WORK6108
Assessment Brief
Reflective Journals (A)
Overview
The purpose of this assessment is to have you reflect on weekly content and discussions,
and then to link this content and discussion to your own context, perspectives and aims for
learning about (and applying) International Human Resources Management (IHRM).
Reflective Writing involves both a form of personal response to experiences, situations,
events or new information and a 'processing' phase where thinking and learning take place.
There is neither a right nor a wrong way of reflective thinking, there are just questions to
explore. The reflective thinking process starts with you. Before you can begin to assess the
words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts.
Doing this involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are
exploring. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The
examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your
understanding.
Reflective thinking demands that you recognise that you bring valuable knowledge to every
experience. It helps you therefore to recognise and clarify the important connections
between what you already know and what you are learning. It is a way of helping you to
become an active, aware and critical learner.
Reflective writing is:
• documenting your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information
• communicating your response to thoughts and feelings
• a way of exploring your learning
• an opportunity to gain self-knowledge
• a way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning
• a chance to develop and reinforce writing skills
• a way of making meaning out of what you study
Reflective writing is not:
• just conveying information, instruction or argument
• pure description, though there may be descriptive elements
• straightforward decision or judgement, e.g. about whether something is right or
wrong, good or bad
• simple problem-solving
• a summary of course notes
• a standard university essay.
Th 5R Framework (Bain et al, 2002) is a useful method for thinking about and structuring
this type of writing, ie

Weight
This assessment is worth 30% of your overall course grade (2 x 15% pieces), and consists of
four (4) individual journal entries. Two are to be submitted in Week 4 and another two in
Week 10.
The First 2 Reflective Journal framing questions ar below, and these will be explored in class.
As an example, (for practice) a journal entry question from Week 2 might be:
Write 500 words around the above case (Action Case 3.1 on Mary and Royoda Motor
Manufacturing) - with YOU as Mary!
1. What similar expat. challenges would YOU face, given YOUR background?
2. What actions would YOU take to be well prepared for as overseas work
assignment, such as the one in the case?
We expect that you frame these reflections around your OWN cultural, work and
educational background (ie to “put yourself in their shoes”).


Each entry is to be 500 words in length - maximum (ie no +/- 10%), so each submission
(containing 2 entries) is a 1000 words MAX.
The reflection questions will be provided in Tutorial classes:
Delivery
The first two (2) submissions (Reflection Journals A) are due in Week 4 (ie 7pm Thursday
16th March 2023) via Canvas.
The second two will be due in Week 10.

Marking Criteria
Criteria Weight Detail
1. Use of Course Concepts 40% Demonstrate an understanding of
related course concepts (from lectures,
readings, workshops and tutorials), and
how effectively they are used to frame
the specific question(s) or context under
analysis.
2. Level of Critical Thinking
and Insight evident
40% The level of critical thinking evident in
the richness and depth of analysis done,
and the insights gained via the
conclusions drawn from the analysis.
3. Quality of Writing 20% The structure, flow and logic of the
writing. The accuracy of language and
grammar used, including the correct use
of citation techniques to acknowledge
sources as they are used.

For your first 2 entries:
1. Imagine that you are about to embark on an expatriate assignment from (insert your
home country here) to (insert a country significantly different from yours on national
cultural dimensions) as a HR Business Partner. Use course concepts to ensure that
you prepare for and develop an effective work-focussed cultural understanding.
2. Imagine that you are the HRM for a Global (insert your current or a proposed target
industry post Uni) firm. How might the emerging (post pandemic) Hybrid Workplace
change HR planning processes & programs (Chakraborty & Biswas, 2019), and the
design of a typical globally-focussed (insert industry) role? Use course concepts to
explore how you might best prepare for managing people in this emerging
workplace.

James Anderson
Course Coordinator
WORK 6108