analytics: Usage, Ethics, and Limitations”, pages 437-452

“Competing on Talent Analytics”, Davenport, et al., Harvard Business Review, pages 52-58.

“Nine Tips for Using HR Metrics Strategically”, Feffer, HR Magazine, pages 1-6

“How Can the Balanced Scorecard be Applied to Human Resources?”, SHRM, pages 1-2.

“Linking balanced scorecard measures to your strategy”, Kaplan/Norton, pages 1-22.

Week 04: Metrics – recruitment, turnover, and diversity

Weekly Learning Objectives

Describe metrics related to recruitment and selection, employee turnover, and diversity

Analyze business cases and scenarios

Create data collection and analysis plan given a business scenario

Devise potential human resources initiatives that would be appropriate based on recruitment and selection, employee turnover, and diversity metrics provided in the business scenario

Readings

Textbook: o Chapter 4, “Case study 1: Diversity analytics” pages

108-143 o Chapter 6, “Case study 3: Predicting employee

turnover”, pages 190-235. o Chapter 8, “Case Study 5: Recruitment and

selection analytics”, pages 285-318. o Chapter 10, “Business applications: Scenario

modelling and business cases”, example 5, pages 398-405.

Week 05: Metrics – engagement and performance

Weekly Learning Objectives

Describe metrics related to employee engagement and employee performance

Analyze business cases and scenarios

Create data collection and analysis plan given a business scenario

Devise potential human resources initiatives that would be appropriate based on employee engagement and employee performance metrics provided in the business scenario

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Readings

Textbook: o Chapter 5, “Case study 2: Employee attitude

surveys – engagement and workforce perceptions” pages 144-189

o Chapter 7, “Case study 4: Predicting employee performance”, pages 237-284.

o Chapter 9, “Case Study 6: Monitoring the impact of interventions”, pages 319-364.

o Chapter 10, “Business applications: Scenario modelling and business cases”, example 2, pages 373-381.

Week 06: Determine effective human resources initiatives based on workforce analytics

Weekly Learning Objectives

Create data collection and analysis plan given a business scenario

Devise potential human resources initiatives that would be appropriate based on metrics provided in a business scenario

Readings

Textbook: o Chapter 10, “Business applications: Scenario

modelling and business cases”, examples 1, 3, 4, or 6, pages 364-411

o Chapter 11, “More advanced HR analytic techniques”, pages 412-436

o Chapter 12, “Reflection on HR Analytics: Usage, Ethics, and Limitations”, pages 437-452

Written Paper Assignments

Some assignments for this course are written papers. These assignments must be submitted through the assignment link in the course room no later than 11:59pm EST on the Sunday of the week in which the assignment is due. Each paper must be 3-5 pages in length. Paper assignments must adhere to APA formatting requirements. In addition, you must include a reference list of all class materials and outside resources used to write this paper. A grading rubric for assignments is provided.

PowerPoint Presentation Assignments

Some assignments for this course are presentation slide files. These assignments must be submitted through the assignment link in the course room no later than 11:59pm EST on the Sunday of the week in which the assignment is due. Each presentation must contain 8-10 slides. Presentation assignments must adhere to APA formatting requirements. In addition,

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you must include a reference list of all class materials and outside resources used to write this paper. A grading rubric for assignments is provided.

Discussion Board Assignments

Some assignments for this course are designed to be shared with your colleagues in the Discussion Board area. For these assignments, you will be required to post a primary response which follows the assignment instructions provided. This posting must be uploaded no later than 11:59pm EST on the Thursday of the week in which it is assigned. You will also be required to make at least two secondary responses to other students’ primary postings. These secondary postings must be uploaded no later than 11:59pm EST on the Saturday of the week in which the assignment is due. These deadlines will allow for greater participation in a dialog about that week’s assigned topics. All postings must follow APA formatting requirements. In addition, you are required to post a weekly discussion posting which is reflective of your learning during this course. You will be expected to address three questions (see assessment description below). These three questions are designed to, respectively, encourage self-reflection and review of learning activities and content for the week; encourage ownership of learning through the dissemination of content to other parties; and encourage immediate and personal feedback to your professor regarding what of the weekly content and activities are supporting you and what could improve your learning experience. This posting must be uploaded no later than 11:59pm EST on the Friday of the week in which it is assigned. You will also be required to make at least two secondary responses to other students’ primary postings. These secondary postings must be uploaded no later than 11:59pm EST on the Sunday of the week in which it is assigned. These postings should be written in first-person voice, although appropriate grammar, spelling, and written convention should still be followed. A grading rubric for the learning reflection postings is provided. The Discussion Board is a space for academic exchanges. As a result, you must check for proper and exacting punctuation, spelling, and grammar. In addition, you must reference all outside sources in correct citation format. It is crucial that all participants maintain a high regard for proper decorum in the Discussion Board. A grading rubric for Discussion Board responses is provided. Please treat your classmates and the instructors with the utmost respect. Inappropriate posts will be removed immediately. The instructor reserves the right to penalize students for repeated violations of the participation policy within a course. In the discussion board and in class, high quality contributions advance the class discussions and do not simply summarize the material that was assigned. Quality contributions take into account not only the instructor’s questions but also your classmates’ contributions.

