MGB231 Training Needs Analysis Assignment

Before any learning or development interventions take place, a thorough analysis of the organisation, its tasks and people must be conducted, identifying if any learning gaps exist. Using framework from Figure 3.1 (textbook Chapter 3) and 7S framework (lecture), this task requires you to follow all the steps in the process of an effective HRD needs analysis (Chapter 3). This includes the topics from Chapter 1 (e.g., pressure points) and Chapter 2 (e.g., strategy and strategic HRD).

The first step in a Learning and Development process is to analyse the needs of an organisation. These needs regularly change due to changes in the corporate environment. This piece of assessment requires you to use a specified diagnostic tool to identify gaps in the current state of an organisation as opposed to the required new state.  You must then identify the learning and development needs arising out of the gaps and make recommendations as to which learning and development needs should be met first.

To guide you in this process, this assessment will be loosely based on changes taking place at Myer as the focal case study. Myer is a department store chain with a long history in the Australian market.  It has operated out of large retail outlets for many years. Myer’s profits have been on a downward trajectory based on the ever-increasing competition from online retailers such as Amazon.  The recent COVID-19 pandemic forced Myer to close its stores temporarily.  Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the retailer found that its online store saved the chain from collapse.  It seemed Myer customers were more than happy to buy online! Even better is that the online store is much more profitable than the costly bricks and mortar stores it traditionally relied on.

The Myer Board has therefore decided to close some of its lower profit retail stores and concentrate on building its online store.  It envisages that there will be a significant number of job losses.  As Myer relies on its good reputation, it does not want the bad publicity that goes with the job losses. The Board has therefore asked you, the Learning and Development manager at Myer, to make recommendations to it as to the learning and development steps which should be taken now to manage the possible job losses.