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AC 1.1

Evidence-based practice (EBP) facilitates informed decision-making and action-taking, yielding

the intended results. According to Young (2020), EBP entails collecting data from various

sources, analyzing it critically, and using the results to guide and influence decision-making. As

a result, EBP aids in making decisions supported by solid facts rather than just intuition.

Decisions supported by evidence are more likely to have a lasting effect on organizational

practices.

Rational approach

According to this method, one should make decisions systematically and then pick the best

option based on truthful facts and credible information (Howlett & Coburn, 2019). This model

aims to minimize the chance of mistakes, assumptions, subjectivity, and distortions as choices

are based totally on real evidence. However, this approach may be challenging if the available

information is inadequate and does not offer an accurate evaluation of the scenario.

Group decision-making

Group decision-making is an effective and impactful method that can be used with evidence-

based practice. This method makes better decisions because people are prompted to think more

carefully and openly about the issues at hand. The implementation and adoption of this approach

are trustworthy, allowing groups to quickly find solutions to the available problems. This method

ensures that everyone's voices are heard and valued and allows individual understanding to be

shared (Barends et al., 2014). Although everyone's opinion should be heard and taken into

account, it is essential to remember that the final decision could still be influenced by outside
pressure. Groups can ensure their judgments are based on rigorous analysis and study if they

consider the potential drawbacks of this approach.

EBP and People Practice

Evidence-based practice approaches can provide insight into supporting sound decision-making

and judgments for practitioners across various people practices and organizational issues. For

example, organizational data can make health and safety decisions more effectively. People

professionals can use data on the frequency of accidents at work and apply logical approaches to

choose the best course of action. Recruiting decisions can also benefit from the group decision-

making model, with a panel of managers and professionals able to bring different views and

opinions to the decision-making process (Falletta & Combs, 2021). Furthermore, evidence-based

practice can be used in performance management, with data such as feedback, self-evaluations,

KPI, or observations used to evaluate an employee’s strengths and opportunities and form a plan

to achieve objectives.

AC 1.2

Analysis tool

PESTLE Analysis is a useful method for organizations to plan for external effects such as

political, economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental. Understanding these elements

helps good decision making and aids in anticipating prospective changes that may affect

performance (CIPD, 2021).

Political: Political forces are frequently the most tough to predict and may have a large effect on

business enterprise’s operations. For instance, the UK’s latest withdrawal from the European

Union (EU) has had a significant impact on the economic system, with companies dealing with
an unsure monetary panorama as the outcomes of Brexit come to be clearer (Chen et al., 2018).

Political forces have to usually be monitored closely to make sure firms are aware of any

modifications that may have an effect on their operations.

Economic: Economic forces may have a substantial effect on an corporation’s performance, with

changes in interest fees, inflation, and trade rates all having an impact. For instance, the

coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on the worldwide economy, ensuing in the

drop in stock market and a rise in unemployment (CIPD, 2021).. Economic forces should be

monitored intently to ensure business decisions are made in the fine interests of the organization

within the quick and long time.

Social: Social forces confer with adjustments in social attitudes and values that may affect

customer behaviour and the demand for merchandise. For instance, the rise in vegetarianism has

caused an elevated call for for plant-based totally merchandise, at the same time as the rise of

social media has allowed establishments to attain a wider target audience and create new

advertising opportunities (CIPD, 2021). It is vital to recognize how social forces can affect an

business enterprise’s operations and plan as a consequence.

Technology: Technology has had a massive impact at the manner companies operate, with new

improvements allowing organizations to be extra efficient and connected than ever before. For

example, the sizable use of the Internet has enabled establishments to attain a international target

audience, even as the emergence of synthetic intelligence and device mastering has enabled firms

to automate strategies and enhance their decision making (CIPD, 2021). Technology is

constantly evolving, so it's far essential to stay abreast of the today's tendencies and make sure

the business enterprise remains aggressive.

