Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
AR50124 Managing human resources |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Modular: no specific semester |
| Assessment: CW 50%, EX 50% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims:
* To develop knowledge of human factors; * To develop skills in dealing with human resources; * To identify how we do business with people who sem to be different from ourselves; * To propose ways in which we can deal more effectively and profitably with people of different cultures. Learning Outcomes: After completing this unit students should be able: * To understand and appreciate human factors and the practices and techniques of managing people; * To deal effectively with human resources issues in their own organisations; * To have a comprehensive understanding of the influences on construction management of national and ethnic cultures. Skills: Intellectual skills * To understand and analyse taught materials - taught; * To problem solve throughout the study material with exercises and SAQs - facilitated. Professional/Practial skills * Understand and apply a range of human resources management principles and techniques; * Work with and deal more effectively and profitably with people of different cultures. Transferable/Key skills * To synthesis and critically review material taught - facilitated and assessed; * To communicate ideas, analyses in writing - facilitated and assessed. Content: Human resources planning * Integration of corporate planning with recruitment, training, management development, payment, industrial relations. Personnel management * Fragmented, decentralised nature of construction ind, growing need for personnel function. * Selecting and recruiting. Salary structures * Salary levels, performance-related pay. * Equity, job analysis. organisational objectives. Appraisal skills * Staff appraisal, assessment, performance. * Appraisal methods. Negotiation skills * Most favoured position, recall point, bargaining. Interviewing for selection * Job descriptions, qualifications, experience, prejudice. Issues for the future * The External Environment's Effect on HRM, industrial relations in construction, women in construction. Cultural issues * Why the interest in culture? * Rational organisations to work around, globalisation, the learning organisation, conflict and culture and explanation. * What causes culture, what does culture cause. Classic studies: Durkheim, Weber. Contemporary: Kanungo confrontation. Ethics and culture * Culture as a state of mind, as evolutionary process, as descriptive of concrete 'sediments', as a whole way of life. Culture diversity in construction * Influence of culture on the internationalisation of construction. |