What Happened:
MBA students worked in teams using a single-sheet HR strategy worksheet, designing people practices aligned with distinct business strategies, ranging from cost leadership and innovation to global expansion and DEI-driven organisations. Each group debated critical decisions around hiring choices, skill priorities, reward systems, and the risks of strategic misalignment, followed by peer presentations on the open ground of the campus.
Top Insights:
There are no “best HR practices”, only “best-fit HR practices.”
HR decisions must be tightly aligned with the chosen business strategy.
Trade-offs are central to HR decision-making.
Student Takeaways:
Students realised that HR decisions (hiring, training, rewards) must be tightly aligned with the chosen business strategy.
The activity reinforced that HR effectiveness depends on context – what works for an innovation-driven firm may fail in a cost-focused one.
Designing HR strategies required students to think beyond HR and consider business models, competitive positioning, and organisational goals.