Interactive Simulation: Northstar Dynamics
Building the Workforce for What’s Next
In this interactive simulation, you will take on the role of the Human Resources Manager at Northstar Dynamics, a growing organization preparing to launch an AI-enabled product line and expand into new markets.
Your challenge is to help the organization translate strategy into workforce capability. Along the way, you will respond to realistic HR issues involving turnover, vacancies, capability gaps, management practices, succession risk, employee retention, workforce analytics, and technological change.
Your decisions will shape the organization’s ability to build the people and capabilities it needs for future success.
Strategic Human Resource Management
This simulation supports Chapter 1 of Strategic Human Resource Management by Roger Batchelor.
Review Chapter 1 before beginning, or keep the textbook open while completing the simulation. The chapter explains how organizations connect strategy, people, organizational capability, HR systems, leadership, workforce evidence, and contemporary workforce challenges.
What You Will Do
The simulation is organized into seven decision points. At each stage, you will review the situation, choose from several possible HR responses, and receive immediate feedback explaining the strengths and limitations of your decision.
The goal is not simply to find the fastest answer. You will need to think strategically about how workforce decisions connect to organizational goals, employee experience, management capability, technology, evidence, and long-term organizational sustainability.
1. Diagnose Before Acting
Determine what is really causing the workforce problem before choosing a solution.
2. Translate Strategy into Capability
Identify the people, roles, skills, and capabilities required to support future organizational goals.
3. Recruitment and Retention
Consider why strong employees stay, why they leave, and which capabilities may be lost.
4. Managers as HR Implementers
Explore how managers influence the way employees experience HR practices.
5. AI and the Future of Work
Decide how technology, job redesign, reskilling, and people strategy should work together.
6. Evidence and Analytics
Use workforce information to move from data to insight and better decisions.
7. Build the Strategic HR Plan
Bring the pieces together into an integrated workforce strategy.
How Your Decisions Are Evaluated
Your choices will be assessed across three dimensions:
Strategic Alignment
Does your decision support the organization’s goals and future direction?
Evidence and Analytics
Does your decision use workforce information and diagnosis rather than assumptions?
Workforce Sustainability
Does your decision support the organization’s ability to attract, develop, engage, and retain the people and capabilities it needs?
🎯 Before You Begin
There is not always one obvious answer in Strategic Human Resource Management. Strong strategic decisions require you to consider more than the immediate issue.
As you work through the simulation, consider the underlying cause of each problem, the organization’s strategy, the employee experience, the evidence available, and the long-term workforce consequences before making your decision.
Ready to Begin?
Step into the role of HR Manager and see how your decisions influence organizational capability, workforce sustainability, and strategic success.
Begin the Northstar Dynamics Simulation →