Course   Outline:   Human   Resource   Management   (HRM   401)
Fall   2011   Semester
Course   Instructor:   Syed   Imran   Saqib
Email:           syedimransaqib@yahoo.com
Cell   Number:   0332 ‐  1303608   (For   important   matters   only,   always   mention   name     with   text   messages   and   avoid   texting   or   calling   after   9   p.m.)
Office   Main   Campus:   Room   34.
Phone   111 ‐ 422 ‐ 422   Ext   2652
City   Campus:   Faculty   Room
Office   Hours:   9:30 ‐ 2:30,   Wednesdays,   Main   Campus
Introduction
Human   Resource   Management   has   evolved   from   being   only   an   administrative   department   which   was   responsible   for   “policing”   the   work   force   and   implementing   policies   and   procedures   to   a   department   which   is   expected   to   add   value   to   the   organization   as   well   as   individual   employees.
In   modern   organizations   the   role   of   HR   is   as   important   as   that   of   finance   and   marketing   especially   in   achieving   the   strategic   goals   of   the   organization.
Human   Resource   Management   can   formally   be   defined   as   the   process   of   planning   for   work   force   requirements,   attracting,   acquiring,   training,   appraising,   rewarding   and   retaining   employees   in   alignment   with   the   corporate   strategy   of   the   firm.
It   also   involves   dealing   with   government   regulations,   industrial   relations   and   addressing   concerns   of   safety   and   fairness.
Learning   Objectives

To   appreciate   the   importance   of   the   Human   Resource   Management   for   organizational   strategies.

To   understand   the   sub ‐  functions   within   the   human   resource   department.

To   understand   how   these   functions   are   linked   to   each   other   and   other   departments   of   the   organization.

To   realize   that   human   Resource   Management   is   essentially   the   job   of   every   manager   who   is   supervising   a   group   of   people.

To   see   the   application   of   these   concepts   in   the   context   of   Pakistan   business   environment.

To   understand   the   importance   of   fact   and   evidence   based   HR   practices.
In   addition,   through   this   course   the   students   will   learn   how   to   collect   information   about   a   topic,   analyze   and   synthesize   the   information   and   write   a   well   organized   research   paper   and   case   study.
This   is   an   essential   skill   which   will   help   students   in   both   graduate   and   undergraduate   courses   in   the   future.
In
1

addition,   this   introductory   HR   course   is   also   aimed   at   helping   students   to   decide   if   they   want   to   pursue   a   major   in   HR.
Syllabus
Sessions   1   and   2   :   Introduction   to   Human   Resource   Management

Introduction   to   the   class

Discussion   of   the   course   outlines

Developing   Groups

Introduction   to   Human   Resource   Management.

Importance   to   all   managers

Staff   and   Line   Rules
Reading:    Chapter   1   (Dessler   and   Varkkey)
Sessions    3:    Strategy   and   Human   Resource   Management

Overview   of   Strategic   Management

How   HR   strategy   should   be   aligned   to   the   Corporate   Strategy

Evolution   of   HR   in   Pakistan
Reading:   If   HR   were   really   strategically   proactive:   Present   and   Future   Directions   on   HR’s   contribution   to
Competitive   Advantage.
Wayne   Brockbank,   Human   Resource   Management.
Session   4:   Introduction   to   Research   in   Organizational   Studies
For   this   session   students   will   be   required   to   read   and   bring   a   research   paper   to   class   on   any   area   of   human   resource   management.
Groups   should   also   bring   to   class   tentative   ideas   about   their   term   projects.

What   is   a   literature   review?

Why   is   it   conducted?

Research   Paradigms   and   overview   of   research   methods
Session   5    and    6:   Job   Analysis

Why   conduct   a   job   analysis?

