ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of Business Administration)

Course: Human Resource Management (5532) Semester: Autumn, 2010

Level: MBA

CHECKLIST

This packet comprises the following material:

1) Text book
2) Assignments # 1 & 2
3) Course outlines
4) Assignment 6 forms (2 sets)
5) Assignment submission schedule

Note: In this packet, if you find anything missing out of the above-mentioned material,
please contact at the address given below: -

The Mailing Officer

Mailing Section, Block # 28
Allama Iqbal Open University,
Sector H/8, Islamabad.
Tel: (051) 9057611, 9057612

Mohammad Majid Mahmood Bagram

Course Coordinator
ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of Business Administration)

WARNING
1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING
THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD
OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM
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“AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.

Course: Human Resource Management (5532) Semester: Autumn, 2010

Level: MBA Total Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 40
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units: 1–4)
Q. 1 Why HR is called the most important asset and competitive advantage of any
organization in the world? (20)

Your Solutions

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Helping Material
HR and Competitive Advantage
In order to have an effective competitive strategy, the company must have
one or more competitive advantage, factors that allow an organization to
differentiate its product or service. Wal-Mart builds its low cost leader
strategy on the dual competitive advantage of a satellite based inventory
and distribution system, and on employment policies that help it to
achieve extraordinary low employment costs. Southwest Airlines achieves
low cost leader status through employment policies that produce a highly
motivated and flexible workforce. Its workforce is its competitive
advantage. Larger airlines like Delta, faced with union rules and restrictive
work rules and salary structures, find it hard to compete with Southwest,
whose employees eagerly rush to ‘turn around’ an airplane in a fraction of
the time it takes a Delta team. Every successful company has one or more
competitive advantages around which it builds its competitive strategy.

The competitive advantages can take any forms. For a pharmaceutical

company, it may be the quality of its research team, and its patents. For a
Web site like ebay, it may be a proprietary software system. Many years,
ago, Wal-Mart’s satellite based distribution system was so revolutionary
that it was probably the firm’s predominant competitive advantage The
New Workplace presents another example.

Today, most companies have easy access to the same technologies, so

technology itself is rarely enough to set a firm apart. It’s usually the people
and the management system is rarely enough to set a firm apart. It’s
usually the people and the management system that make the difference.
For example, an operations expert from Harvard University studied
manufacturing firms that installed special computer integrated
manufacturing systems to boost efficiency and flexibility. Data in studies
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point to one conclusion: operational flexibility is determined primarily by
a plant’s operators and the extent to which managers cultivate, measure
and communicate with them. Equipment and computer integration are
secondary.

In a growing number of organizations human resources are now viewed as

a source of competitive advantage. This is in contrast to the traditional
emphasis on transferable resources such as equipment. Increasingly, it is
being recognized that competitive advantage can be obtained with a high
quality workforce that enables organizations to compete on the basis of
market responsiveness, product and service quality, differentiated
products, and technological innovation.

Strategic Human resources Management:

The term HR strategies refers to the specific human resources

management courses of action the company pursues to achieve its aims.
Thus, one of FedEx’s strategic aims is to achieve superior levels of
customer service and high profitability through a highly committed
workforce. The overriding aim of its HR strategy is to build a committed
workforce, preferably in a nonunion environment. FedEx’s specific HR
strategies stem from this aim. They include: using various methods to
build two way communications; screening out potential mangers whose
values are not people oriented guaranteeing to the greatest extent possible;
fair treatment and employee security for all employees; and utilizing
various promotion from within activities to give employee every
opportunity to fully realize their potential. Strategic human resources
management means formulating and executing HR systems – HR policies
and activities – that produce the employee competencies and behaviors
the company needs to achieve its strategy aims.

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Linking Corporate and HR Strategies:

Company’s Competitive Environment>

Economic, political demographic,
competitive and technological trends.

Company’s strategic Situation>

Company’s Strategic Plan

For example
Should we expand geographically?
Cuts Costs?
Diversify?

