Reference no: EM132825149

Bellemeade Books is a bookstore chain established 10 years ago in northern Michigan. Bellemeade Books has had great success in Michigan and Ohio and is beginning to expand into other states. Most recently, executives have decided to open a store in Orlando, Florida. Approximately 20% of Orlando's population is over the age of 55. Orlando's Hispanic/Latino population is growing and is currently 28% of the city's total population. The manager who has been chosen to open the store is Alexis Cierra. Alexis, a graduate of a Human Resource Management program, is excited about her organization's commitment to diversity initiatives in employment as well as its more recent strategic focus on offering products that best meet the needs of the surrounding community. For example, knowing that many of the residents are retirees and that planning for several new retirement communities in the area is currently underway, she plans to hire employees who understand what the customers want in terms of products and services. Alexis has requested your help in brainstorming some of the strategic issues she should consider when opening the new location and how those will impact HR practices in the new location.

Questions:

1. Describe at least two strategic human resource issues Bellemeade Books is likely to face as they expand into Florida (Feel free to use other resources to better understand northern Michigan and Orlando Florida business environment, and bookstore business).

2. How are these issues you identified in question 1 likely to affect Bellemeade Books Human Resource Management practices?