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Weekly Assessment Descriptions Below you will find the general assessment descriptions. More specific details will be provided by the instructor at appropriate times throughout the course. Week Assessment Description Assessment Type

1

Develop a business case about an HR or talent related matter with your current or prior employer that addresses the following: 1) Describe a business problem that exists with

an HR operation or function (e.g., performance management, attendance, compensation, recruiting, learning & development)

2) Define what would be your goal to make the experience better?

3) Outline the actions would you take to improve the situation and how would you indicate the success of your actions?

4) Identify the data would you need to track to be able to assess success?

Post your business case in the Discussion Board thread for Week 1. Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings.

Discussion Board Posting

2

Based on the HR operation or function utilized in Week 1’s assignment, use the LAMP framework to develop a measurement and assessment plan that would address a strategic issue in your organization. Create a presentation of your measurement and assessment plan in PowerPoint with the objective of presenting your recommendation to the CEO of your company. The presentation should be between 8 to 10 slides and include detailed speaker notes that convey what you would say in your presentation to the CEO.

PowerPoint Presentation

3

Using either the Metro Bank or National Insurance example in your Kaplan & Norton book chapter (only choose 1), create a Balanced HR Scorecard around three objectives (example objective: reduce turnover). Using the SHRM framework, provide the objective, description, actions, and measures for each objective. This will be submitted as a paper. Choose one of the objectives you created above and post it in the Discussion Board thread for Week 3. Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings.

Written Paper and Discussion Board Posting

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Case study: The CEO of Rex Technologies wants to significantly increase the size of the San Francisco office to have comparably sized “east coast” and “west coast” hubs for customers. Follow the instructions for the Week 4 scenario given in the Rex business case at the end of the syllabus. This will be submitted as a paper.

Written Paper

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5

Case study: The CEO of Rex Technologies has called for a change to the company’s employee performance management systems after an increase in customer complaints. Follow the instructions for the Week 5 scenario given in the Rex business case at the end of the syllabus. This will be submitted as a paper.

Written Paper

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Final Assignment: The CEO of Rex Technologies wants to introduce a new product and Follow the instructions for the Week 6 scenario given in the Rex business case at the end of the syllabus. This will be a team assignment. Each team will be composed of 3 to 5 students designated by the instructor. Teams will develop and present (in-person or as a recording) a slide presentation. All team members are expected to conduct research, develop content, and participate in the presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation

Weeks 1-6

Weekly Learning Reflection Discussion Posting Each week, provide a discussion posting which addresses the following three questions: 1) What was my biggest take-away from this week’s topic and activities? 2) What would I most likely share with a colleague about this week’s topic and activities? 3) What comments and/or recommendations do I have about this week’s topic and activities?

Discussion Board Posting

Communication with Your Professor and Each Other If you have a question for which the answer would benefit the entire class, you are encouraged to post your question in the Ask the Instructor Discussion Forum so that your fellow students, who may have a similar question, can benefit. If you have a question or issue of a personal nature, please send a private email to my email address listed on page one. Students are highly encouraged to communicate with each other in the Student Communication folder in the Discussion Forum. This non-graded area is a place to exchange ideas, offer help, ask questions, and provide each other with feedback and information in general.

Submission of Work

In the Assignments folder, click on the View/Complete Assignment link to view and each assignment. Attach your completed assignments here and click Submit to turn them in to me. Once your assignment has been graded, you will be able to view the grade and feedback I have provided by clicking on My Grades in the Tools module from the Northeastern University Online Campus tab.

