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School of Management, Unit Catalogue 2011/12


MN50342: Managing your people

Click here for further information Credits: 6
Click here for further information Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Click here for further information Period: Modular (no specific semester)
Semester 1
Click here for further information Assessment: CW 100%
Click here for further information Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take MN50340 or take MN50339
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
To provide a wide analysis of the role of HRM (or people management) in organisations especially the link with performance, flexibility and social legitimacy, paying due attention to environmental contexts of sector, technology, legislation, social institutions and cultures. To assess key policies and practices related to the betterment of individual employees.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this unit, the student should be able to:
* assess the contribution of SHRM in theory and practice to desirable organisational outcomes;
* understand how HRM can be linked to, and contribute to business strategy;
* differentiate between the needs of different occupational groups;
* build a model of employment utilising HR architecture;
* appreciate critical choices in the management of individuals to maximise their effectiveness and know what factors to include in policy design;
* integrate performance and HR metrics as a diagnostic tool;
* choose appropriate management styles in union and non-union firms;
* through the assignment provide a critical diagnosis of HRM in their own organisation and provide options or recommendations for improvement.

Skills:
Intellectual Skills (T/A)
* a systematic understanding of organisations, the internal and external context in which they operate and how they can be effectively managed;
* a critical awareness of current issues and frameworks in management;
* the ability to acquire and analyse data, information and situations; to evaluate relevance and validity, and to synthesise it in the context of topical business problems;
* a conceptual understanding of theoretical concepts and frameworks that enables the student to meaningfully link theory and practice and the ability to critically appraise both theory and practice.
Professional Practical Skills (F)
* operate effectively both independently as well as within teams and assume leadership roles where appropriate;
* be self-directed and able to act autonomously in planning and implementing projects at professional levels.
Transferable/Key Skills (F/A)
* an openness and capacity to continue learning with the ability to reflect on earlier knowledge and practice and integrate the new with past experience and effectively apply it to the present situations;
* ability to conduct in-depth research into management and business issues.
Personal/Interpersonal F/A)
* an ability to manage and work in teams with an awareness of issues such as culture, gender, working styles etc. and to use these to the benefit of the individual and the team;
* the facility to communicate including presenting and marketing themselves and their ideas; preparation and production of effective business plans and reports.

Content:
The unit begins with a focus on strategic issues in HRM such as
i) management style as an area of strategic choice;
ii) is there a universal best practice model of SHRM and if so why do so few organisations use it;
iii) how can SHRM be "fitted" to business strategy nationally and internationally;
iv) how are high performance work places created and in what circumstances;
v) how do organisations choose to internalise &/or externalise their employment regimes;
vi) how HRM contributes to a critical understanding of firm resources and capabilities for sustained competitive advantage;
vii) challenges and opportunities in the management of knowledge and knowledge workers;
viii) choices in dealing with trade unions, responding to new laws on information and consultation and building effective involvement;
ix) developing a balanced scorecard and utilising HRM and performance metrics.
The unit looks then in detail at critical issues related to the management of individuals
x) external and internal staffing;
xi) performance management;
xii) reward systems;
xiii) the psychological contract.
The content includes case studies, videos and an interactive exercise undertaken in groups. The coontent may change to take account of recent developments and for timetabling reasons.
Click here for further informationProgramme availability:

MN50342 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management
NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.