Company’s HR (and Other Functional) strategies>

What are the basic courses of action HR will pursue?
To ensure that the recruiting selecting training, appraising and
compensation systems are consistent with the company’s strategic plan;

Organizational Performance>

Company’s Internal Strengths and Weakness

Company’s Strategic Situation.

more at http://www.citeman.com/3230-hr-and-competitive-
advantage/#ixzz19PO7oXWY

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Gaining a Competitive Advantage

HRM can’t be summarized in less than 900 words, but some first
insights can be given in order to create interest in investigating the
issue and some ideas on what it deals with!

HR is viewed as having 3 product lines (admin., business partner

and strategic services) and to successfully manage it, individuals need
personal credibility, business strategy understanding, technology and
business knowledge and the ability to deliver HR services. HRM
practices should be evidence-based, on data showing the relationship
between practice and business outcomes related to key company
stakeholders, contributing to a company's business strategy and
helping companies deal with sustainability, globalization, and
technology challenges.
HRM Strategic approach proactively gives competitive advantage
via firm’s more important asset (its HR). So, HRM function needs to
be integrally involved in strategy formulation to identify people-
related business issues as HRM has profound impact on the
implementation by developing and aligning HRM practices ensuring
the company has motivated employees with necessary skills. Its
Emerging strategic role requires HR professionals in the future
develop business, professional-technical, change management and
integration competencies: requires more than simply developing a
valid selection procedure or Performance management system
(PMS).
The analysis and design of work is an important component to
develop/maintain competitive advantage as strategy
implementation’s virtually impossible w/out attention to work-flow,
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 job analysis and design. Understanding of the work-flow process and
existing jobs, managers can redesign to ensure work unit is able to
achieve its goals while individuals within it benefit on the various
work outcome dimensions as motivation, satisfaction, safety, health
and achievement; key to competitive advantage.
Immigration issues showed how changes in labor and product
markets create struggle to find/retain the most talented/motivated
workers at lowest cost. Early anticipation of labor surplus allows firm
to use less disruptive labor reduction strategies and of labor
shortages allows employers to use more creative and effective
recruitment techniques. All personnel selection methods should
conform to 5 critical standards (reliability, validity, utility,
generalizability, and legality) but there’s no need to use only one type
of test for any one job
Systematic approach to training includes needs assessment, design
of the learning environment, and consideration of employee
readiness for training and transfer-of-training issues. The key to
successful training is choosing a method that would best accomplish
the objectives of training.
PMS serve strategic, administrative, and developmental purposes, so
should be evaluated against the criteria of strategic congruence,
validity, reliability, acceptability, and specificity. Hence, comparative,
attribute, behavioral, results, and quality approaches have different
strengths and weaknesses. Managers should take action based on the
causes for poor performance (ability, motivation or both) and ensure
their PMS can meet legal scrutiny, especially if used to discipline or
fire poor performers.
Development methods: formal education, assessment, job experiences,
interpersonal relationships.
Relative to job experiences, a mentor can help employees better

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understand the company and gain exposure and visibility to key
persons in the organization and part of a manager's job responsibility
may be to coach employees. Regardless of development approaches,
employees should have a development plan to identify the type of
development needed, development goals, the best approach for
development and whether goals have been reached. For development
plans to be effective, the employee and the company have
responsibilities that need to be completed.
Make labor costs more competitive while hedging off employee
relations problems and inequity perceptions via open communication
because management should realign pay structure and global
workforce to support changes to strategy for competing in markets.
Pay structure decisions influence strategy execution success by
influencing costs, employee perceptions of equity and the way
different structures provide flexibility and incentives for employees to
learn and be productive. Equity theory states social comparisons are
an important influence on how employees evaluate their pay, making
external and internal comparisons. In the other hand, pay
benchmarking surveys and job evaluation are two administrative
tools widely used in managing the pay level and job structure
components of the pay structure, influence employee social
comparisons. The nature of pay structures is undergoing a
fundamental change in many organizations: move to fewer pay levels
to reduce labor costs and bureaucracy and some employers shifting
from paying employees for narrow jobs to giving them broader
responsibilities and paying them to learn the necessary skills.
Pay is an important influence on employee's standard of living and
has two important implications as it can be a powerful motivator and
its importance means employees care a great deal about the fairness
of the pay process. However, as organizations differ in business and