Environment: Environmental forces have become more and more critical in latest years, with

enterprises having to keep in mind the impact their operations have on the surroundings. For

instance, the advent of new rules which includes the Paris Climate Agreement has compelled

organisations to reduce their carbon emissions, at the same time as advances in renewable power

have allowed organisations to become more sustainable (CIPD, 2021).. It is vital to understand

the environmental policies and traits which are influencing the business enterprise and to make

sure operations are conducted in an environmentally accountable way.

Legal: Legal forces refer to the legal guidelines and rules governing an enterprise’s operations.

For example, the advent of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has had a sizeable

impact on enterprises’ records safety rules, whilst the advent of taxation adjustments along with

the IR35 have had an effect at the budget of many enterprises (CIPD, 2021). It is essential to

ensure that enterprises are privy to the prison forces that observe to them and to make certain that

they are in compliance.

Advantages and disadvantages

One advantage of PESTLE analysis is that it lets in corporations to become aware of potential

external risks that might have an adverse impact on their operations. It is a useful tool for

organizations to assess the outside surroundings and to develop techniques that may mitigate

capability dangers. By evaluating the political, financial, social, technological,legal, and

environmental factors, firms can pick out areas of ability threat and expand techniques to keep

away from them (Christodoulou & Cullinane, 2019). For instance, an enterprise may additionally

perceive that modifications in government policies may want to have a poor effect on their

operations and finally increase techniques to minimize the impact of such changes. However,

there are a few obstacles of PESTLE analysis. One issue is that it can be a time-ingesting
procedure. Assessing the external surroundings can be a prolonged manner, and corporations

need to devote considerable sources to the evaluation.

Analysis method/ interviews

One approach that is probably implemented to understand and diagnose present day and future

issues, challenges and possibilities is using interviews. Interviews may be used to gather and

analyse records from both internal and external stakeholders, bearing in mind a complete

understanding of the business enterprise and the external surroundings. Interviews offer an

opportunity to have an in-depth know-how of the issues, demanding situations and opportunities

faced within the corporation (Gifford, 2020). However, interviews can be time-ingesting and

steeply-priced, and there is a threat of bias if the interviewer isn't independent. In addition, the

information collected may be tough to analyse and interpret, and there may be problems with

interviewee accuracy or willingness.

AC 1.3

Critical thinking comprises the ability to engage in objective and logical reasoning while

considering many points of view and applying sound and convincing arguments. This skill can

be applied in an organization to avoid making decisions based on faulty premises, incorrect data,

or subconscious bias (Howlett and Coburn, 2019). The two major concepts of critical thinking

are objective rational thinking and well-reasoned argument. Objective rational thinking

necessitates the logical appraisal of data and facts, whereas well-reasoned argument necessitates

the ability to explain and defend your conclusion using evidence and facts.

Application of Key principles to the work of others

Objective rational thinking and well-reasoned argument are principles that should be applied to

all aspects of our work. These principles involve presenting and checking facts and data,

remaining objective in our approach and presentation, and providing evidence rather than

emotion. A key a part rational thinking is to approach responsibilities and decisions with an open

thought (Clark,2015). This can aid us in constructing arguments that are founded on evidence as

opposed to conjecture. We must likewise avoid injecting our own opinions or biases into our

presentations of facts and information. Additionally, we need supporting evidence for our claim.

Evidence of this kind can come from either empirical study or careful observation. By adhering

to these ideas, we are able to make certain that our work is based totally on well-reasoned

argument.