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Grading/Evaluation Standards Late assignments will be subject to a grade level deduction. After seven days, late submissions are not permitted. There are no make-up dates or extensions for the assignments except for documented personal emergencies or special permission granted by the instructor in writing. Special permission must be requested in writing to the instructor at least two days prior to the due date of the assignment. No late submissions or extensions are possible during the last week of the class. Grades represent an important form of feedback to students. At the graduate level, our expectation is that student work will demonstrate a basic understanding of course concepts and address all the requirements of an assignment – this is the meaning of a ‘B/B+’ grade. To achieve a grade in the ‘A’ range, the work must thoroughly address aspects of the assignment and exceed the requirements of the assignment. See below the brief descriptions of what the letter grades mean.

Grade What It Means

A (95-100)

Outstanding, insightful work. Goes beyond requirements of the task to

develop a response, which is thoughtful, reflective, considers alternative

views and makes connections among ideas and information from different

sources or from different aspects of the course. Well researched and

documented (if research is part of assignment). Displays creativity and

originality.

A- (90-94.9) Very good work. Purposefully and logically developed. Thoroughly addresses

all aspects of the task. Synthesis of details and concepts from various

sources or topics shows evidence of sound understanding and thoughtful

examination. Research information appropriately cited (if research is part of

assignment).

B+ (87-89.9) Good work. Generally clear, accurate and relevant. Adequately addresses all

requirements of the task. Demonstrates understanding of course concepts,

with evidence of some thoughtful examination and reflection. Development is

generally logical, facts generally correct. Tends to focus on one

interpretation.

B (84-86.9) Satisfactory work. Shows basic understanding of concepts with minimal

evidence of reflection or thoughtful analysis. Complies with the basic

requirements, relies on limited sources of information, little integration of

concepts.

B- (80-83.9) Minimally satisfactory work. Shows some understanding of concepts with

little reflection or analysis. Barely meets basic requirements of assignment.

C+ (77-79.9)

C (74-76.9)

C- (70-73.9)

Unsatisfactory work. Fails to address the topic in a meaningful way. May be

extremely brief, inaccurate, illogical or undeveloped.

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Writing Proficiency

Students must demonstrate the ability to write with clarity, coherence, proper grammar and mechanics, and accurate documentation of sources. The Writing Quality Rubric below is used to evaluate writing proficiency in all writing assignments and discussion boards.

Writing Quality Rubric

‘A’-level writing quality. The writing conveys sophistication and originality in ideas and in approach to the assignments. The writing responds successfully to the assignments and communicates effectively to the intended audience. The reasoning and logic in the papers shows substance and depth. Writing shows a skillful integration of sources to support the writer’s ideas. Writing maintains a clear and consistent focus. The writing is well-organized and the overall organization supports the main focus of each paper. More specifically, each paragraph contains one idea that is developed with details, examples, reasons, or evidence, and each paragraph demonstrates a clear relationship to the next paragraph. Writing shows an elegant sense of style and a clear command of the grammar, punctuation, and spelling of standard written English; i.e., there are no errors or patterns of errors.

‘B’-level writing quality The writing conveys originality in ideas and in approach to the assignments. The writing responds adequately to the assignments and communicates to the intended audience. The reasoning and logic in the papers is adequate. Writing shows an adequate use of sources to support the writer’s ideas. Writing maintains a consistent focus. The writing is generally well-organized and the overall organization supports the main focus of each paper. More specifically, most paragraphs contain one idea that is developed with details, examples, reasons, or evidence, and most paragraphs demonstrate a relationship to the next paragraph. Writing shows an adequate sense of style and a clear command of the grammar, punctuation, and spelling of standard written English; there is no more than one pattern of errors that confuses meaning. Grade deductions of 1-2 points will be applied.

‘C’-level writing quality The writing needs to respond more completely and consistently to the assignments or responds incompletely or inconsistently to the assignments. The reasoning in the papers needs depth and substance, or the reasoning in the papers is severely flawed, and contains many unsupported generalizations. Writing needs to use sources more effectively and thoroughly to support the writer’s ideas, or shows an ineffective use of sources to support the writer’s ideas. Writing needs a more unified and developed focus, or fails to develop a focus. Writing needs to be organized more effectively or is not organized. More specifically, paragraphs contain one or more than one idea that is not developed with details, examples, reasons, or evidence, and there is a lack of transitions from one paragraph to the next.

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Lastly, the writing shows little or no command of the style or grammar, punctuation and spelling of standard written English and contains multiple errors and patterns of errors. The patterns of errors confuse meaning. Grade deductions of 3-10 points will be applied.