Methods   of   conducting   a   job   analysis   survey

Writing   Job   Descriptions   and   Job   Specifications.
Reading:    Chapter   4   (Dessler   and   Verkey)
Sessions   7   and   8:   Human   Resource   Planning   and   Recruiting

Forecasting   for   Human   Resources
2


Need   for   effective   recruitment

Methods   of   Recruitment

Internal    and   External   Recruitment

Recruitment   Websites.
Reading:   Chapter   5   (Dessler   and   Varkey)
Sessions   9   and   10   :   Employee   Testing   and   Selection

Importance   of   Selection

The   vital   concepts   of   Validity   and   Reliability

Types   of   tests

Different   selecting   methods
Reading:   Chapter   6   (Dessler   and   Varkey)
Sessions   11   and   12:    Interviewing   Candidates

Types   of   Interviews

Structured   and   Unstructured

Administrating

Interview   Biases
Readings:   Chapter   7:   Interviewing   Candidates   (Dessler   and   Varkey),
Article:   Stubborn   Reliance   on   Intuition   and   Subjectivity    in   Employee   Selection   by   Scott
Highhouse.
Industrial   Organizational   Psychology .
Session    13   and   14:   Training   and   Development   of   Employees

Due:    Essay/   Literature   Review   (Part   1   of   the   Term   Project)

Needs   Assessment

Importance   of   Orientation

Types   of   Training   Programs

Management   Development   Programs

Evaluating   Training   Efforts
Reading:   Chapter   8   (Dessler   and   Varkkey)
Sessions:    15,   16   and   17:   Performance   and   Talent   Management

Importance   of   Performance   management   and   appraisals

How   to   conduct   performance   appraisals

Techniques   of   Performance   appraisal

Coaching   Careers   and   Talent   Management
3

Reading:    Chapter   9   (Dessler   and   Varkkey)
Handout:   Coaching,   Careers   and   Talent   Management
Sessions   18,   19   and   20:   Compensation   ,   Incentives   and   Benefits.

Pay   and   Strategy

Establishing   Pay   rates

Incentives   and   Motivation

Benefits   and   Services
Readings:   Chapter   11   and   12   (Dessler   and   Varkey)
Sessions   21   and   22:   Labor   Relations   and   Collective   Bargaining

Overview   of   Unions   and   Collective   Bargaining

Collective   Bargaining   Process

Union   Movement   in   Pakistan

Labor   rights:   Wages,   Working   Conditions,   Safety   etc.
Reading:   Chapter   15   Labor   Relations   and   Collective   Bargaining   (Dessler   and   Varkkey)
Sessions   23   and   24:   Workforce   Diversity,   Fairness   and   Work   life   Balance

What   is   work   life   Balance   (WLB)?

WLB   as   an   issue   for   men   and   woman

Importance   of   fairness   and   justice   of   the   HR   systems

Why   is   workforce   diversity   an   important   issue   for   managers
Discussions   will   be   based   on   articles,   handouts   given   in   the   class.
Session   25   and   26:   Comprehensive   Case   Studies   to   Synthesize   HR   Concepts
Readings:   Harvard   Business   School   Case   Studies:    Samsung,
Infosys   India
Sessions   27   and   28:   Student   Presentations   and   Course   Review
Grading   Scheme
Literature   Review,   Case   Study   and   Presentations   20%
Assignments   5%
Quizzes   5%
4

