With the aim of making coursework practical while developing working solutions to the HR needs of a real organization, the Human Resource Management (HRM) class this year decided to partner with small and medium scale business in Ghana to help them effectively expand their HRM functions.
The class met its would-be clients for the Applied project on the 20th of February 2014. The SMEs participating in the HRM Applied Projects are 233 Apps, Accra Theatre Workshop, BluBlaze, Breeze 90.9FM, Danestrol Auto Ltd, Heel The World*, K. Boateng Ltd, Kobay Ltd, Omega Schools, SliceBiz, Soronko Solutions*, StartSmart and TechAide. (*These are companies founded and managed by Ashesi Alumni.)
Aimed at understanding how Human Resource Management can be effectively integrated into management and be used to improve organizational performance, students will have the opportunity to learn about HR tools in class, and then design some tools for the participating companies. They will have the opportunity to engage with the SMEs over the course of the semester and tailor their solutions to suit the particular contexts of the companies.
Students had the opportunity to select a client based on their interests, and throughout the semester, will ascertain the relevance of content discussed in class for their SME. They will apply what they learn in the classroom to the real situation of the companies. At the end of the semester, each team is expected to have crafted HR tools, including Job Descriptions, Performance Appraisal Tools, Compensation and Benefits Frameworks, among others, which are aligned to the culture of the firm and are useful in helping the firm achieve business goals.
“Meeting the clients was encouraging, and I was really impressed,” said Emefa Senoo ‘14, speaking about the initial meeting. They didn’t treat us like we are just students, but like real professionals who could build solutions for their real needs. Even though we’ve done other practical courses, it’s exciting to have the chance to make an impact in this way, and to know our solutions will be implemented.”
Written By: Efua Akyere Graham