NOTE: Use APA Formatting and Style Guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ Academic Integrity Guidelines will be applied in instances of careless or intentional documentation errors and plagiarism.

Assignment/Assessment Weightings

ASSIGNMENT/ASSESSMENT DUE DATE TOTAL POINTS

TOTAL %

Participation/Discussion Board Participation (DQ = Discussion Question) Each week, post responses to three self-reflection questions.

WEEKLY–

“Primary Responses” for each Discussion Thread due by Friday, 11:59 PM (EST).

2 “Secondary Responses” for each Discussion Thread due by Sunday, 11:59 PM (EST).

Week

15%

1 25

2 25

3 25

4 25

5 25

6 25

TOTAL: 150

#1 Develop a business case about an HR or talent related matter with your current or prior employer – to be posted to the Discussion Board.

“Primary Response” due by Thursday, Week 1, 11:59 PM (EST).

2 “Secondary Responses” for each Discussion Thread due by Saturday, Week 1, 11:59 PM (EST).

100 10%

#2 Develop a measurement and assessment plan that would address a strategic issue/hypothesis in your organization – to be submitted as a PowerPoint presentation.

Due on Sunday of Week 2 @ 11:59 PM EST 100 10%

#3a Create a Balanced HR Scorecard around three objectives and provide the objective, description, actions, and measures for each objective.

Due on Sunday of Week 3 @ 11:59 PM EST

100 10%

#3b Post one of the objectives written in the assignment to the Discussion Board.

“Primary Response” due by Thursday, Week 3, 11:59 PM (EST).

2 “Secondary Responses” for each Discussion Thread due by Saturday, Week 3, 11:59 PM (EST).

#4 Rex Technologies, Inc. case study scenario - Expand San

Due on Sunday of Week 4 @ 11:59 PM EST 150 15%

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Francisco office – to be submitted as an assignment.

#5 Rex Technologies, Inc. case study scenario – Customer Complaints – to be submitted as an assignment.

Due on Sunday of Week 5 @ 11:59 PM EST 150 15%

#6 Rex Technologies, Inc. case study scenario - Introducing a new product and service for customers – to be submitted as a team PowerPoint presentation.

Due on Sunday of Week 6 @ 11:59 PM EST 250 25%

Total: 1000 100%

Grading Scale: The final grade reported will be broken down by the following scale:

95-100% A 87-89.9% B+ 77-79.9% C+

69.9% or below F

84-86.9% B 74-76.9% C

90-94.9% A- 80-83.9% B- 70-73.9% C-

Class Schedule / Topical Outline

Week Dates Topic of

Instruction Assignments

Connection(s) to COs / SLOs

1 Feb 20-26, 2018

What is data science and how does it apply to HR?

Develop a business case about an HR or talent related matter with your current or prior employer (Discussion primary posting due @ 11:59pm Feb 23; responses to other students due Feb 25).

CO1 SLO 2, SLO 3

2 Feb 27-Mar 4, 2018

What are the steps and considerations in data analytics?

Develop a measurement and assessment plan that would address a strategic issue/hypothesis in your organization (Assignment due @ 11:59pm EST Mar 4).

CO2 SLO 2, SLO 3

3 Mar 5-11,

2018

What are workforce metrics and how are they used?

Create a Balanced HR Scorecard around three objectives and provide the objective, description, actions, and measures for each objective (Assignment due @ 11:59pm EST Mar 11; Discussion primary posting due @ 11:59pm Mar 8; responses to other students due Mar 10).

CO3 SLO 2, SLO 3

4 Mar 12-18, 2018

Metrics – recruitment, turnover, and diversity

Rex Technologies, Inc. case study scenario - Expand San Francisco office (Assignment due @ 11:59pm EST Mar 18).

CO3, CO4 SLO 3, SLO 5

5 Mar 19- Metrics – Rex Technologies, Inc. case study CO3, CO4 SLO 3,

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25, 2018 engagement and performance

scenario – Customer Complaints (Assignment due @ 11:59pm EST Mar 25).

SLO 5

6 Mar 26-31, 2018

Determine effective human resources initiatives based on workforce analytics

Rex Technologies, Inc. case study scenario - Introducing a new product and service for customers (Assignment due @ 11:59pm EST Mar 31).

