This course provides an overview of the principles, theories and practices of human resource management (HRM) and the linkage between HRM and business strategy.  Specific topics include the strategic role of HRM, recruitment and selection, learning and career development, employee motivation and reward management, performance appraisal, diversity management, workplace health and safety, and employment relations.  Please note that the material is designed with an Australian focus and it will not cover International HRM issues and concepts except as they manifest in domestic HR management.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Identify the major concepts, principles and issues related to Human Resource strategy and practice in Australia from the perspective of both organisational needs and the employee lifecycle;
2. Identify relevant theories and techniques applicable to Human Resource Management from organisational, supervisory and employee perspectives;
3. Apply academic research to people management issues in organisations to generate solutions;
4. Analyse Human Resource Management problems to identify salient facts, major stakeholders and key issues;
5. Apply academic research to people management issues in organisations to generate solutions;
6. Determine how their prospective engagement as employee, supervisor or manager could be more personally satisfying (cognitively, affectively, and behaviourally); and
7. Critically reflect upon their current knowledge, skills and experience as prospective employees and potential supervisors/managers.

Research-Led Teaching

This course provides an overview of the principles, theories and practices of human resource management (HRM) and the linkage between HRM and business strategy. Specific topics include the strategic role of HRM, organisational structure, recruitment and selection, job design and employee motivation, performance management, diversity management, workplace well-being, and managing organisational change. As such, this course provides a framework for understanding HRM that is further developed in subsequent subjects in the degree. The changing nature of the HRM function and its impact on HR professionals will also be considered. Each seminar session will include a mixture of lectures, group exercises, and/or case analysis. These include critical thinking and analysis, teamwork, effective communication skills, problem-solving, initiative and enterprise, planning and organising, and a capacity to engage in life-long learning. 

The Learning Outcomes for this course are summarised as:

1. Identify the major concepts, principles and issues related to Human Resource strategy and practice in Australia from the perspective of both organisational needs and the employee lifecycle;
2. Identify relevant theories and techniques applicable to Human Resource Management from organisational, supervisory and employee perspectives;
3. Apply academic research to people management issues in organisations to generate solutions;
4. Analyse Human Resource Management problems to identify salient facts, major stakeholders and key issues;
5. Apply academic research to people management issues in organisations to generate solutions;
6. Determine how their prospective engagement as employee, supervisor or manager could be more personally satisfying (cognitively, affectively, and behaviourally); and
7. Critically reflect upon their current knowledge, skills and experience as prospective employees and potential supervisors/managers.

Field Trips

Not applicable

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional costs for this course.

Examination Material or equipment

There is a final examination for this course held at the end of the semester examination period. All examination information will be communicated directly to students by the ANU Examinations Office. Further advice will be provided by the end of Week 9.

Required Resources

Stone, R., Cox, A., and Gavin, M. Human Resource Management, 10th Edition, 2021, Wiley

The textbook is available as a hard copy from the bookshop or as an e-book from the publisher - hard copies are also available from the Library on two-hour and two-day reserve and an e-copy will be available too.

Any further readings will be made available via the course Wattle site as necessary.

Recommended Resources

Academy of Management Journal

Academy of Management Review

Administrative Science Quarterly

Harvard Business Review

Human Resource Management

Journal of Applied Psychology

Journal of Management

Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology

Journal of Organizational Behaviour

Journal of Vocational Behaviour

Management and Organisation Review

Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes

Organization Science

Personnel Psychology

Note: most of these journals are available in full text through the ANU Library on-line site:

