CAHRS Partners: Submit Questions Now for Fall 2010 Topical Research Reports
CAHRS is now accepting research questions for the award-winning ILR course “HR Online Research and Reporting Methods for Executive Decision Making.” This course allows CAHRS partners to receive targeted, well-researched, and timely answers to topical workplace questions—at no additional cost. Partners whose questions are selected receive a two-page executive summary of the findings and list of key sources, prepared using online and library resources under the guidance of Stuart Basefsky, the ILR School's Catherwood Library senior reference librarian, and CAHRS faculty.
Reports are prepared by student teams as class assignments, in which they act as consultants to research questions posed by HR executives from CAHRS companies. Assignments provide valuable work experience, while exposing students to different companies, their cultures, and executives. Before embarking on their research, students conduct brief interviews with executives who submit questions to clarify the company’s needs.
Examples of research questions and their executive summaries from spring 2010 (PDF):
Question Submission & Deadlines
CAHRS partners can submit questions electronically to Donna Stone at dms44@cornell.edu. The deadline for submission is September 15, 2010 for the initial round of questions. Executives’ questions should also include preferred contact methods and general availability for interviews.
Companies are encouraged to submit questions during the semester for the second and third round of projects, and those who submit questions will be notified on a rolling basis as they are chosen by student teams. Executives receive completed reports roughly four weeks after their questions are selected.
About the Course
The “HR Online Research Methods” (ILRHR 664) course is designed to help graduate students build key HR competencies for researching and presenting information necessary for executive decision-making. The curriculum includes an overview of online resources available to HR executives, and emphasizes hands-on training in the best techniques for locating conceptual frameworks, checklists, best practices, competitive intelligence, legal information, statistical data, and academic research on topics of current interest to industry. Students also learn interviewing, report writing and presentation skills.
For more information about the course and appropriate questions, CAHRS partners can email Donna Stone, or call 607-255-2790.