Touchstone 4: Tech Titan Case StudyWhat You'll Learn: In this Touchstone, you will apply the theories and concepts of human resources management to help a company improve employee engagement, boost productivity, and foster a thriving organizational culture. Why It Matters: This Touchstone will give you a chance to master the principles learned in the course by using them in a real-world scenario. You will enhance your understanding of HR's critical role in organizational success. What You'll Hand In: An essay addressing the theories of human resource management and how they should be combined and utilized in a way that applies to Tech Titan, a fictional technology company. Length will be 4-6 pages (1500-2000 words) not counting the cover page or references page. Format should be .doc or .docx. Keys to Success:

• Summarize key concepts in tutorials
• Apply concepts to the scenario
• Submit original work

In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.InstructionsStep 1: Read the Scenario

Read the Tech Titan case study and identify the key problems and challenges facing Tech Titan in human resource management.

Open to read the Tech Titan case Tech Titan, a rapidly growing technology company, has been experiencing significant challenges in retaining its top talent. Despite offering competitive salaries and benefits, the company has seen a steady increase in employee turnover rates, particularly among its mid-level and senior staff. This has led to project disruptions, decreased productivity, and a negative impact on the company's reputation. Background Information: For this Touchstone, you will make the following assumptions: Human Resource Management Foundations

• Organizational Culture: Tech Titan's culture is highly competitive and demanding, with a strong emphasis on individual achievement. While this has contributed to the company's success, it has also created a stressful and demanding work environment for employees.
• Human Resource Strategy: The company's HR strategy is primarily reactive, focusing on addressing issues as they arise rather than proactively anticipating and preventing them.

Talent Management

• Recruitment and Selection: The company's recruitment efforts are primarily focused on attracting top talent from prestigious universities and tech companies
• Onboarding: The onboarding process is relatively basic and lacks a formal structure. New hires may not receive adequate training or support during their initial months at the company. There is a four-hour orientation meeting where new hires complete the required paperwork and are given a copy of the handbook.

Performance Management/Employee Relations

• Performance Appraisal: Performance appraisals are conducted annually and are primarily based on subjective evaluations from supervisors. There is limited use of objective performance metrics or 360-degree feedback.
• Employee Relations: The company has a formal grievance procedure, but there is a perception among employees that it is difficult to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation Structure: The company's compensation is based on seniority and job level. Performance-based pay or incentives are limited, and there is no formal compensation structure or compensation plan in place.
• Benefits: The company offers a traditional benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. However, some employees have expressed a desire for more flexible benefits options, but Tech Titan is concerned about what it can provide in the future due to higher costs.

Step 2: Review Tutorials

You should review all the course material and may use any tutorial to inform your decisions. Look for Make the Connection icons throughout the course for tips on content that will be most useful to this paper.

Step 3: Draft the Research Paper

Prepare a research paper to present to leadership at Tech Titan. The structure for the research paper will consist of four main sections plus a cover and reference page. Be sure to cover all of these topics in your paper.

The structure for the research paper will consist of these elements:

• Introduction: Briefly summarize the case and state the thesis statement. Include the key aspects of the case, such as the company's industry, its current situation (e.g., challenges, opportunities, competitive landscape), and any specific problems or issues that need to be addressed.

EXAMPLE

Thesis Statement: "This paper argues that applying Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory to Tech Titan's employee motivation strategies can significantly improve employee engagement and productivity by addressing the unmet needs of employees at different levels, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover."

• Analysis: Identify Tech Titan's key problems and challenges and analyze their root causes using relevant HR concepts you learned throughout this course. Read the scenario to understand the core issues you are addressing. Consider factors such as organizational culture, talent management, performance management, employee relations, and compensation and benefits. You should support your evidence with 2-3 Sophia Tutorials. Additional resources are optional. If you choose to reference additional sources, be sure to use reliable sources of information such as reputable business publications.

hintHuman Resource Managers use American Psychological Association (APA) format for their research. In in-text citation in APA format for a Sophia course includes the Tutorial title, and the current year. Here is how to format an in-text APA citation for a Sophia tutorial: (Compensation Plans, 2025)

• Recommendations: Propose specific recommendations to address the identified problems. Make sure recommendations are consistent with one another. Your recommendations should be practical, feasible, and aligned with the company's strategic goals.
• Conclusion: Summarize your key findings and recommendations. Return to your introduction section to revise and refine your thesis statement to ensure it is clear, concise, specific, arguable, and effectively communicates the main point of your research paper.
• Reference List: Include a list of references in APA format for any resource you use, including this course.

hintHere is how to format an APA reference entry for a Sophia tutorial: (2025). Compensation Plans. In Human Resource Management. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/tutorials/compensation-plans

For more guidance on APA citation, see Section C (below).

Step 4: Review Requirements & Submit Your Touchstone

Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets the expectations for the assignment as described in the assignment and rubric and meets APA guidelines. The Additional Resources section below includes links to resources that can help with APA formatting, citations, and references.