http://anulib.anu.edu.au/search/e-resources/index.html

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

The course will be taught with in- person lectures (pre-recorded if public holidays fall on lectures days). In addition, tutorials will be carried out in-class and in-person.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture 1 - Course Introduction, Overview of Human Resource Management and Strategy Week commencing 19 February 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapter 1 and articles on Wattle
2	Lecture 2 - Organisational Structure and Human Resource PlanningWeek commencing 26 February 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapter 2 and articles on WattleAssignment Due: In-class quiz 1, Thursday, 29 February @ 6:00 PM
3	Lecture 3 - Job Design and Motivation Week commencing 4 March 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapter 5 and articles on WattleAssignment Due: Multiple-choice quiz 1, Friday, 8 March @ 6:00 PM
4	Lecture 4 - Recruitment Week commencing 11 March 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapters 6 and articles on Wattle. Assignment Due: In-class quiz 2, Thursday, 14 March @ 6:00 PM
5	Lecture 5 - SelectionWeek commencing 18 March 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapters 7 and articles on Wattle.Assignment Due: Short Essay 1, Friday, 22 March @ 6:00 PM
6	Lecture 6 - Performance management Week commencing 25 March 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapters 8 and articles on Wattle Assignment Due: In-class quiz 3, Thursday, 28 March @ 6:00 PMTeaching Break: 1 April 2023 - 14 April 2024
7	Lecture 7 - Managing Diversity Week commencing 15 April 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapter 14 and articles on Wattle.Assignment Due: Major Essay, Friday, 19 April @ 6:00 PMAssignment Due: In-class quiz 4, Thursday, 18 April @ 6:00 PM
8	Lecture 8 - Training and Development Week commencing 22 April 2024ANZAC day Public Holiday, pre-recording lecture	Required reading: Textbook Chapters 9 & 10 and articles on WattleAssignment Due: Multiple-choice quiz 2, Friday, 26 April @ 6:00 PM
9	Lecture 9 - Managing change Week commencing 29 April 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapter 13 and articles on WattleAssignment Due: In-class quiz 5, Thursday, 02 May @ 6:00 PM
10	Lecture 10 - Managing Workplace Well-being Week commencing 06 May 2024	Required reading: Textbook Chapters 12, and articles on Wattle.Assignment Due: Short Essay 2, Friday, 10 May @ 6:00 PM
11	Lecture 11 - HRM and Strategy: Now and the FutureWeek commencing 13 May 2024	Required reading: Various articles on WattleAssignment Due: In-class quiz 6, Thursday, 16 May @ 6:00 PM
12	Lecture 12 - Final Exam ReviewWeek commencing 20 May 2024

Tutorial Registration

Tutorial options will be available for self-enrolment on Wattle at the commencement of Week 1. Please note that all students MUST enrol in a tutorial class to have their assessment tasks marked. See: https://mytimetable.anu.edu.au/odd/admin/adminLoginExe.do

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
6 In-class Quizzes (6 x 2%)	12 %	*	*	1,2,3,6,7
2 Multiple-choice Quizzes (2 x 4%)	8 %	*	*	1,2,3
2 Short Essay (2 x 10%)	20 %	*	*	1,2,3,5,6,7
HR Analysis Report (30%)	30 %	19/04/2024	03/05/2024	1,2,3,4,5,6
Final Exam (30%)	30 %	*	27/06/2024	1,2,3,4,5,6

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Lectures will be presented in person and also recorded and made available on Echo360 and Wattle; and tutorials will be carried out face-to face. It is expected that active tutorial participation will enhance the students' learning and assist in preparation for individual assessment tasks. In that public holidays fall on Lecture days, a pre-recorded lecture will be loaded to Echo360 in lieu of a live lecture.

Attendance at seminars, lectures, and tutorials, while not compulsory, is expected in line with "Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning," Clause 2 paragraph (b). Where students will not be able to attend a seminar, lecture and tutorial, they should advise the Convenor and discuss how to otherwise address the learning materials.

Examination(s)

There is a final examination for this course held at the end of the semester examination period. The ANU Examinations Office will make more information available in due course.

Assessment Task 1

6 In-class Quizzes (6 x 2%)

Total Value: 12 %

Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7

Assessment type: 02 individual-based quizzes and 04 team-based quizzes.

Due dates: In-class quizzes on lecture days.

Details: Students are required to undertake six (6) in-class questions offered in Weeks 2,4,6,7,9,11 of the course. These will be assigned as part of the Lectures and content from the Lectures and group discussions. Therefore, attendance and participation are highly recommended. More information about assessment tasks, including marking criteria, will be provided on the Wattle course site.

Return of assessment with feedback: Within two weeks of submission.

Experiment Participation option: A student may replace ONE in-class Quiz with TWO hours (2 credits) of SONA experiment Participation; maximum TWO in-class Questions. In this case, the student will receive full marks for the replaced in-class question. Note, however, that the SONA experiment participation must be concluded by the end of Week 12. SONA participation gives students opportunities to better understand an application of decision-making driven by experimentation and can be assessed through Learning outcomes 6, 7.

Late submission and extensions are not permitted for this assessment task.

Assessment Task 2

2 Multiple-choice Quizzes (2 x 4%)

Total Value: 8 %

Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, and 3

Assessment type: Individual

Due dates:

Multiple-choice Quiz 1: Due by 6:00 PM Friday, 8 March, Week 3.

