Choosing Current Controversy in HR

By definition, controversy includes conflict/strong disagreement. The source of that conflict may be within organizations, or, more likely, from the external environment (regulations, legislation, social pressure, societal shifts, generational shifts, etc.).

In approaching your topic you must:
1. Identify what is controversial about the topic and the source of that controversy.
a. In what ways do perspectives disagree? (legal?, defining it?, acknowledgement? Social construct? Etc.)
b. What are the major arguments between conflicting points of views? Fairly and objectively characterize the individuals/groups who hold the different points of view.
2. HR’s role is to identify these controversies to determine how they directly/indirectly impact their particular organization.
a. Specifically, how does the controversy impact organizations? Is it different from one to another?
b. As a result, what are the various ways HR attempts to resolve or deal with controversy?
(recruitment/selection, training, development, compensation, policies, processes, etc.)

You do not have to utilize the outline provided. It is just one way to consider the organization of the topic.

Again, the point of the assignment is not to find agreement or identify a “proper” point of view, but to truly identify the controversy itself and how it impacts organizations in their decision making from an HR point of view.

An example of a MAJOR current controversy is the use of critical race theory as an element of training in organizations. It doesn’t matter what your personal point of view is, what matters is that the topic is controversial, meaning there are strong, opposing opinions, from a variety of perspectives that must be grappled with from an HR perspective.

Paper & Presentation as Individual Grades
1. Only ONE paper is to be submitted for the assignment.
2. Each member of the pair must write and present some significant portion of the paper.
3. The author of each portion of the paper must be clearly identified.
4. The individual who submits the paper MUST NOT fix, change, add to or take away or otherwise edit the written portion of their team member’s paper.
5. The presentation is a low-tech presentation and should provide the “springboard” for further class discussion.

Essay Mill