Contextualized examples

One example that demonstrates the application of critical thinking principles can be seen when

reviewing a task of creating a new product is given to a project team. Based on personal choice

and intuition, one team member suggests a particular design strategy. A critical thinker in the

team, however, raises concerns about the concept and advises conducting user research to gather

information and insights about client preferences. The team decides to conduct surveys and

interviews with potential clients using critical thinking techniques like evidence evaluation and

logical reasoning. According to the research, the first design strategy would not be well received

by the target market. In order to make the product more successful and marketable, the team

modifies the design in accordance with customer preferences

A team member makes the suggestion during a meeting to plan a marketing campaign to spend a

sizable amount of the cash on conventional advertising channels because they believe they will

reach the largest audience. A different team member, however, uses the concepts of critical
thinking to challenge the efficiency of conventional methods in reaching the target demographic

and advises undertaking market research to look into other digital marketing strategies. The team

decides to devote some of the cash to digital platforms that particularly target the desired

audience segment after rigorously assessing the possibilities and taking evidence-based insights

into account (Nahata & Brown, 2019). The benefits of this strategy are greater in terms of reach

and engagement while also saving money.

AC 1.4

Best fit

The Best Fit method matches strengths to work requirements. When choosing a candidate, it

considers the candidate's personality, the job requirements, and the company's culture (Linos &

Reinhard, 2015). This strategy can also assure that the chosen candidate will succeed in the role,

reducing staff turnover. The main negative is the difficulty of appraising a candidate's skills and

the potential tendency to overemphasize them.

Future Pacing

Future Pacing is a decision-making method that includes looking in advance and considering the

potential long-time period implications of a decision. Decisions are more likely to have positive

results in the long run if the foreseeable consequences are taken into account beforehand (Linos

& Reinhard, 2015). The fundamental expectation of this method is that it can help to make

certain that the chosen solution does no longer have any bad affects within the future. One major

negative is that it's not always simple to predict how a choice will play out in the future, so it's

tempting to place too much emphasis on short-term benefits.

Action learning approaches

Action Learning uses groups to solve problems. This strategy can assist assure that the chosen

solution will solve a complicated problem (Linos & Reinhard, 2015).This technique can assist

ensure that the chosen solution is customised to the problem and likely to solve it. It can also

improve teamwork. The primary drawback is that it's hard to make sure everyone's contributing

evenly, and it's easy to overemphasise a few people's thoughts.

Application

The hiring panel for a customer service position at a store considers not just the candidate's skills

and background, but also their character traits such as their ability to communicate and their

overall attitude. They consider factors like customer service and response time, as well as the

company's culture which values cooperation and attention to customers (Patel, 2018). In a similar

way, a manufacturing organization looks to the future by considering the environmental impact

of their decisions, while a hospital team employs action learning to reduce wait times for patients

in the emergency room, forming interdisciplinary groups that collaborate to pinpoint root causes,

examine their impact, and develop, test, and implement solutions.

AC 1.5

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of the outcome in determining

right and wrong. It is widely employed in normative ethics and can be a useful tool in making

decisions that will benefit the most people or the entire organization (Savulescu et al., 2020). For

instance, a pharmaceutical company that is facing a shortage of a life-saving drug due to

unforeseen circumstances, may use this theory to allocate limited resources to those patients in
most need of life-saving medications. This decision may overlook the individual rights of

patients with less severe conditions, but it aims to maximize overall well-being and save as many

lives as possible. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative ethical frameworks to ensure a

comprehensive and balanced decision is made.

Kantianism

Kantianism moral theory is a philosophical concept that emphasizes the importance of individual

moral duty and universal moral principles. It argues that certain actions are forbidden regardless

of whether they lead to happiness (Sticker, 2021)..For instance, a physician who has a critically

ill patient and the doctor is aware of an experimental procedure that has a large risk of failure and

uncertainty but has the potential to save the patient's life. Utilitarianism theory, would assess the

situation based on the potential consequences. If the treatment is likely to result in overall

satisfaction, utilitarianism would argue in favor of administering it. However according to Kant's

moral theory, the doctor's decision should not be solely determined by the potential outcome of

satisfaction. Instead, the doctor's moral duty and obligation play a central role in decision-

making. Kantianism would emphasize the importance of upholding universal moral principles,

such as not using someone merely as a means to an end.

