The underlying assumption is that the departure or movement of personnel among various job classifications can be predicted from past movements (Stone, 2009, p.69). Another tool that can be used is that of a trend analysis. A trend analysis is study of the organizations past employment needs over a period of years in order to predict the future. This is based on the theory that the future is an extrapolation from the past. This allows Human Resource needs to be estimated by examining the events of the past (HR Planning, n.d.). With a merger it is important for these processes to be done involving all employees at both institutions so that a clear picture can be captured of what internal resources are already available. This allows HR mangers to figure out if there are any gaps and where they might be. This allows for the planning process to begin which will involve trying to fill these gaps so that the organization, once it becomes one will run smoothly and be successful in the end.

4. How would you predict the number of academic staff that will be needed?

It is important for the Human Resources Department to set up a system of personnel accounting in order to determine staff needs. It is important to be able to utilize all the data that is available from various sources in order to accomplish good Human Resource Planning. HR managers must make use of predictions for future staffing needs that are based on student growth, staff retirements, and replacements. They must use the expected curriculum necessities within the School of Business as well as the entire organization. They must make best use of technology in order to establish probable student to teacher ratios and staff requirements. They must think about financial restrictions as they relate to future staff needs. They must keep up with current files that contain needed data in order to meet the terms of any federal requirements or certifications. They must keep on top of current trends in staffing models and be familiar with all options that are available in regards to staffing (Guidelines for Determining Personnel Staff Needs, n.d).

Quantitative HR forecasting makes use of statistical and mathematical techniques in order to forecast the number of employees that will be required in the future. This approach sees employees as numerical entities and groups them according to age, sex, experience, skills, qualifications, job level, pay and performance rating. The focus is on forecasting HR shortages, surpluses and career obstacles. The aim is to reconcile the supply and demand for human resources according to the organization's objectives (Stone, 2009, p.62).

5. Identify the various stakeholders involved and list their major interests?

The stakeholders that exist at University College are many. The first and foremost stakeholders are the students, both current and future (an Assessment Framework for the Community College, 2004). These are the people who want to attend this institution in hopes of getting the best possible education that they can. Their main interests include being provided with a good education in an environment that is conducive to learning with a staff that is knowledgeable in the areas that are being taught.

The next stakeholder is that of the faculty and staff (an Assessment Framework for the Community College, 2004). Without these people there would be no way that the students could learn and obtain their objectives. Their main interests are having a good learning environment in which there are students that are willing and able to learn. It is also important that there be adequate training provided and support staff available in order to facilitate successful education. Another stakeholder is that of administration. Without teachers and students there would be no need to have an administration. Their main interests are in making sure that all the resources are in place so that the institution operates on a daily basis.

Additionally there is the stakeholder of the trustees (an Assessment Framework for the Community College, 2004). The Board of Trustees is a governing board for the institution. It is the legal owner and has the last word on what goes on. The board oversees the physical, financial, and human resources of a university in order to make sure that they are stable for future generations. Their main interests are making sure that the university is successful and continues to be that way for many years to come. Another stakeholder is that of parents. These people are usually the ones who pay the majority of the student's bills. Their main interests...

Many times a college or university within a community is what makes up the entire community. There is a lot that having this type of institution can bring to a community from social things to an economic boost. Many businesses within a community depend on the money that a university or college bring into the community because of the students that attend.
A final stakeholder that would be involved would be that of any Accreditation Boards (an Assessment Framework for the Community College, 2004). These groups are responsible for making sure that each college and university has the proper licenses in place. Their main interest would be to make sure that the institution follows all of the rules that have been set forth and that they operate in the best interest of the faculty, staff and students.

6. What HRM problems could be expected to arise in this merger? As HR consultant to University College, what would you recommend (and do) to prevent or overcome such problems?

The typical problems that often occur during mergers include the issues with change of identity, loss of independence, fear of the unknown, loss of security, and segregated communities. Mergers are often seen as tactical alliances. Merging two organizations consists of dealing with different procedure, policies and culture. These inevitably create some amount of stress for everyone who is involved. Those who survive in both organizations usually have to deal with new procedures, new people, more work and the loss of co-workers and friends. When a merger takes place the role of HR initiates from the beginning and runs to the end (Mohanty, 2010).

The Pre-Merger phase is the first step that takes place. This includes the planning of the merger and acquisition. There are a lot of issues that Human Resources have to deal with during this phase. One of the issues that is often seen is this phase is the identification of the reasons behind the merger. This period entails an evaluation of the cultural and organizational differences that are present. This includes the organizational cultures, life cycle of the organization, role of leaders in the organization, and the management styles. Mergers frequently prove to be very upsetting for the employees of the obtained institution. This impact can range from anger to depression (Mohanty, 2010).

The second stage of combination in a merger activity is often wide-ranging and difficult. While the first stage included the activities that were necessary to plan for the merger those in the second phase are the ones that actually makes things happen. Plainly there are variations that occur during a merger. As the new blend takes shape, it faces issues of solidifying, readjusting and fine-tuning. During the third phase, assessing the new strategies and structures, congealing leadership and staffing and evaluating the new culture are some of the main issues which an HR manager is likely to have to deal with (Mohanty, 2010).

The management of people plays a critical role in any merger. People issues like organizational design and staffing decisions are the most sensitive matters that come up during mergers. There are a variety of important issues that HR managers must tackle if there is a chance of success. These issues include:

understanding the strategic rationale that is behind the merger along with the external opportunities and constraints making certain that cultural attentiveness is agreed upon prior to the merger, so that successful incorporation programs can be put into practice immediately afterwards moving quickly but fairly in the engagement of new management teams at all levels within the organization recognizing realistic combined goals and using caution when estimating the time that it will take to carry out these goals making sure that comprehensive data is provided on all fronts and that the costs of organization and practicality are factored into the deal setting up a project management process that ensures that there is the needed time, resources and processes in order to manage the transition having constant communication that is truthful and frequent having HR involved from the outset as a trustworthy business-partner who offers practical and timely solutions (Mohanty, 2010).

Mergers are often very burdensome for Human Resource Departments.…