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 HR strategies, also effective pay strategy may differ from one to
another.
The roles required of HRM function have changed as people start
to recognize it as true source of competitive advantage, requiring a
transformation of HRM function from focusing solely on
transactional to an increasing focus in strategic activities. HRM today
play roles as an administrative expert, employee advocate, change
agent and strategic partner and the function must also deliver
transactional, traditional and transformational services and activities
to the firms, being efficient and effective.

http://www.shvoong.com/business-management/human-resources/2005925-
human-resource-management-gaining-competitive/
HR as strategic partner is gaining momentum as being one of the best
way yet in making human resources as the most important asset in
an organization.
The Importance of Making HR as Strategic Partner

"Being a strategic partner" is understood as a long-term relationship to

achieve defined objectives common to all partners.

In the context of strategic human resource management, the HR function

and activities are intended to ensure the organization's financial success.

As partners your HR people and employees in the various areas of the

organization's operations must not get in each other's way.

Partners do not hinder one another. They support each other to achieve
common objectives. This includes business objectives.

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It is said that the implementation of "HR strategic partnership is not easy."
HR people may hinder its implementation.

A strategic plan will ensure that your people will carry out their own
specific role in their assigned area of operation in partnership with other
employees.

This is part of your HR as strategic partner plan.

Why make HR as Organizational Strategic Partner...

Some of the reasons may sound familiar to you.

These include:

• To increase productivity of the labor force and thus, profitability of

the organization
• Competency and talent management
• Onset of information technology and the vast amount of knowledge
used in the course of the activities of organizations
• The changing business environment
• Effect of globalization on the business landscape

Provision of Human Resource Services

It is through effective delivery of human resource services that you can

make human resource as strategic partner.

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Use a simple approach, make effective use of technology, and either serve
most of your customers or serve a particular sector exceptionally well.

All of us are aware that customers include both internal and external
customers. Strive to serve both well.

In the case of internal customers, concentrate on employees at the

strategic and tactical levels.

Make sure HR is involved at both levels. If not, there is not much that HR
can contribute towards improving organizational performance.

But it does not mean we ignore employees at the operational level. Serve
well those involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization that
are closest to where the money is. These are the employees whose
activities generate revenue for your organization.

It is necessary that you identify these positions and the employees holding
those positions.

Translating Business Strategy Into Action

You make HR as strategic partner when and if HR spendmore time in the

organization's planning, design and development. Your organization does
this in order to achieve its mission and objectives.

HR must become part of the business team, involved in planning at the

highest level.

Changes in HR management are inevitable. HR Managers and HR

professionals are in the strategic position in providing the leadership in
change management.
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Enhance the position of HR as strategic partner by ensuring that
teamwork exists in your organization.

The Human Resource Manager is the key person in ensuring that people
play a strategic role in the organization.

In activities carried out by the HR department, working in cooperation

with each other and every member of the workforce is essential. This can
help your organization to succeed in achieving its plans.

Making HR as Strategic Partner

• Make effective use of your Human Resource Information System

(HRIS) to handle daily administrative HR tasks. Employees can
make use of the self-service facility online. This saves time and
reduces costs.
• Fully involve your human resource in HR system development that
is supportive of business strategy development and
implementation. This promotes ownership.
• Appoint an HR Head who understands well the strategic
partnership relationship between organizational strategy and
human resource.

It is said that someone who is an expert in every aspect of the HR

function will 'fit the bill'. But, you may not easily find someone of
this caliber. You may have to identify someone from within your
organization and groom him or her for this important role.

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 • In a knowledge economy, HR has an opportunity to become a
strategic partner. Knowledge and information are required to
formulate, implement and review strategies. Decide to become a
knowledge organization.

The Human Resource Function and Your Strategic Business Plan

It was shown in a survey that there is a correlation between being strategic

business partner and the effectiveness of the HR function.

You require strategic HR management to ensure that your HR function

can fully support the achievement of business objectives.

The administrative reactive approach in people management can no longer

support your organization in an increasingly competitive business
environment.

What about Decentralizing your HR Function?

Never allow full decentralization.

Line managers and supervisors resent it and will put the blame on HR
when problems arise.

