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MN50694: Managing people - strategy and practice

[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2020/1
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Modular (no specific semester)
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
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;
* 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;
* understand the impact of technology on HRM
* provide a critical diagnosis of HRM in their own organisation and provide options or recommendations for improvement

Skills:
Intellectual Skills
* 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
* 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
* 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

* 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:
1. management style as an area of strategic choice;
2. how can SHRM be "fitted" to business strategy nationally and internationally;
3. how are high performance work places created and in what circumstances;
4. how do organisations choose to internalise &/or externalise their employment regimes;
5. how HRM contributes to a critical understanding of firm resources and capabilities for sustained competitive advantage;
6. challenges and opportunities in the management of knowledge and knowledge workers;
7. the impact of technology on HRM
The unit looks then in detail at critical issues related to the management of individuals
8. external and internal staffing;
9. performance management;
10. reward systems;
11. training and development
The content includes case studies, videos and an interactive exercise undertaken in groups. The content may change to take account of recent developments and for timetabling reasons.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN50694 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2020/21 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2021/22 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2020/21.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.