BE475-7-AU-CO:
Principles and Practices in Human Resource Management
2021/22
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Future
Thursday 06 October 2022
Friday 16 December 2022
20
05 April 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BE487
This module addresses the principles and practice of human resource management (HRM). The organisational context in which HRM operates will be considered as well as more recent developments.
Key contextual considerations concern the managerial, institutional and social context of HRM. HR strategies will be considered within the macro and micro institutional constraints in which it operates, including ethics, demographics, regulation and stakeholder expectations. The key operational functions of HRM's remit will be considered, including resourcing, reward and learning/development.
Emerging work practices will be considered in this context, including new forms of organisation such as sustainable HRM and agile practices. Introducing students to both orthodox and critical perspectives on the nature of HRM and emphasizing the ethical responsibilities of the HR practitioner, the module aims to provide a basis for critical judgement on the current state of theory and practice in the field.
The module will explore:
1. the aims and objectives of the HR function in different types of organizations and the managerial environment in which HRM operates
2. the knowledge and techniques associated with the work of the human resource practitioner and their historical development
3. perspectives on the strategic management of human resources and critical assessments of the theories
4. theories of people resourcing and critical assessments of the theories
5. theories of human resource development and organizational learning and critical assessments of the theories
6. theories of reward management and critical assessments of the theories
7. theories of human resource development and organizational learning and critical assessments of the theories
8. the role of the business environment, institutional conditions, political forces, ideologies and social conditions and their implications for management and human resource management
9. recent changes in the practice of HRM including various forms of flexibility and attempts to redefine employee identity and their consequences
10. the ethics of HRM and the reputational and professional obligations of the human resource practitioner.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Identify a range of people practices, and propose how to design them in an integrated way
2. Identify key legal-regulatory trends relevant to HR practice, how to apply this knowledge, and how to mitigate risk
3. Compare and contrast different models of people resourcing in a range of different situations
4. Compare and contrast different models of reward management in a range of different situations
5. Compare and contrast different models of facilitation, consulting, coaching and mentoring in a range of different situations
6. Compare and contrast different ethical perspectives, and how these different approaches and values influence internal and external decision-making
7. Critically evaluate how an organisation is responding to different socioeconomic, demographic and technological trends in a specific sector and how this could impact organisational outcomes
8. Develop a people plan (review, develop insight, align with organisation strategy, create proposals)
9. Reflect on the benefits and risks associated with how people practices create value for different stakeholders, and compare what continuous professional development is therefore required.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
The module will:
1. Enhance your ability to consider rival conceptual ideas in the field of HRM and apply these to a practical organisational problem (report)
2. Enhance your critical thinking through case studies encouraging you to discern preconditions and consequences of management actions and to apply diverse theories and concepts to the analysis of practical organisational situations. (report)
3. Innovation will be encouraged by encouraging you to develop solutions to HR issues and problems. (report)
This module will be delivered over 10 weeks in the Autumn term.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Additional coursework information
Assessment items
1. Essay (1,500 words)
2. Create a people plan for a case study scenario (3,500 words)
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.