IB9ZK-15 Managing human resources in contemporary organisations
Introductory description
The module introduces students to a range of debates that are central to the human resource management and employment relations field, including the 'high commitment' models of human resource management. It also provides students with an in-depth insight into a number of the specific HR practice areas, including: recruitment and selection; training and development; job design and teamworking, pay and rewards; unions and HRM, and equal opportunities and diversity management.
Module aims
The module aims to develop a critical understanding of the management of workers in organisations. It draws principally on the fields of human resource management (HRM) and employment relations, which are informed by several base disciplines in the social sciences including economics, law, political science, psychology and sociology. The module explores the relationship between human resource management/ employment relations matters and the wider context in which organisations are located. It demonstrates how the management of human resources is problematic both in theory and practice and should be of fundamental concern for all managers engaged in managing people within their organisation. Each topic covered in this module uses evidence-based research to challenge some of the central assumptions of 'people management' orthodoxy. The objective is to equip students with the ability to think critically about management practice and develop an appreciation of the possible beneficial and harmful outcomes or the unintended consequences associated with human resource management interventions aimed at improving organisational performance.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
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high commitment models of human resource management -
recruitment, initial screening and final selection -
training and development -
job design and teamworking -
pay and rewards -
unions and HRM -
equal opportunities and diversity management
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the development of human resource management as a field of study.
- Critically appreciate the contribution made by each of the core disciplines (e.g., sociology, psychology, law, economics).
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Research element
Students will be expected to extrapolate from existing research and scholarship to identify new or revised approaches to human resource practice
Interdisciplinary
Students will be expected to critically appreciate the contribution made by sociology, psychology, law, and economics to the topic area.
Subject specific skills
Analyse specific human resource management problems in their wider social context
Evaluate and marshal critical social science research on human resource management
Extrapolate from existing research and scholarship to identify new or revised approaches to human resource practice
Demonstrate advanced study skills including location and retrieval of relevant reading from library stock and electronic resources and employing appropriate quantitative methods.
Transferable skills
Written communication
Problem solving
Information technology
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Supervised practical classes | 9 sessions of 2 hours (24%) |
| Other activity | 9 hours (12%) |
| Private study | 49 hours (64%) |
| Total | 76 hours |
Private study description
Private study to include preparation for lectures
Other activity description
This module will be split as two hours face-to-face workshops and one online lecture hour per week. The lecture hour may be live, or may be prerecorded, or as asynchronous tasks with either online or face-to-face support
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A2
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Individual Assignment | 100% | 74 hours | Yes (extension) |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Assessments are graded using standard University Postgraduate Marking Criteria and written feedback is provided.
There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.