CO3, CO4 SLO 3, SLO 5

Academic Integrity Policy The University views academic dishonesty as one of the most serious offenses that a student can commit while in college and imposes appropriate punitive sanctions on violators. Here are some examples of academic dishonesty. While this is not an all-inclusive list, we hope this will help you to understand some of the things instructors look for. The following is excerpted from the University’s policy on academic integrity; the complete policy is available on the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution web page. Cheating – intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or

study aids in an academic exercise Fabrication – intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of

any data, or citation in an academic exercise Plagiarism – intentionally representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one’s own in

any academic exercise without providing proper citation Unauthorized collaboration – instances when students submit individual academic works

that are substantially similar to one another; while several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the data must be each individual’s independent work.

Participation in academically dishonest activities – any action taken by a student with

the intent of gaining an unfair advantage Facilitating academic dishonesty – intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to

violate any provision of this policy For more information on Academic Integrity, including examples, please refer to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution web page.

College of Professional Studies Policies and Procedures For comprehensive information, please see the Registrar University Catalogs page as well as the Student Resources page of the Northeastern University College of Professional Studies website.

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Student Accommodations The College of Professional Studies is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). To ensure access to this class, and program, please contact The Disability Resource Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/) to engage in a confidential conversation about the process for requesting reasonable accommodations in the classroom and clinical or lab settings. Accommodations are not provided retroactively so students are encouraged to register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) as soon as they begin their program. The College of Professional Studies encourages students to access all resources available through the DRC for consistent support.

Resources for International Students

The list below includes some resources at Northeastern University to support international students.

Global Student Success (GSS) Website: http://www.cps.neu.edu/gss

Global Student Success supports the success of international students at Northeastern University. GSS provides international students with high-quality language, academic and cultural support. Below are the resources that fall under GSS.

International Tutoring Center (ITC) The ITC offers both English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring and language and culture workshops. Services are available in-person and online.

ESL Tutoring: Provides high-quality comprehensive English language and academic support for international students through 50-minute individual and group tutoring appointments. Sessions focus on areas including academic writing, listening, speaking, reading and TOEFL preparation. ITC also offers conversation tutorials on various topics.

Language and Culture Workshops: The workshops cover English language skills, American culture, and general tips for academic success. There are in-person and recorded workshops.

Listening & Speaking Classes – These courses offer listening and speaking practice for students to improve their pronunciation, listening comprehension and speaking skills. College of Professional Studies students register via MyNEU.

International Student & Scholar Institute (ISSI) Website: http://www.northeastern.edu/issi

ISSI is committed to being an active resource to the university’s community of international students, scholars and their families. The staff provides professional expertise and advice to ensure that students maintain compliance through their immigration, academic and employment experiences. They also offer cultural and fun activities throughout the year to help students be more engaged with the Northeastern and broader community.

Accent & Communication Training Website: http://www.northeastern.edu/bouve/csd/clinic/accent-and-communication-training-act/

The Accent & Communication Training is for non-native speakers of English who want to enhance their communication skills in academic, professional,

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and social situations. It is offered through the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S BOUVÉ COLLEGE OF

HEALTH SCIENCES. Northeastern University Writing Center Website: http://www.northeastern.edu/writingcenter/

The Northeastern University Writing Center is housed in the Department of English within the COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES. It is open to any member of the Northeastern community and exists to help any level writer from any academic discipline.

NUCALLS Website: http://www.nucalls.neu.edu/

NUCALLS is a student organization at Northeastern University that is dedicated to offering free language classes to the Northeastern community. Students who are interested in improving their English language or other foreign language skills can take advantage of these resources.

End-of-Course Evaluation Surveys Your feedback regarding your educational experience in this class is very important to the College of Professional Studies. Your comments will make a difference in the future planning and presentation of our curriculum. At the end of this class, please take the time to complete the evaluation survey at the NEU EvaluationKit website . Your survey responses are completely confidential. Surveys will be open for the last two weeks of the class. An email will be sent to your HuskyMail account notifying you when surveys are available.

Online Proctoring In this class, some tests may be administered remotely by an online authentication and proctoring service called Examity®, which gives you the flexibility to schedule exams at your convenience and take them wherever you want. To prepare for using Examity®, you will need to meet the following technical requirements:

Working webcam and microphone which can be tested at www.testmycam.net

An Internet connection of at least 3Mbps (www.speedtest.net)

Chrome/ Mozilla/ Safari/ Internet Explorer/ Microsoft Edge browser

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The following business case is to be used for assignments in Weeks 4, 5, and 6. Business Case Scenario: Rex Technologies, Inc. Rex Technologies, Inc. is a privately-held technology firm. Founded in 2014 as an “Internet of Things” company with just 10 employees, Rex has grown rapidly by providing secure network-connected facilities and operations for businesses and government organizations, enabling more efficient operations and cost savings.