And if you do so, it interferes with the effective use of line managers' and
supervisors' time in the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Give line managers and supervisors HR accountability, not responsibility.

And give them undivided support in order to make them more proficient
in managing their subordinates in the performance of daily tasks.

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Strategy Development and Implementation

Full participation of HR people in strategy development and

implementation promotes HR as strategic partner.

Ensure that your HR Manager and HR professionals:

• contribute to business decisions

• develop business acumen to understand how a profitable business
is run
• are customer-oriented
• learn how to link HR practices to your organizational business
strategy

What are Required of HR as Strategic Partner

These are among the important ones.

• Recruiting the right employees. Align corporate values to your

recruitment strategy.
• Well-developed competencies of the workforce, and their relevance
to organizational core business.
• Participative culture where HR initiatives fully support the overall
strategic plan.
• Effective use of information technology.
• Effective leadership through appointment of the right HR Head.
• Identification of human resource practices that make HR as
strategic partner, namely, serving the business needs of your
organization. Discard ineffective HR practices that do not
contribute to the success of your organization.
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Continuous Improvement

HR management requires continuous improvement to ensure it retains its

relevance as strategic partner.

Capable and committed people are needed at every level in order for this
to happen.

Senior management support is crucial to ensure that human resource

becomes your organization's strategic partner.

It is said that nothing changes except change itself. Change is inevitable for
the continued success of your organization. Manage them well to avoid or
minimize disruption in your organization's activities.

Other Pre-Conditions

The effectiveness of your people as HR as strategic partner is also

dependent upon your existing corporate policies and practices, structures,
the types of activities you carry out, the location, effective communication,
and the business environment.

Review every aspect of HR in the process of implementing the necessary

changes and reorganization.

Having the right leadership is crucial to success. Provide the necessary

leadership and support to your employees at every level.

Motivate them and engage their full attention with the view to ensure HR
truly becomes strategic partner.

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And always remember, effective and on-going communication is crucial to
ensure that everything is understood by every employee at every level. And
that things keep moving in the right direction according to plan.

Q. 2 (a) What is meant by job analysis? Explain how you would conduct a job
analysis? And how can you make use of the information it provides? (10)

A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties,
responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a
particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together a job
description, which is the frequent outcome of the job analysis. Additional
outcomes include recruiting plans, position postings and advertisements,
and performance development planning within your performance
management system.

The job analysis may include these activities:

• reviewing the job responsibilities of current employees,

• doing Internet research and viewing sample job descriptions online
or offline highlighting similar jobs,
• analyzing the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that need to be
accomplished by the employee filling the position,
• researching and sharing with other companies that have similar
jobs, and

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 • articulation of the most important outcomes or contributions
needed from the position.

Purpose of Job Analysis

The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the 'job

relatedness' of employment procedures such as training, selection,
compensation, and performance appraisal.

Determining Training Needs

Job Analysis can be used in training/"needs assessment" to identify or
develop:

• training content
• assessment tests to measure effectiveness of training
• equipment to be used in delivering the training
• methods of training (i.e., small group, computer-based, video,
classroom...)

Compensation
Job Analysis can be used in compensation to identify or determine:

• skill levels
• compensable job factors
• work environment (e.g., hazards; attention; physical effort)
• responsibilities (e.g., fiscal; supervisory)
• required level of education (indirectly related to salary level)

Selection Procedures
Job Analysis can be used in selection procedures to identify or develop:

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 • job duties that should be included in advertisements of vacant
positions;
• appropriate salary level for the position to help determine what
salary should be offered to a candidate;
• minimum requirements (education and/or experience) for screening
applicants;
• interview questions;
• selection tests/instruments (e.g., written tests; oral tests; job
simulations);
• applicant appraisal/evaluation forms;
• orientation materials for applicants/new hires

Performance Review
Job Analysis can be used in performance review to identify or develop:

• goals and objectives

• performance standards
• evaluation criteria
• length of probationary periods
• duties to be evaluated

Methods of Job Analysis

Several methods exist that may be used individually or in combination.

These include:

• review of job classification systems

• incumbent interviews
• supervisor interviews
• expert panels
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 • structured questionnaires
• task inventories
• check lists
• open-ended questionnaires
• observation
• incumbent work logs

A typical method of Job Analysis would be to give the incumbent a simple

questionnaire to identify job duties, responsibilities, equipment used, work
relationships, and work environment. The completed questionnaire would
then be used to assist the Job Analyst who would then conduct an
interview of the incumbent(s). A draft of the identified job duties,
responsibilities, equipment, relationships, and work environment would be
reviewed with the supervisor for accuracy. The Job Analyst would then
prepare a job description and/or job specifications.

The method that you may use in Job Analysis will depend on practical
concerns such as type of job, number of jobs, number of incumbents, and
location of jobs.

What Aspects of a Job Are Analyzed?

Job Analysis should collect information on the following areas:

• Duties and Tasks The basic unit of a job is the performance of

specific tasks and duties. Information to be collected about these
items may include: frequency, duration, effort, skill, complexity,
equipment, standards, etc.
• Environment This may have a significant impact on the physical
requirements to be able to perform a job. The work environment
may include unpleasant conditions such as offensive odors and

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 temperature extremes. There may also be definite risks to the
incumbent such as noxious fumes, radioactive substances, hostile
and aggressive people, and dangerous explosives.
• Tools and Equipment Some duties and tasks are performed using
specific equipment and tools. Equipment may include protective
clothing. These items need to be specified in a Job Analysis.
• Relationships Supervision given and received. Relationships with
internal or external people.
• Requirements The knowledges, skills, and abilities (KSA's)
required to perform the job. While an incumbent may have higher
KSA's than those required for the job, a Job Analysis typically only
states the minimum requirements to perform the job.

(b) Describe the types of information typically found in job specifications. (10)

Q. 3 Do you think job rotation is a good method to use for developing management
trainees? Why or why not? (20)
Absolutely! We use teams to share the work where I am and each
individual brings certain skills to the table. Each also gets an
opportunity to lead a project. In some other lines of work, it is good to
do job rotation to break monotony of tedious job work, and to reduce
complacency and accidents. The more you know about why your
company does what it does, the better equipped your employees are
to do the tasks at hand.

Q. 4 Describe the significance of on-the-job and off-the-job training methods in

organizations with examples. What major benefits each of these training methods
provide to employees and organization? (20)

Q. 5 If an organization is going in profits then why there is a need of performance

management. Discuss with arguments. (20)

GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT # 1

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 The student should look upon the assignments as a test of knowledge, management skills,
and communication skills. When you write an assignment answer, you are indicating
your knowledge to the teacher:
 Your level of understanding of the subject;
 How clearly you think;
 How well you can reflect on your knowledge & experience;
 How well you can use your knowledge in solving problems, explaining
situations, and describing organizations and management;
 How professional you are, and how much care and attention you give to what you do.
To answer a question effectively, address the question directly, bring important related
issues into the discussion, refer to sources, and indicate how principles from the course
materials apply. The student must also be able to identify important problems and
implications arising from the answer.

For citing references, writing bibliographies, and formatting the assignment, APA format
should be followed.

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units: 1–9)

This assignment is a research-oriented activity. You are required to obtain information

from a business/commercial organization and prepare a report of about 1000 words on
the topic allotted to you to be submitted to your teacher for evaluation.

You are required to select one of the following topics according to the last digit of your
roll number. For example, if your roll number is P-3427180 then you will select topic # 0
(the last digit): -

Topics:
1) Collective bargaining in an organization
2) Career planning
3) Performance management
4) Job evaluation
5) Labor market conditions
6) Training needs analysis
7) Designing training programs
8) Compensation strategy
9) Issues in labor management relations
10) Employee recruitment and selection process

The report should follow the following format:

1) Title page
2) Acknowledgements
3) An abstract (one page summary of the paper)
4) Table of contents
5) Introduction to the topic (brief history & significance of topic assigned)
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6) Practical study of the organization (with respect to the topic)
7) Data collection methods
8) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) relevant to the
topic assigned
9) Conclusion (one page brief covering important aspects of your report)
10) Recommendations (specific recommendations relevant to topic assigned)
11) References (as per APA format)
12) Annexes (if any)
GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT # 2:
 1.5 line spacing
 Use headers and subheads throughout all sections
 Organization of ideas
 Writing skills (spelling, grammar, punctuation)
 Professionalism (readability and general appearance)
 Do more than repeat the text
 Express a point of view and defend it.

