21870 Strategic Human Resource Management

Subject level: Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject introduces students to the theory, practices and skills utilised to strategically manage human capital within the context of high-performance cultures. Students learn how to develop and utilise human capital metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of an organisation's HRM system.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Explain and critically analyse the relevance of Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) in the management of an organisation's workforce.
2. Discuss the relationship between HRM and organisational performance, including the evaluation of HRM effectiveness and the barriers that can impede organisational performance.
3. Explore the issues faced by managers in utilising HRM to resolve contemporary organisational challenges (e.g., organisational change and restructuring, corporate social responsibility, sustainability management, job redesign, and the implementation of new organisational forms such as cross-border alliances, etc.).
4. Demonstrate skills and abilities in managing the performance of self, peers, stakeholder groups (e.g., trade unions, employer associations, community groups, etc.), and organisational performance.

Contribution to graduate profile

It has been widely recognised by the business communities that the value of organisations is expressed by a mixture of tangible assets (such as equipment, money, land or other physical objects) and intangible assets (such as brand and reputation, knowledge and intellectual capital, and human resources) in a knowledge-based economy. Human capital, a component of intellectual capital, is recognised to be a key aspect of an organisation's intangible resource. This subject incorporates a strategic approach to human resource management (HRM) by incorporating aspects of macro-organisational behaviour, human resource management and employee relations, with strategic management. The subject explores both the theory and practice of HRM in the context of the relevant legislation; the application of skills and competencies required in HRM; the management of high performance work cultures; and the integration of HRM with strategic decision making processes.

This subject provides students with the practical and analytical tools to be both proactive and innovative in the management of intellectual capital and in the way they support knowledge management. The course employs a Balanced Scorecard approach to measure the impact of HRM on organisational performance in terms of financial and employee outcomes and corporate social responsibility. Students will develop strategic leadership and teamwork skills throughout the course.

Teaching and learning strategies

Class activities will include lectures, class discussion, case study analyses, guest lecturers, and student presentations. Students will be encouraged to develop their own learning aims and objectives by developing an independent learning contract with the lecturer. Students will then present their research report on their chosen topic of contemporary issues and the related HRM implications. Students will acquire practical skills in managing the performance of self and peers as part of the group work project. Students will have to attend a training workshop to assist them with effective group work. They will be trained to conduct a performance appraisal of self and peers. The subject also requires students to work individually on a semester-long project which requires them to apply human capital metrics to analyse an organisation's HRM system.

Students will be expected to read any prescribed reading articles (including the relevant text chapter) prior to class sessions and collaborate and engage in class discussions and all group work. There is a commitment to critical enquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered, and students will utilise HRM theory to question practice.

Content

• High performance culture, strategic orientation, CEO leadership, and the role of line managers in Strategic HRM
• Creating alliance and partnership between line and HR managers in HRM
• HR value proposition
• Balanced scorecard approach to workforce management
• Motivation, job design, and performance management
• Human capital metrics
• Strategic employee relations in the changing industrial relations landscape
• Contemporary issues in HRM (such as organisational change and restructuring, corporate social responsibility, ethical corporate governance, impact of technology on HRM, sustainability management, job redesign, and the implementation of new organisational forms such as cross border alliances, etc.)
• Barriers of Strategic HRM effectiveness

Assessment

Recommended text(s)

Boudreau, J.W. & Ramstad, P.M. (2007) Beyond HR: The New Science of Human Capital, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA

Huselid, M.A., Becker, B.E., & Beatty, R.W. (2005) The Workforce Scorecard: Managing Human Capital to Execute Strategy. Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA

Indicative references

Aguinis, H. (2007) Performance Management, Prentice Hall, New York

Becker, B.E., Huselid, M.A. & Ulrich, D. (2001) The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance. Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA

Bryson, A., Forth, J. & Kirby, S. (2005) High-involvement management practices, trade union representation and workplace performance in Britain. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 52: 451-491

Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (2006) Human Capital: Corporate and HR Strategy, CIPD, London

Sappey, R., Burgess, J., Lyons, M. & Buultjens, J. (2006) Industrial Relations in Australia: Work and workplaces, Pearson Education Australia, Melbourne

Schneider, B., Hanges, P.J., Smith, D.B. & Salvaggio, A.N. (2003) Which Comes First: Employee Attitudes or Organisational Financial and Market Performance? Journal of Applied Psychology, 88: 836-851

Ulrich, D. & Brockbank, W. (2005) The HR Value Proposition, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA