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Often workplace investigators are told to watch body language for indications that a person is lying or deceiving the investigator. Please describe the potential pitfalls in this advice. (3 marks)

How do biases affect decision making in an investigation; please use 3 examples of bias from the course material to illustrate how it affects decision making. ( 6 marks)

Most investigations are carried out my internal HR personnel, when it is appropriate to bring in an external third party to conduct an investigation. Please detail two circumstances. (2 marks)

Your workplace allows for audio recording of investigative interviews, the policy notes that it is at the discretion of the investigator. Please detail 3 reasons in favor of audio recordings and 3 reasons against audio recordings. (6 marks) Please state your personal preference and detail why. (2 marks)

What is the purpose of having a standardized interview “opening”? ( 2 marks)

At the end of the investigation an investigator will be asked to report their findings. Why is it important to be definitive in your findings? ( 2 marks)

What is the value in debriefing an investigation with fellow HR colleagues or HR managers, after the investigation is complete? ( 2 marks)

What is the best specialization to study?

Thank God for _____

Case Background: TechStart Inc., a successful B2B SaaS company with 500 employees and $50M in annual revenue, faces a strategic decision. Their core product serves mid-market companies, but growth has plateaued at 10% annually. The executive team is debating three options: Option A: Move upmarket to enterprise clients (requires 18-month sales cycle, $5M investment in enterprise features, potential 40% revenue growth) Option B: Expand to small business segment (requires product simplification, $2M investment, potential 25% revenue growth, but 15% lower margins) Option C: Develop an adjacent product for existing customers (requires $8M investment, 24-month development timeline, uncertain market demand) Additional context: Current customer retention rate: 85% Two major competitors recently received significant VC funding The company has $12M in cash reserves Employee survey shows concerns about company direction and morale is declining Your Task: Analyze this situation and provide a recommendation. Your response should include: Problem Definition: What is the core strategic challenge facing TechStart? Analysis Framework: What analytical framework(s) would you use to evaluate these options? (e.g., SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces, Risk-Reward Matrix, etc.) Briefly explain why. Critical Evaluation: Evaluate each option, identifying: Key assumptions underlying each option Potential risks and opportunities Information gaps that would inform your decision 4. Recommendation: Which option would you recommend and why? What would be your implementation priorities?