WORKSHOPS:
The workshop presentations provide students an opportunity to express their
communication skills, knowledge & understanding of concepts learned during practical
study assigned in assignment # 2.

You should use transparencies and any other material for effective presentation. The
transparencies are not the presentation, but only a tool; the presentation is the
combination of the transparencies and your speech. Workshop presentation
transparencies should only be in typed format.

The transparencies should follow the following format:

1) Title page
2) An abstract (one page summary of the paper)
3) Introduction to the topic (brief history & significance of topic assigned)
4) Practical study of the organization (with respect to the topic)
5) Data collection methods
6) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) relevant to the
topic assigned
7) Conclusion (one page brief covering important aspects of your report)
8) Recommendations (specific recommendations relevant to topic assigned)

GUIDELINES FOR WORKSHOP PRESENTATION:

 Make eye contact and react to the audience. Don't read from the transparencies or
from report, and don't look too much at the transparencies (occasional glances are
acceptable to help in recalling the topic to cover).
 A 15-minute presentation can be practiced several times in advance, so do that until
you are confident enough. Some people also use a mirror when rehearsing as a
substitute for an audience.

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WEIGHTAGE OF THEORY & PRACTICAL ASPECTS IN ASSIGNMENT # 2 &
WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS
Assignment # 2 & workshop presentations are evaluated on the basis of theory & its
applicability. The weightage of each aspect would be:
Theory: 60%
Applicability (practical study of the organization): 40%

PREPARE ASSIGNMENTS AS PER THESE GUIDELINES AND IT MAY BE

RE-EVALUATED BY THE QUALITY ASSURANCE CELL, DEPARTMENT OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AIOU, ISLAMABAD AT ANY TIME.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Course Outlines (Code No. 5532)
COURSE COORDINATOR:
Mohammad Majid Mahmood Bagram
Assistant Professor
Department of Business Administration,
AIOU, Islamabad. Tel: 051-9057406

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers the current issues within human
resource management, and provides a complete, comprehensive review of essential
human resource management concepts and techniques. Considering the intensely
competitive nature of business today, this course focuses on both the theoretical and
practical aspects of the broad human resource functions that all managers can use to deal
with their HR-related responsibilities, while being able to defend their plans and
contributions in measurable terms.

The theoretical discipline is based primarily on the assumption that employees are
individuals with varying goals and needs, and as such should not be thought of as basic
business resources, such as trucks and filing cabinets whereas HRM is seen by
practitioners as a more innovative view of workplace management than the traditional
approach. HRM is also seen by many to have a key role in risk reduction within
organizations.

This course starts with introduction to the role of human resource management, and then
covers recruitment and placement, training and development, performance management
and appraisal, managing careers, compensation, labor relations and collective bargaining,
ethics, justice, and fair treatment in HR management and employee safety and health, and
managing global human resources.

BRIEF COURSE OUTLINES:

Unit # 1: Introduction – Human Resource Management
Unit # 2: Recruitment and placement
Unit # 3: Training and development
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Unit # 4: Performance management and appraisal
Unit # 5: Managing careers
Unit # 6: Compensation
Unit # 7: Labor relations and collective bargaining
Unit # 8: Ethics, justice, and fair treatment in HR management and employee
safety and health
Unit # 9: Managing global human resources

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DETAILED COURSE OUTLINES
UNIT–1 INTRODUCTION – HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The Strategic Role of Human Resource Management:
 Importance of HR management
 Line and staff aspects of HRM
 The new HR manager proficiencies
 Need to know your employment law
 HR certification
 HR and technology
The Strategic Human Resource Management and the HR Scorecard:
 The strategic management process
 Types of strategic plans
 Achieving strategic fit
 HR and competitive advantage
 The HR Scorecard Approach:
- Creating an HR Scorecard
- Using the HR Scorecard approach

