BM212 - Strategic Human Resource Management

Credit Points: 15 credit points

Workload: 36 hours

Prerequisite: BB103 Management Principles, BB212 Human Resource Development

Co-requisite: N/A

Aims & Objectives

This is a second-year Core Unit in the Bachelor of Business, major in Management, and offered as an Elective Unit in the Bachelor of Business Accounting, and Bachelor of Business Marketing / Digital Marketing. For Course Learning Outcomes and further information relating to Bachelor of Business programs please visit our website:  http://www.mit.edu.au/study-with-us/programs/bachelor-business.

This unit examines the central elements of a strategic approach to HRM that attempts to manage the workforce to effectively deal with the complexities of modern organisational environments. The focus of this unit is on the challenges faced by organisations in terms of human resource planning, work design, recruitment and selection, retention, performance management, reward and career development. The lectures and tutorials emphasise the importance of theory and its real world application to organisational contexts through the use of case studies. Students will be encouraged to develop their analytical skills through an appreciation and understanding of the systems and processes of HRM and how they contribute to organisational success.
Unit topics include:

  • Evolution of strategic human resource management 
  • The context of strategic human resource management 
  • Industrial relations: frameworks and practice 
  • Human resource planning in a changing environment 
  • Work design challenges in a global environment 
  • Talent attraction and selection 
  • Talent retention and development 
  • Management of performance
  • Strategic reward management 
  • Managing work health and safety
  • Workplace negotiation processes

Learning Outcomes

The Course learning outcomes applicable to this unit are listed on the Melbourne Institute of Technology’s website: www.mit.edu.au
At the completion of this unit students should be able to:
a. Describe the emergence of the Human resources management (HRM) function and the strategic approach to HRM. 
b. Apply theories, concepts and frameworks drawn from the HR literature to compare contemporary practices in employee attraction, retention, job analysis and design, health and safety, employee performance management.
c. Analyse the HRD needs of the organisation and recommend specific interventions to meet needs. 
d. Design and deliver a training session.
e. Work effectively with teams from diverse backgrounds and display effective leadership behaviours.

Assessment

Assessment Task Due Date A B Unit Learning Outcomes
1. Contribution and Participation [Individual]  Week 1-12 - 5% a-e
2. Formative Assessment [Individual] Week 3 - 5% a
3. Research Report [Individual] Week 5 15% - a-d
4. Group Report [Group] Week 8 15% - a-e
5. Group Report Presentation [Group] Week 8 10% - a-e
6. Case Study Analysis [Individual]  TBA - 50% a-e
TOTALS    40% 60% 100%

Task Type: Type A: unsupervised, Type B: supervised.

Contribution and Participation (5%)

This unit has class participation as an assessment. The assessment task and marking rubric will follow the Guidelines on Assessing Class Participation (https://www.mit.edu.au/about-us/governance/institute-rules-policies-and-plans/policies-procedures-and-guidelines/Guidelines_on_Assessing_Class_Participation). Further details will be provided in the assessment specification on the type of assessment tasks and the marking rubrics.

Teaching Methods  

NOTE: All School of Business units 3-hour workshops Flipped Classroom Mode.

Textbook and Reference Materials

Note: Students are required to purchase the prescribed text book and have it available each week in class.

Prescribed Text Book

  • Nankervis, A., Baird, M., Coffey, J., & Shields, J. (2019). Human Resource Management: Strategy and Practice, 10th ed., Cengage Learning Australia.

 Other recommended references

  • Jiang, K., & Messersmith, J. (2018). On the shoulders of giants: A meta-review of strategic human resource management. The International Journal of Human. Resource Management, 29(1), 6-33.
  • Stone, R. J. (2010). Human Resource Management, 7th ed, Wiley & Sons, Milton: QLD. 
  • Kramar, R., Bartram, T. De Cieri, H. & Noe, R. (2013). Human Resource Management in Australia.  Strategy People Performance. 5th ed. Mc-Graw-Hill: Sydney. 
  • Tovey, M. D., Uren, M., & Sheldon, N. E. (2010). Managing Performance Improvement, 3rd ed, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest. 

Journals

  • Academy of Management Journal. 
  • Journal of Management Research. 
  • Academy of Management Review. 
  • Industrial and Labour Relations Review. 
  • Human Resource Management Journal.
  • Human Resource Development International.

The Referencing style for this unit is APA: See the MIT Library Referencing webpage: https://library.mit.edu.au/referencing/APA and the Unit Moodle page for additional referencing support material and weblinks.

Graduate Attributes

MIT is committed to ensure the course is current, practical and relevant so that graduates are “work ready” and equipped for life-long learning. In order to accomplish this, the MIT Graduate Attributes identify the required knowledge, skills and attributes that prepare students for the industry.
The level to which Graduate Attributes covered in this unit are as follows:

Ability to communicate Independent and Lifelong Learning Ethics Analytical and Problem Solving Cultural and Global Awareness Team work Specialist knowledge of a field of study

Legend

Levels of attainment Extent covered
The attribute is covered by theory and practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students always play an active role, e.g. workshops, lab submissions, assignments, demonstrations, tests, examinations.
The attribute is covered by theory or practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students mostly play an active role, e.g. discussions, reading, intepreting documents, tests, examinations.
The attribute is discussed in theory or practice; it is addressed by assessed activities in which the students may play an active role, e.g. lectures and discussions, reading, interpretation, workshops, presentations.
The attribute is presented as a side issue in theory or practice; it is not specifically assessed, but it is addressed by activities such as lectures or tutorials.
The attribute is not considered, there is no theory or practice or activities associated with this attribute.