Class   Participation   10%
Midterms   30%
Finals   30%
Guidelines   for   the   Term   Project   (20%)
Students   are   required   to   select   a   topic   within   the   realm   of   human   resource   management.
The   topic   should   be   discussed   with   the   instructor   in   groups   for   approval.
This   project   is   divided   into   three   components:   Literature   Review,   Case   Study   and   Final   Presentation.
Literature   Review:   (8   Marks)
Conduct   a   comprehensive   literature   review   of   about   10 ‐ 15   research   papers   from   renowned   journals.
For   this   you   have   to   utilize   the   databases   available   on   the   IBA   portal.
You   have   to   learn   to   navigate   through   these   databases   keeping   in   mind   that   not   articles   are   freely   available.
As   students   of   research   this   is   an   activity   that   all   of   us   should   be   well   versed   with.
Make   sure   that   the   research   papers   are   consistent   with   your   specific   topic.
After   this,   students   will   be   required   to   write   a   10   page   essay   on   their   chosen   topic   (12   font   and   double   spaced)   following   the   in ‐ text
APA   style   citations.
This   is   due   on   the   14 th
session   of   the   class.
Case   Study   (8   marks)
The   second   part   of   this   project   would   be   conducting   primary   research   on   the   topic   in   a   organization   of   your   choice.
Students   may   choose   to   do   this   through,   in ‐ depth   interviews,   questionnaires   or   other   methods.
The   purpose   of   this   activity   is   to   encourage   students   to   observe   and   appreciate   the   real   life   application   of   the   topic   which   they   have   seen   for   review.
This   is   also   a   10   page   case   study   (12   font   and   double   spaced)   excluding   any   exhibits   and   appendices.
This   is   due   on   the   27 th
Session   of   the   class.
Every   day   that   the   submission   is   late   will   lead   to   deduction   of   1   mark.
Presentations   (4   Marks)
The   students   will   make   formal   yet   engaging   presentations   about   their   findings
The   project   will   be   made   in   groups   of   3 ‐ 4,   randomly   assigned   by   the   instructors.
All   submissions   should   include   a   contributions   page.
Assignments   (5)
All   assignments   will   be   done   in   class.
Students   may   be   asked   to   prepare   for   the   assignment   from   home   but   the   written   part   of   the   assignment   will   be   done   in   class.
This   could   be   a   mini   case   study,   an   analysis   of   a   situation   or   an   exercise.
5

Quizzes   (N ‐ 1)   (5)
There   will   be   a   total   of   4   quizzes   based   on   either   the   material   covered   in   the   previous   class   or   material   covered   in   class.
Best   3   quizzes   will   be   included   in   the   final   scores.
Class   Participation   (10)
As   management   students   and   as   soon   to   be   business   leaders   students   are   expected   to   confidently   express   their   opinions.
Students   will   be   graded   on   their   willingness   to   participate,   quoting   from   the   assigned   readings,   bringing   in   examples   of   involved   points   from   outside   resources   and   most   importantly   respectfully   listening   to   the   opinions   of   fellow   students.
In   addition,   students   may   be   asked   to   make   impromptu   presentations   or   participate   in   role   plays   or   debates.
Apart   from   the   class   participation   score,   class   participation   enhances   learning   and   retention,   makes   the   class   more   interesting   for   you.
Reading   for   class   is   imperative   is   it   helps   us   move   from   merely   explaining   what   is   contained   in   the   text   to   analyzing   and   critiquing   the   text.
In   addition,   points   reflecting   application   to   the   Pakistani   environment   would   be   highly   appreciated .
Finally   it   should   be   kept   in   mind   that   not   everything   contained   in   the   text   can   be   covered   in   the   class.
Therefore   students   are   expected   to   cover   these   topics   and   make   use   of   counseling   hours   to   clarify   these   concepts   or   raise   questions   in   class.
The   students   will   be   given   a   class   participation   grade   and   feedback   every   month   and   the   final   grade   on
CP   would   be   an   average   of   these   scores.
Guest   Speaker   Sessions
The   students   as   well   as   myself   would   arrange   guest   speaker   session   on   different   topics.
Reading   Materials

Main   Text:   Human   Resource   Management   Gary   Dessler   and   Biju   Varkkey,   12 th
Edition,    Pearsons

Reference   Text:   Human   Resource   Management,   Robert   L.
Mathis   and   John   H   Jackson   10 th
Edition

Handouts,   Articles   and   Cases   as   listed   in   the   syllabus   above.
Good   Luck   and   Enjoy   the   Class!
6