UNIT-2 RECRUITMENT AND PLACEMENT

Job Analysis:
 The nature of job analysis
 Methods of collecting job analysis information
 Writing job descriptions
Personnel Planning and Recruiting:
 Planning and forecasting
 Know your employment law
 Internal and external sources of candidates
 Recruiting a more diverse workforce
Employee Testing and Selection:
 Basic testing concepts
 Types of tests
Interviewing Candidates:
 Types of interviews
 Designing and conducting the effective interview

UNIT-3 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Training and Developing Employees:
 Orienting employees
 The training process:
- The strategic context of training
- The five-step training and development process
- Training, learning, and motivation
 Training methods:
- On-the-job training
- Off-the-job training
 Evaluating the training effort

UNIT-4 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND APPRAISAL

 Basic Concepts in Performance Appraisal and Performance Management:

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 - Comparing Performance Appraisal and Performance
Management
- Why Performance Management?
- Defining the employee`s goals and work efforts
 An Introduction to Appraising Performance:
- Why appraise performance?
- Realistic appraisals
- Steps in appraising performance
- Graphic rating scale method
 Appraising Performance: Problems and Solutions:
- Potential rating scale appraisals problems
- How to avoid appraisal problems
 The Appraisal Interview

UNIT-5 MANAGING CAREERS

 The basics of career management:
- Careers today
- Career development
 Roles in career development
 Managing promotions and transfers:
- Making promotion decisions
- Handling transfers
 Career management and employee commitment:
- The new psychological contract
- Commitment-oriented career development efforts

UNIT-6 COMPENSATION
 Establishing Strategic Pay Plans:
- Steps in establishing pay rates
- Pricing managerial and professional jobs
- Competency-based pay
 Pay for Performance and Financial Incentives:
- Money and motivation
- Employee incentives and recognition programs
- Incentives for managers and executives
- Team/group variable pay incentive plans
- Organization-wide variable pay plans
 Benefits and Services:
- The benefits picture today
- Pay for time not worked
- Insurance benefits
- Retirement benefits
- Flexible benefits programs

UNIT-7 LABOR RELATIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

 The labor movement:
- Brief history
- Why do workers unionize?
- What do unions want?
 Unions and the law
 The collective bargaining process:
- What is collective bargaining?
- What is good faith?
- The negotiating team
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 - Bargaining items
- Bargaining stages
- Bargaining hints
- Impasses, mediation, and strikes
- The contract agreement
 Grievances:
- Sources of grievances
- The grievance procedure
- Guidelines for handling grievances
 The union movement – today and tomorrow

UNIT-8 ETHICS, JUSTICE, FAIR TREATMENT IN HR MANAGEMENT AND

EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH
 Ethics and Fair Treatment at Work:
- The meaning of ethics
- Ethics and the law
- Ethics, fair treatment, and justice
 What Shapes Ethical Behavior at Work?
- Individual factors
- Organizational factors
- The Boss`s influence
- Ethics policies and codes
- The organization`s culture
 The Role of HR Management in Fostering Ethics and Fair Treatment:
- Why treat employees fairly?
- HR ethics activities
 Safety laws
 Management commitment and safety
 How to prevent accidents?
 Work-place health hazards – problems and remedies

UNIT-9 MANAGING GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCES

 HR and the Internationalization of Business:
- The HR challenges of international business
- How inter-country differences affect HRM?
 Global differences and similarities in HR practices:
- Personnel selection procedures
- The purpose of the performance appraisal
- Training and development practices
 Staffing the global organization:
- International staffing: home or local?
- Off-shoring
- Values and international staffing policy

RECOMMENDED BOOKS (LATEST EDITIONS)

 Human Resource Management by Gary Dessler; Pearson/Prentice-Hall
Pub. ISBN: 0-13-144097-7.
 Legge, Karen. Human Resource Management: Rhetoric and Realities,
Anniversary Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-403-93600-5.
 A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, Armstrong,
Michael, London: Kogan Page. ISBN 0-7494-4631-5.
 Managing Human Resources by Wayne F. Cascio (International Edition).
 Organizational Success through Effective Human Resources Management by
Ronald R. Sims, Publisher: QUORUM BOOKS, Westport, London
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