Multiple-choice Quiz 2: Due by 6:00 PM Friday, 26 April, Week 8.

Details: Each multiple-choice quiz will assess the student's knowledge of the Course material covered in the textbook/lecture notes and reading materials. Ten questions worth 2% of the Course total will be administered via Wattle (i.e., online), and results will be provided to students 01 week after the quiz closes. One attempt only will be permitted, and the assessment will be time-limited to thirty (30) minutes. The quiz window on Wattle will open at 6 PM on Thursday and close by 6:00 PM Friday Week 3 and 8.

More information about assessment tasks will be provided on the Wattle course site.

Marking criteria: Correct answers to multiple-choice questions.

Return of assessment: 1 week after the quiz closes.

Late submission and extensions are not permitted for this assessment task.

Assessment Task 3

2 Short Essay (2 x 10%)

Total Value: 20 %

Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

Assessment type: Individual

Suggested length: 500 words (±10%) Any portion above the word limit will not be read or marked.

Due dates:

Short Essay 1: Topic/question will be released after the Lecture on Week 3. Due by 6:00 PM Friday 22 March, Week 5.

Short Essay 2: Topic/question will be released after the Lecture on Week 8. Due by 6:00 PM Friday 10 May, Week 10.

Details: Students are required to write a short essay. Topic/questions will be released after the Lecture Week 3 and 8. Students will have 15 days to do the assessment and submit it via Wattle through Turnitin. Students will be provided with concise written feedback. More information about assessment tasks will be provided on the Wattle course site.

Marking criteria: Details on marking criteria, including the rubric, will be available on Wattle.

Feedback by: within two weeks of the submission.

Late submissions without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% per working day.

Assessment Task 4

HR Analysis Report (30%)

Total Value: 25 % of team reports and 5% of individual contribution to team reports (peer-evaluation).

Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Assessment type: Team

Word limit: 2,500 words (+/- 10% allowed, single-spaced; references, tables, figures, and other appendices not counted). 

Detail: Teams of 3-4 students will self-select in Week 2 of the semester. Each team should choose a company where they currently work or have previously worked (if you have no work experience, then you should identify someone to interview about their work experiences at a particular company).

In this report, analyze the business strategies, HR strategies and practices of the chosen company. A preliminary section (about 1/2 page) should briefly describe the competitive business strategies of the organization. The remainder of the paper should describe human resource strategies and practices focusing on strategic alignment between business strategy, HR strategy, and HR practices. Analyze the roles of the various human resource strategies and practices in attaining the business goals and operating the competitive business strategies. Brief examples and practices of staffing, performance management, training, compensation, and other HR procedures should be included in your analyses.

AI USE: The use of AI, such as ChatGPT, to generate an essay or report is not allowed as it is akin to plagiarism. Students are required to demonstrate achievement of critical, analytical and synthesis skills in high-quality works.

Submission: submit the assignment online via Wattle through Turnitin.

Due date: 6 PM on Friday, 19 April 2024 of Week 7.

Marking criteria: The marking criteria will be provided on Wattle. 

Feedback by: Friday, 3 May 2024.

Late submission without an extension is penalised at the rate of 5% per working day.

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam (30%)

Total value: 30%

Assessment type: Individual

Learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Details: A final examination comprising a choice of short answer questions (from a selection) and several essay questions (from a selection) will be conducted during the formal final examination period. The examination will be designed to assess the student's understanding of the Course material and lectures. More details about the final exam will be reviewed in Week 12.

This is an on-campus invigilated examination. Students are responsible for ascertaining and confirming arrangements for the exam.

Detailed information about the Final Exam for this course will be provided in class and on Wattle by Week 9. 

Time limit: 10 minutes of reading time + 120 minutes of writing time

Late submission of this assessment task is not permitted.

Due date: It will be conducted during the end of the semester examination period on a date and time that are to be announced.

Return of assessment: with the release of final grade on 27 June 2024.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Association Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.Late submission is not accepted for on-line examinations and multiple choice quizzes.

All requests for extensions to assessment in RSM courses must be submitted through the CBE extension request portal: CBE Assessment Extension Request Form. Further information on this process can be found at https://rsm.anu.edu.au/study/students/extension-application-procedure

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Multiple Choice Quiz results will be returned after one week.

Any other assessment items will be returned generally, with feedback and/or comments, after a fortnight.

No feedback on the final exam is provided.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Unless specified otherwise in the assignment requirements, resubmission is permitted up until the due date and time, but not allowed afterwards.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students