SAMPLE ASSIGNMENT ONE (1)
MODULE HRD4801
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRD)
UNISA-UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
NO GUARANTEES PROVIDED
USE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION FOR GUIDANCE
1
, QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1
Tongaat Hulett, a major player in South Africa’s agricultural and agri-processing
sector, has been implicated in a severe scandal stemming from recent accounting
irregularities and declining corporate governance ratings. The scandal concerns
widespread irregularities in financial reporting that led to overstated profits and
fraudulent activities. As a result, the company’s leadership came under scrutiny for
neglecting principles associated with ethics and the governance of risk, ultimately
impacting various facets of the organisation, including the human resource (HR) and
human resource development (HRD) functions.
• Discuss the specific principles of ethics and the governance of risk that were
neglected (10 marks) and analyse the implications of the scandal for the HR and HRD
functions at Tongaat Hulett (5 marks).
• Discuss the potential consequences of these kinds of scandals in relation to the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the broader investment landscape in the
country (5 marks).
QUESTION 2
Tau Pride Corporation, a leading manufacturing company in South Africa, has been
diligently following the corporate governance principles outlined in the King III Report.
However, in light of the introduction of the King IV Report, the company’s board of
directors is eager to understand the implications of transitioning from the King III
framework to the King IV framework. How would you, as the corporate governance
consultant hired by Tau Pride Corporation, advise the board of directors on navigating
this transition? (10)
QUESTION 3
The Commonwealth hosted a sustainability seminar, which included a panel
discussion about the triple bottom line (TBL) or the three Ps (people, planet and profit).
Attendees of the seminar debated whether organisations are genuinely committed to
sustainable practices, or if economic growth still takes precedence. Reflecting on the
debate, how do you perceive the efforts of organisations, governments and investors
towards achieving sustainable practices, particularly their commitment to the TBL? (5)
QUESTION 4
You are a newly appointed HRD manager in a medium-sized organisation. You
recognise the importance of governance in HR and/or HRD functions, especially in
light of the impact they have on organisational performance and sustainability.
Reflecting on the significance and relevance of governance in HR and/or HRD, what
strategies will you employ to ensure that HRD contributes effectively to the triple
bottom line while aligning with principles of good governance? (5)
QUESTION 5
Evaluate the state of HRD governance and corporate governance in the private and
public sectors in South Africa to critique the statement given below. Select one
organisation (the Venda Building Society Mutual Bank (VBS) scandal; the Steinhoff
scandal; the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) scandal; or a collapsing state-owned
entity such as ESKOM) and provide practical examples to substantiate your argument.
Include an introduction and a conclusion in your discussion.
“Since the publication of the first King Report, South Africa has maintained a proud
tradition of corporate governance [introductory statement in the King IV Report]” (10)
2
,CONTENTS:
UNISA ASSESSMENT TUTORIAL
SAMPLE ANSWER
UNISA FEEDBACK TUTORIAL
UNISA DISCUSSION SLIDES
3
, 4
MODULE HRD4801
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRD)
UNISA-UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
NO GUARANTEES PROVIDED
USE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION FOR GUIDANCE
1
, QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1
Tongaat Hulett, a major player in South Africa’s agricultural and agri-processing
sector, has been implicated in a severe scandal stemming from recent accounting
irregularities and declining corporate governance ratings. The scandal concerns
widespread irregularities in financial reporting that led to overstated profits and
fraudulent activities. As a result, the company’s leadership came under scrutiny for
neglecting principles associated with ethics and the governance of risk, ultimately
impacting various facets of the organisation, including the human resource (HR) and
human resource development (HRD) functions.
• Discuss the specific principles of ethics and the governance of risk that were
neglected (10 marks) and analyse the implications of the scandal for the HR and HRD
functions at Tongaat Hulett (5 marks).
• Discuss the potential consequences of these kinds of scandals in relation to the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the broader investment landscape in the
country (5 marks).
QUESTION 2
Tau Pride Corporation, a leading manufacturing company in South Africa, has been
diligently following the corporate governance principles outlined in the King III Report.
However, in light of the introduction of the King IV Report, the company’s board of
directors is eager to understand the implications of transitioning from the King III
framework to the King IV framework. How would you, as the corporate governance
consultant hired by Tau Pride Corporation, advise the board of directors on navigating
this transition? (10)
QUESTION 3
The Commonwealth hosted a sustainability seminar, which included a panel
discussion about the triple bottom line (TBL) or the three Ps (people, planet and profit).
Attendees of the seminar debated whether organisations are genuinely committed to
sustainable practices, or if economic growth still takes precedence. Reflecting on the
debate, how do you perceive the efforts of organisations, governments and investors
towards achieving sustainable practices, particularly their commitment to the TBL? (5)
QUESTION 4
You are a newly appointed HRD manager in a medium-sized organisation. You
recognise the importance of governance in HR and/or HRD functions, especially in
light of the impact they have on organisational performance and sustainability.
Reflecting on the significance and relevance of governance in HR and/or HRD, what
strategies will you employ to ensure that HRD contributes effectively to the triple
bottom line while aligning with principles of good governance? (5)
QUESTION 5
Evaluate the state of HRD governance and corporate governance in the private and
public sectors in South Africa to critique the statement given below. Select one
organisation (the Venda Building Society Mutual Bank (VBS) scandal; the Steinhoff
scandal; the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) scandal; or a collapsing state-owned
entity such as ESKOM) and provide practical examples to substantiate your argument.
Include an introduction and a conclusion in your discussion.
“Since the publication of the first King Report, South Africa has maintained a proud
tradition of corporate governance [introductory statement in the King IV Report]” (10)
2
,CONTENTS:
UNISA ASSESSMENT TUTORIAL
SAMPLE ANSWER
UNISA FEEDBACK TUTORIAL
UNISA DISCUSSION SLIDES
3
, 4