AC 3.1

Revenue.

Revenue is an important measure of an organization’s financial performance. It acts as an

indicator of the total revenue generated by an organization’s activities and services, calculates

expenses and measures the difference between total revenue and expenses so that people and

businesses can measure the efficiency of revenue. A good income ratio means that the
organization makes more money than it spends. These positive financial results can demonstrate

the organization’s ability to continue to operate and can reinvest in its growth and development

(Findlay et al 2018). For example, customer loyalty programs can generate revenue for

companies by offering discounts, rewards, and other incentives to encourage repeat purchases in

exchange for offering these incentives companies are able to track customer purchases and

spending habits to better align with their marketing strategies (Berman, 2018).While revenue

generation provides insight into economic performance, it does not account for other factors that

contribute to an organization’s success, such as market share, customer satisfaction, and

innovation.

Stakeholder benefits

While revenue generation focus primarily on financial performance, non-financial measures such

as stakeholders’ benefits provide valuable insight into the overall performance of an organization

Stakeholder benefits are a qualitative measure of performance which helps organizations to

identify areas of improvement in terms of customer service, employee engagement and social

responsibility (Findlay et a., 2018). Stakeholders include customers, employees, creditors,

suppliers, local communities and government. The benefits stakeholders receive from an

organization are determined by accomplished financial objectives. For example, if the

organization has achieved financial objectives such as higher profitability, stakeholders can

enjoy benefits such as remuneration, job security, improved services and better quality

Conversely, if financial goals are not met, stakeholders may compromise on wages, job security

and quality of services (Findlay et a., 2018). Many firms have employed non-financial

performance strategies to improve stakeholder benefits. Patagonia and Unilever have prioritized

environmental sustainability and social responsibility, engaging stakeholders and measuring their
positive impact. These companies have enhanced brand recognition, client loyalty, and financial

results.

AC 3.2

HR adds value to an organization by developing and implementing strategies and practices that

contribute to a positive culture that drives organizational success. It adds value through the

ability to identify and address employee needs, increase employee engagement and productivity,

and encourage professional development (Burke, 2019). It also ensures that the organization is

able to attract and retain talent on a quality basis and creates an enabling environment for

professional growth and development.

People practices add to an organization's short- and long-term value. It can provide value to an

organization in the short term by raising staff engagement and generating incentives for

employee achievement. Effective performance metrics, performance enhancements, and

compensation and recognition programs can help achieve this (Avery & Bergsteiner, 2019). .

Long-term advantages can be obtained by providing employees with chances for learning and

development as well as establishing an enabling atmosphere for innovation and creativity.

The cost-benefit analysis tool is essential for evaluating decisions and determining what to use

and what to discard. This includes calculating potential rewards from the program and

subtracting the associated costs (Burke, 2019).. For example, a corporation decides to introduce a

brand-new product line. After accomplishing market research, they estimate that the ability

revenue from this product line would be $500,000. However, the manufacturing expenses,

marketing costs, and other associated prices quantity to $400,000. Based on the value-benefit

analysis, the anticipated net advantage from introducing the new product line could be a hundred
thousand (Martin, 2018). This net gain indicates that implementing the brand-new product line is

financially possible and possibly to convey earnings to the organization. Cost-benefit analysis is

limited in that it does not account for the factors, such as social and environmental impacts.

Return on investment (ROI) is another tool that can be used to measure the impact of people’s

actions. This instrument measures the return on investment over a specific period of time and

helps determine the potential return on investment (Burke, 2019). For example, a company might

measure vacancy advertising costs, interview costs, training costs, and time spent filling

positions against gains in customer service and improved productivity This provides a company

determines whether an investment in new employees was profitable. Limitations of these

measurement techniques include the difficulty in measuring intangible benefits such as employee

morale and engagement, and the difficulty in measuring economic benefits of a particular public

action.
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