Topics & Readings

Assignments

WK #1 

Case Study Assignments

• 1.1 Chris Bridwell
• 1.2
• 2.1 - Mark Flynn
• 2.2 - Milt Reynolds
• 3.1
• 3.2
• 4.1 - Rebecca Turner
• 4.2
• 4.3
• 5.1
• 5.2
• 5.3
• 6.1
• 6.2 - Darla Bradley
• 7.1 - Barbara Stanfield
• 7.2
• 8.1
• 8.2 - Jaime Higdon
• 9.1 - Heather Hisle
• 9.2
• 10.1
• 10.2
• 11.1
• 11.2 - Glen Jones
• 12.1
• 12.2
• 13.1 - Sandy Brutscher
• 13.2 - Sonia Jacobs
• 14.1 - Jill Walls
• 14.2 - Eddie Smith

Course Overview

Organizations that thrive in today's competitive environment have learned the importance of investing in a key resource, their people. They have increasingly looked toward their Human resources function to lead them in these efforts.

Human resources has evolved from personnel administration to a function that develops human resources strategies to drive the business strategies. Modern human resources functions facilitate change management strategies throughout the organization. They collaborate with line management to develop ways to maximize employees' contribution. Excellent human resources accomplish all of this while administering the traditional human resources functions in an efficient manner.

In this course, you will learn about the key roles of the human resources function. You will also study in depth the sub-functions of job/analysis, selection and recruitment, performance management, training and development, compensation and benefits, equal employment opportunity/diversity/safety, and employee and labor relations. You will learn how to utilize these functions in an integrated manner to deliver the activities of each human resources role.

In this course, you will learn the tools and concepts to develop a human resources strategic plan that drives the business strategies. This includes developing human resources philosophies, policies, practices, processes, and programs that aid the firm in implementing its strategic plans. Throughout the course, you will have an opportunity to apply the tools and concepts as you develop a human resources strategic plan for an organization.

This week provides an overview of the role of the human resources function towards driving the organization to gain a competitive advantage. You will learn about human resources' key role in the strategic management process. Ways in which human resources philosophies, policies, practices, processes, and programs aid the firm in implementing its strategic plans are described. You will also learn about the various functions and roles of the human resources function. While this week gives an overview of the human resources function, the weeks following will further develop each specific human resources function and role.

Reading Chapter 1 - 2 

Lecture Notes #1 

Delaney Article 

Groups

• Team 1 Heather H & Chris B
• Team 2 Jill W & Eddie S
• Team 3 Darla B & Christy P
• Team 4 Barbara S & Krista A
• Team 5 Jaime H & Andy P
• Team 6 Glen J & Angel C
• Team 7
• Team 8
• Team 9
• Team 10

Analysis and Design of Work/ Human Resources Planning

This week discusses the analysis of work processes, which provides the broad context for understanding jobs. Job analysis is defined and a case made for it as the building block of all of the activities of the human resources function. You will gain an understanding of job design as one of the first tasks of strategic implementation. The traditional definition of human resources planning is contrasted with its evolution into a broader definition. An understanding of the concepts in this week will provide the basis for understanding each function within human resources; the separate functions of human resources will be covered in subsequent weeks.

Chapter 5

Lecture Notes #2 

Selection and Recruitment

This week on selection begins with a discussion of the requirements to use a selection device: reliability, validity, generalizability, utility, and legality. A number of selection methods and tests are reviewed in terms of the above factors, how the methods work in practice, and how they can be improved for use. The laws affecting selection are overviewed, as well as the recruitment process to find applicants for the company's positions. Good selection approaches are vital for an organization because many of the other human resources activities, such as performance management and training, are based on the assumption that the employee had certain knowledge, skills, and abilities as a requisite to be hired into the job.

Performance Management

Performance management is a cornerstone of human resources. It is a key approach through which management ensures that employee activities and outputs are congruent with the organization's goals. Understanding the job content through job analysis is vital to ensure that performance management systems are managing and measuring essential functions of the job. Analyzing performance deficiencies results in determining other human resources interventions that can be implemented to improve performance, such as training and development or revising selection methods.

• Chapter 8 Lecture Notes
• Chapter 9 Lecture Notes
• Mid Term Solutions

 The previous weeks have helped us to understand the importance of selecting the right employees into the organization who have the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job. Performance management has been described as a system to provide feedback to employees about how well they are carrying out the responsibilities of the position. However, employees rarely have all the skills necessary to perform all of the duties of the job, so they typically need some training and development to assist them in growing their capabilities. In addition, jobs change over time, so the position the employee was hired for may have evolved into a different role. As a result, training and development has evolved into a vital function necessary to facilitate employees toward behaviors that move forward the company's business strategy.

Sample Paper in Word format, Right click and save

Lawler Paper

Chapter 11 Lecture Notes

Compensation & Benefits

There are many different theories as to the motivators of employee performance and contribution. Money may be one of the key motivators, although this varies among individuals. Thus, reward systems have the potential to have a major impact on the extent to which employees act in way that carries out the business strategy. Benefits are an important component of employees' compensation packages, as they have come to expect the company to provide these for them.

Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 

The legal environment has had a major impact on the treatment of employees in the workplace. Discrimination has been defined and identified, leading to approaches to overcome it. Diversity has now been recognized as a way to enhance the firm's ability to compete in a changing and complex environment. The right of employees to work in a safe workplace is considered an obligation of employers.

Chapter 7

This week continues the discussion of treatment of employees that began in the previous week. Here we explore the factors that lead to employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction and the alternative ways that companies and employees act to rectify the work and job dissatisfiers. Unionization has declined as a vehicle to address employee issues, due to resistance by employers that has led them to develop positive employee relations strategies on their own, diminishing the need for third party intervention.

Chapter 12

Human Resources Roles: Strategic Partner, Administrative Expert

In Week 1, we described the four roles of the human resources function: strategic partner, administrative expert, employee champion, and change agent. Weeks 2 through 8 explained each of the functions within human resources. We will also analyze each role to determine how they use the human resources functions in an integrated manner to drive the business towards its goals.