Tasks
You must complete two tasks. The first one requires you to answer 7 questions, referring to the case study. Your answers should respond accurately to the questions and should be informed by wider reading from key academic texts, articles and relevant publications. For the second task, you must complete a data analysis and make recommendations based on your findings.
Please ensure that your work is presented clearly, typically using sub-headings or AC references to link your responses to the questions, and that your work complies with the wordcount requirements stated at the end of the assessment brief. If you exceed the word count by more than 10% your work will be referred. References should be included within your answers (unless the question specifically states that these are not required) and full details presented in a reference list at the end of your assessment.
Case study
Technivara design and engineer components for the electronics industry, supplying parts for the computer, electronics, medical and automotive sectors. The company was founded in 1970 by Bill Swanky and is currently experiencing the sixteenth consecutive year of growth, so the board now feels the time is right to expand the business. Bill is very involved in the day-to-day running of the company which he likes to run in a traditional style. He tends to avoid changes to existing working practices.
Sue Young is the People Practice Manager at Technivara, and although she has been with the company for eight years, she has continued with many of the people practices that her predecessor implemented, many being paper driven. Sue is aware that if the company doesn’t change some of its practices it will be susceptible to risky decision making because the current approach to capturing and measuring people practices is weak and lacking data driven evidence. She knows that you, as the People Practice Advisor, have more up to date experience of using evidencebased practice effectively. She has asked you to help her understanding of how evidence-based practice is applied in organisations. She needs to provide Bill, the Board and the rest of the People Practice Team with a persuasive case for improving current approaches as these are archaic and inadequate to meet the demands of a modern forward-thinking workplace.
Sue has asked you to complete two tasks, firstly to respond to the seven questions below and then to complete a data analysis and make recommendations based on your findings.
Task one – Questions
Q1. Evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice (EBP) and provide two examples of where Technivara could use it to ensure sound decision-making in people practice. (AC 1.1)
Q2. Evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that Technivara might apply to recognise and diagnose issues, challenges, and opportunities. (AC 1.2
Q3. Explain the main principles of critical thinking including how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate at Technivara (AC 1.3)
Q4. Explain two decision-making processes that Technivara could apply to ensure that effective outcomes are achieved. (AC 1.4)
Q5. Assess two different ethical perspectives including how these could be used at Technivara to inform and influence decision-making. (AC 1.5)
Q6. Appraise two different ways that Technivara could measure financial and non-financial performance, providing one example of each. (AC 3.1)
Q7. Explain how people practices could add value at Technivara and identify two methods that might be used to measure the impact of these people practices. (AC 3.2)
Your evidence must consist of:
Written answers to questions 1-7, approximately 2900 words (+/- 10%), refer to CIPD word count policy.
Task two – quantitative and qualitative analysis review
For task two, Sue has provided you with two sets of data:
Table 1 Table 2
Turnover and Evaluation data from recruitment take up.xls L&D activity .xlsx
Q8. Table 1 shows Technivara’s turnover and recruitment data for 2024. Sue has asked you to convert the data into percentage form, for each of the departments, to show:
• leavers as a % of the total number of employees
• vacancies as % of the total number of employees
• positions filled as a % of the total number of employees (AC 2.1)
You don’t need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 2.1
Q9. When you have completed Table 1, present your findings using a minimum of three different types of diagrammatical forms. (AC 2.2)
You don’t need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 2.2
Q10. Table 2 contains evaluation feedback from 42 employees who attended a recent learning and development activity. Sue would like you to review the feedback and identify patterns, themes or trends that might be occurring and make recommendations based on your findings. (AC 2.3)
Your evidence must consist of:
• completed calculations
• three diagrammatic forms
• data analysis review with recommendations, 1000 words (+/- 10%) – refer to CIPD word count policy
Answer Checklist
You may find the following checklist helpful to make sure that you have answered all the questions. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to.
Task one
Question Answered
Y/N
Q1. Evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice (EBP) and provide two examples of where Technivara could use it to ensure sound decision-making in people practice. (AC 1.1)
Q2. Evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that Technivara might apply to recognise and diagnose issues, challenges, and opportunities. (AC 1.2
Q3. Explain the main principles of critical thinking including how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate at Technivara (AC 1.3)
Q4. Explain two decision-making processes that Technivara could apply to ensure that effective outcomes are achieved. (AC 1.4)
Q5. Assess two different ethical perspectives including how these could be used at Technivara to inform and influence moral decision-making. (AC 1.5)
Q6. Appraise two different ways that Technivara could measure financial and non-financial performance, providing one example of each. (AC 3.1)
Q7. Explain how people practices could add value at Technivara and identify two methods that might be used to measure the impact of these people practices. (AC 3.2)
Task two
Answered
Y/N
Q8. Table 1 shows Technivara’s turnover and recruitment data for 2024. Sue has asked you to convert the data into percentage form, for each of the departments, to show:
• leavers as a % of the total number of employees
• vacancies as % of the total number of employees
• positions filled as a % of the total number of employees (AC 2.1)
Q9. When you have completed Table 1, present your findings using a minimum of three different types of diagrammatical forms. (AC 2.2)
Q10. Table 2 contains evaluation feedback from 42 employees who attended a recent learning and development activity. Sue would like you to review the feedback and identify patterns, themes or trends that might be occurring and present recommendations based on your findings. (AC 2.3)