Human Resource Management and Development, HRM&D
Session: 18 weeks (2006/2007)
Assistant Professor: Cheng, Kuo-Tai
Pre-requisites: non
Introduction
The management of people is a core aspect of every business whether they are public
or private institutions. The demands of managing people affect small, medium and
large size enterprises from entrepreneurial start-ups to large bureaucratic
organisations whether they are located in national or multinational contexts.
Traditionally, debates in ‘HRM&D’ have focused on such aspects as whether it is a
primary responsibility of individual managers or a centralised organisation function
and whether it is concerned with business performance or the welfare of employers.
Current debates have highlighted the growth of the term ‘HRM&D’ in contemporary
discourses of management and organisation and how ‘HRM&D’ has gradually and
partially replaced other terminologies such as ‘Personnel Management’ and
‘Industrial Relations’. In this course we explore whether the rise of ‘HRM&D’ is a
replacement of these other terms. Is ‘HRM&D’ a new management fashion? Is it
function of management?
Contemporary changes in organisations, both public and private, and their political,
economic, legal and cultural contexts shape the conceptualisation and implementation
of HR practices. Practitioners, managers and academics alike suggest that managers
who possess the both the strategic knowledge of HRM and the tools to manage people
have the opportunity to maintain a competitive edge within and outside their
organisations. A current trend in‘HRM&D’, alongside the empowerment of
employees, has been the devolution of core HRM responsibilities from the HRM
department to line managers. This course will examine the relationship between
‘HRM&D’ and performance and many of the practices of HRM that managers of
need to be equipped with. Finally, we will consider the future of HRM in responding
to the challenge of new organisational forms such as the virtual organisation, the
flexible firm, the team based organisation, the learning organisation and the
knowledge intensive firm.
Throughout the 18 weeks we will examine, and critically question, the nature and
field of HRM&D. In particular we will study the development of HRM&D and its
relationship with Personnel Management; the influence of change and context on
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HRM; the strategic nature of HRM&D; HRM’s influence on performance; some of
the common functions of HRM&D and the nature of the employment relationship
within both public and private organisations in national and international contexts.
Course Aims
This course has been designed to equip you with some of the fundamental issues in
contemporary ‘HRM&D’. In this course some of the questions we will address are:
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Is HRM the same as Personnel Management?
Is HRM&D strategic?
Does HRM have an impact on performance?
How is organisational change influencing HRM&D practices?
What do the changes in HRM mean for managers and their employees?
What are the ways of organising the HRM function?
What is HRM&D’s future?
Therefore, to provide a practical overview of the key areas of human resource (HR)
practice at organisation level; and to develop a critical awareness of the possibilities
and problems of using HR/Personnel techniques and ‘best practice’ in organisations in
specific countries.
Course Content
*Introduction to HRM - week 1·
*Theories and models of HRM - week 2·
*Theories and models of HRM - week 3
*Strategic Management and HR strategy – weeks 4 and 5·
*Strategic Management of Diverse Workforce – week 6·
*Employee relations - week 7·
*Organisation culture – week 8·
*Key Practice Areas – week 9·
*Critical review of HRM concepts and Course Unit Review – week 10
*Introduction to Human Resource Practice·
*Human Resource Planning·
*Job Analysis·
*Managing pay
*Recruitment and Selection·
*Performance Management and Appraisal·
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*Learning and Training·
*Employee Relations·
*The context for HR/Personnel Practice in other countries
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to:
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Understand the relationship between HRM and Personnel
Critique some of the HRM models and frameworks
Discuss the HRM functions
Appreciate HRM’s relationship to performance
Evaluate the options and choices available to organisations in designing and
managing the HR function
Have an awareness of HRM&D in the broader context of change and the
wider organisational and environmental contexts
Teaching Delivery
You are expected to conduct the readings necessary tasks during your own time to
prepare for the sessions. The classes will be very interactive and therefore
participation is crucial for them to work. Don’t forget that ‘what you put in is what
you get out’. A range of materials will be used in the lectures and classes including
case studies, exercises, videos and student presentations. You will be expected to
work individually and as part of a group during this course (see class handbook for
student guidelines on working in groups).
The classes will be student centred and therefore students are responsible for their
own learning. The role of the tutor in the lectures and classes is to provide information,
facilitate learning and provide direction through the course. Students are encouraged
to ask questions and should make it clear to the tutor if they need further clarification
on specific points.
Assessment
50% continuous assessment（including presentation, group project, attendance etc.），
50% formal examinations (including mid and final exams or individual project).
Formal examinations are 2 hours in length but the examination can take many forms
including a presentation, a seen paper or a computer exercise.
One 20-30 pages essay
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Your coursework is to be handed in on ** * in the usual way. Your assignments will
be returned on the ***.
Extensions are the responsibility of your scheme director and you should not leave
these requests until the last minute.
Course Reading
The set course text for this course will be:
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Dessler, Gary & Huat, Tan Chwee (2006). Human Resource Management.
London: Prentice Hall.
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Dessler, Gary (2005). Human Resource Management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Dessler, Gary(方世榮譯) (2005). Human Resource Management，台北：華泰。
4.
Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B. & Wright, P. Human Resource
Management(譯書)，台北：雙葉。
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6.
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Ivancevich, J., 2003, Human Resource Management(譯書)，台北：學富。
吳復新，2003，人力資源管理：理論分析與實務應用，台北：華泰。
廖勇凱、楊湘怡，2004，人力資源管理：理論與應用，台北：智勝。
Further Readings
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Snell, S. and Bohlander, G. (2004). Managing Human Resources. London:
Thomson.
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Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (Eds.) (1999) Human Resource Management:
Theory and Practice. Macmillan: Hampshire.
Storey, J. (2001) Human Resource Management: A Critical Text. London,
Thomson Learning.
Armstrong, M (2000). Strategic Human Resource Management: A guide to
action. Kogan Page. London
Storey, J (ed.). (2001). Human Resource Management: A critical Text.
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Thompson Learning. London
Torrington, D and Hall, L (1998). Human Resource Management. Prentice
Hall. Hemel Hempstead
Kanungo, R.N (ed.). (1995). Employee Management in Developing Countries.
JAI Press. London.
Journals
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management Journal
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Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal of Management Studies
Organisation Studies
Academy of Management Review
Academy of Management Journal
Organisational Dynamics
Human Relations
British Journal of Industrial Relations
Journal of Industrial Relations
Industrial Relations Journal
Please note that other supplementary readings are recommended in the course
handbook.
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