Touchstone 4: Tech Titan Case StudyWhat You'll Learn: In this Touchstone, you will apply the theories and concepts of human resources management to help a company improve employee engagement, boost productivity, and foster a thriving organizational culture. Why It Matters: This Touchstone will give you a chance to master the principles learned in the course by using them in a real-world scenario. You will enhance your understanding of HR's critical role in organizational success. What You'll Hand In: An essay addressing the theories of human resource management and how they should be combined and utilized in a way that applies to Tech Titan, a fictional technology company. Length will be 4-6 pages (1500-2000 words) not counting the cover page or references page. Format should be .doc or .docx. Keys to Success:

• Summarize key concepts in tutorials
• Apply concepts to the scenario
• Submit original work

In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.InstructionsStep 1: Read the Scenario

Read the Tech Titan case study and identify the key problems and challenges facing Tech Titan in human resource management.

Open to read the Tech Titan case Tech Titan, a rapidly growing technology company, has been experiencing significant challenges in retaining its top talent. Despite offering competitive salaries and benefits, the company has seen a steady increase in employee turnover rates, particularly among its mid-level and senior staff. This has led to project disruptions, decreased productivity, and a negative impact on the company's reputation. Background Information: For this Touchstone, you will make the following assumptions: Human Resource Management Foundations

• Organizational Culture: Tech Titan's culture is highly competitive and demanding, with a strong emphasis on individual achievement. While this has contributed to the company's success, it has also created a stressful and demanding work environment for employees.
• Human Resource Strategy: The company's HR strategy is primarily reactive, focusing on addressing issues as they arise rather than proactively anticipating and preventing them.

Talent Management

• Recruitment and Selection: The company's recruitment efforts are primarily focused on attracting top talent from prestigious universities and tech companies
• Onboarding: The onboarding process is relatively basic and lacks a formal structure. New hires may not receive adequate training or support during their initial months at the company. There is a four-hour orientation meeting where new hires complete the required paperwork and are given a copy of the handbook.

Performance Management/Employee Relations

• Performance Appraisal: Performance appraisals are conducted annually and are primarily based on subjective evaluations from supervisors. There is limited use of objective performance metrics or 360-degree feedback.
• Employee Relations: The company has a formal grievance procedure, but there is a perception among employees that it is difficult to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation Structure: The company's compensation is based on seniority and job level. Performance-based pay or incentives are limited, and there is no formal compensation structure or compensation plan in place.
• Benefits: The company offers a traditional benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. However, some employees have expressed a desire for more flexible benefits options, but Tech Titan is concerned about what it can provide in the future due to higher costs.

Step 2: Review Tutorials

You should review all the course material and may use any tutorial to inform your decisions. Look for Make the Connection icons throughout the course for tips on content that will be most useful to this paper.

Step 3: Draft the Research Paper

Prepare a research paper to present to leadership at Tech Titan. The structure for the research paper will consist of four main sections plus a cover and reference page. Be sure to cover all of these topics in your paper.

The structure for the research paper will consist of these elements:

• Introduction: Briefly summarize the case and state the thesis statement. Include the key aspects of the case, such as the company's industry, its current situation (e.g., challenges, opportunities, competitive landscape), and any specific problems or issues that need to be addressed.

EXAMPLE

Thesis Statement: "This paper argues that applying Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory to Tech Titan's employee motivation strategies can significantly improve employee engagement and productivity by addressing the unmet needs of employees at different levels, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover."

• Analysis: Identify Tech Titan's key problems and challenges and analyze their root causes using relevant HR concepts you learned throughout this course. Read the scenario to understand the core issues you are addressing. Consider factors such as organizational culture, talent management, performance management, employee relations, and compensation and benefits. You should support your evidence with 2-3 Sophia Tutorials. Additional resources are optional. If you choose to reference additional sources, be sure to use reliable sources of information such as reputable business publications.

hintHuman Resource Managers use American Psychological Association (APA) format for their research. In in-text citation in APA format for a Sophia course includes the Tutorial title, and the current year. Here is how to format an in-text APA citation for a Sophia tutorial: (Compensation Plans, 2025)

• Recommendations: Propose specific recommendations to address the identified problems. Make sure recommendations are consistent with one another. Your recommendations should be practical, feasible, and aligned with the company's strategic goals.
• Conclusion: Summarize your key findings and recommendations. Return to your introduction section to revise and refine your thesis statement to ensure it is clear, concise, specific, arguable, and effectively communicates the main point of your research paper.
• Reference List: Include a list of references in APA format for any resource you use, including this course.

hintHere is how to format an APA reference entry for a Sophia tutorial: (2025). Compensation Plans. In Human Resource Management. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/tutorials/compensation-plans

For more guidance on APA citation, see Section C (below).

Step 4: Review Requirements & Submit Your Touchstone

Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets the expectations for the assignment as described in the assignment and rubric and meets APA guidelines. The Additional Resources section below includes links to resources that can help with APA formatting, citations, and references.