Headquarters in Boston, MA with 254 employees.

Small satellite locations in New York, NY; San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Houston, TX. Each with approximately 30 employees, most of which support sales and customers service.

Revenue: o 2014: $14M o 2015: $31M o 2016: $45M o 2017: $57M o 2018: $65M (forecasted)

Business Objectives: o 1. Financial – double revenue ($114M) by 2019 o 2. Human Resources – acquire and maintain a skilled and engaged

workforce that exceeds customer expectations o 3. Sales & Marketing – create a strong brand position and grow customer

base (double west coast customers) o 4. Innovation – stay on the cutting edge of technology to provide market-

leading, effective, and secure products Week 4: Expand San Francisco office.

CEO has directed the construction of a new facility for a west coast business hub. He wants it to be approximately the same size of the Boston-based office to rapidly expand business on the west coast, with the goal of doubling revenue by 2019.

The current office manager in San Francisco has expressed concerns about acquiring the needed workforce at current salary levels. He also believes retention is lower than it should be due to intense competition for skilled technology workers. He recommends significantly increasing salaries and introducing performance bonuses, at least for San Francisco-based employees.

Identify metrics: o What metrics may be important in determining the appropriate compensation

for employees? o What metrics may be important in identifying sources or innovative initiatives

to acquire the needed workforce?

Describe a realistic and effective data collection plan for the metrics you selected.

After the data has been collected, what statistical tests do you recommend? What would you expect to learn based on each test?

Describe at least three potential human resources initiatives you would recommend, depending on the results of the data analysis. How would they impact Rex’s business objectives?

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Given a Balanced Scorecard for Rex Technologies, describe the relationship of each of the quadrants to each other. What are the likely impacts of your recommended HR initiatives?

Week 5: Customer complaints.

Over the last four months, customer complaints increased by 33%. There have been incidents of improperly installed products, design defects, and excessive delays in responding to customer requests. The CEO believes the complaints indicate a systematic problem with the company’s performance management system for employees.

The HR Director is not sure the CEO is correct. The performance management system is fairly new and was designed based on industry best practices. She thinks a better solution would be to strengthen the corporate culture and add more initiatives to engage employees.

Identify metrics: o What metrics may be important in determining the effectiveness of the

performance management system? o What metrics may be important in determining current and desired employee

engagement? o What metrics may indicate the cause or causes of the performance issues

and potential solutions? For example, do employees know what they are supposed to do, do they have the skills to do what they are supposed to do, etc.?

Describe a realistic and effective data collection plan for the metrics you selected.

After the data has been collected, what statistical tests do you recommend? What would you expect to learn based on each test?

Describe at least three potential human resources initiatives you would recommend, depending on the results of the data analysis. How would they impact Rex’s business objectives?

Given a Balanced Scorecard for Rex Technologies, describe the relationship of each of the quadrants to each other. What are the likely impacts of your recommended HR initiatives?

Week 6: Introducing a new product and service for customers.

The Rex CEO has just announced a momentous change for the company. He wants to begin constructing new facilities, each with the Rex’s best technology-enabled appliances and features, instead of adding technology solutions to customers’ existing facilities.

This change will require many new employees with different knowledge, skills, and abilities than the current workforce. It will also require dramatically different approaches to marketing and sales. The HR Director asks you to help develop a strategic HR plan to deal with the change. The plan will support the change by proposing HR initiatives related to:

o Talent acquisition (new employees) o Talent development (current employees) o Employee engagement o Incentivizing employees (compensation, benefits, recognition, etc.)

Develop a data collection and analysis plan. (OPTION: team assignment; each team address all four areas) (OPTION: assign each student 2 areas)

Identify metrics:

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o What metrics may be important in determining the right initiatives to support the change?

Describe a realistic and effective data collection plan for the metrics you selected.

After the data has been collected, what statistical tests do you recommend? What would you expect to learn based on each test?

Describe at least three potential human resources initiatives you would recommend, depending on the results of the data analysis. How would they impact Rex’s business objectives?

Given a Balanced Scorecard for Rex Technologies, describe the relationship of each of the quadrants to each other. What are the likely impacts of your recommended HR initiatives?

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