Course Guides System - HE Part B:

Course Detail
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period

Viet 1 2015

RMIT Course Code

BUSM3310

RMIT Course Id

036809

RMIT Course Title

Human Resource Management

School

630H Management

Career

Undergraduate

Campus

RMIT University Vietnam

Learning Mode

Face-to-Face

Primary Learning Mode

This course will be comprised of a combined lecture/tutorial of one and a half hours held twice weekly.

Credit Points

12

Teacher Guided Hours

36 per semester

Learner Directed Hours

108 per semester

Course Coordinator

Dr Michael Muchiri

Course Coordinator Phone

+61 3 9925 5935

Course Coordinator Email

michael.muchiri@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location

building 80, level 8

Course Coordinator Availability

Appointment by email

Offering Coordinator

Dr Matthew McDonald

Offering Coordinator Phone

+84 8 3776 2168

Offering Coordinator Email

matthew.mcdonald@rmit.edu.vn

Offering Coordinator Location

Saigon South Campus (Room 2.2.20)

Offering Coordinator Availability

Appointment by email

Additional Staff Contact Details

Several lecturers will be teaching this course. For an appointment please email your lecturer as per the
email addresses below:
Matthew McDonald (Saigon) email: matthew.mcdonald@rmit.edu.vn
Huynh Trung Dung (Saigon) email: dung.huynh@rmit.edu.vn

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

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None

Course Description
This course is designed to provide an overview of the choices and implementation of Human Resource
Management (HRM) in organisations and its contribution to the management of the organisation. The
course will introduce you to the various HR functions and activities and will enable you to gain an
understanding of the roles, particularly the strategic role, which HRM plays in organisations.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Capability outcomes are linked to the course Learning Outcomes listed here.
After completing this course you should be able to:
1. Identify the way HR systems and processes are linked to leadership strategies and objectives in
organisations
2. Explain the responsibilities of HR professionals and of line managers/supervisors respectively for
effective human resource management
3. Identify key organisational approaches to improving HR outcomes for both the organisation and its
employees.

Overview of Learning Activities

This course involves two weekly 90 minute sessions, comprising a combined lecture / tutorial session.
You are expected to come to lectures having read any material assigned for that week and prepared to
participate in discussion and class activities/exercises. Where appropriate, audio-visual material, guest
speakers, and case studies will be incorporated. The class sessions will not be a review of the textbook,
but will explore particular aspects of the topic under consideration. However, the textbook will be an
important reference to enable you to expand upon and to fully understand the material presented in
class. Assignments offer you the opportunity to expand your knowledge based on critical self-directed
reading, to engage in reflection which is a key learning method, and to consider the application of
concepts and practices discussed in this course to workplaces and organisations.
Learning is an active process. This means that you cannot expect to learn and to pass this course
without undertaking reading and study outside class.

Teaching Schedule
Week 1 Introducing Human Resource Management (HRM) and HRM Theories
Week 2 Strategic HRM
Week 3 Organisational Culture & HRM
Week 4 Human Resource Planning in a Changing Environment
Week 5 Work Design Challenges
Week 6 Talent Attraction and Selection
Week 7 No Classes (Independent Learning Week Case Study Exercise)
Week 8 Talent Retention and Development
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Week 9 Management of Performance

Week 10 Strategic Reward Management
Week 11 Industrial Relations
Week 12 Managing Workplace Health & Safety and Course Revision
Week 13 International HRM and Course Revision

Overview of Learning Resources

You will need to consult a variety of materials for this course, many of which will be available through
Blackboard and the Library.

Learning Resources
Prescribed Text
Nankervis, A., Compton, R., Baird, M. & Coffey, J. 2011. Human resource management: strategy and
practice 7th ed. Melbourne: Cengage.

Other Resources
Additional Sources for Students
Books
Bratton, J & Gold, J 2012, Human resource management: theory and practice, 5 ed, Palgrave
Macmillan, Basingstoke, UK. (this is available from the book repository)
Boxall, P & Purcell, J 2008, Strategic human resource management, 2nd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, New
York.
Kramar, R, Bartram, T, De Cieri, H, Noe, RA, Hollenbeck, JR, Gerhart, B & Wright, PM 2014, Human
resource management: strategy, people, performance, 5th edn, McGraw-Hill, Sydney.
Phillips, JM & Gully, SM 2014, Human resource management, (Student edn), South-Western, Mason,
Ohio.
Storey, J 2007, Human resource management: a critical text, 3rd edn, Thompson Learning, London,
UK.
Phillips, JM and Gully, SM 2014, Human resource management, Cengage, Mason, Ohio.
Book Chapters
The chapters in Boxalls edited book below provides an excellent overview of each of the topics covered
in class. Each of these chapters is available on Blackboard.
Boxall P Purcell J & Wright P (eds) 2008. Oxford handbook of human resource management, Oxford
University Press: Oxford.
Below are further book chapters related to various topics covered in the course.
Bratton, J & Gold, J 2012, Human resource management: theory and practice, 5th edn, MacMillan
Press, Basingstoke, UK. Chapter 1.
Boxall, PF & Purcell, J 2008, Strategy and human resource management, 2nd edn, Palgrave
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Macmillan, New York, 2008. Chapter 3.

Storey, J 2007, Human resource management: a critical text, 3rd edn, Thomson Learning, London.
Kramar, R, Bartram, T, De Cieri, H, Noe, RA, Hollenbeck, JR, Gerhart, B & Wright, PM 2014, Human
resource management: strategy, people, performance, 5th edn, North Ryde, NSW, McGraw-Hill.
Chapter 2.
Bratton, J & Gold, J 2012, Human resource management: theory and practice, 5th edn, MacMillan
Press, Basingstoke, UK. Chapter 5.
Phillips, JM & Gully, SM 2014, Human resource management, (Student edn), South-Western, Mason,
Ohio. Chapter 2.
Pulakos, ED 2009, Performance management: a new approach for driving business results, WileyBlackwell, West Sussex, UK. Chapter 4.
Phillips, JM & Gully, SM 2014, Human resource management, (Student edn), South-Western, Mason,
Ohio. Chapter 14.
Kramar, R, Bartram, T, De Cieri, H, Noe, RA, Hollenbeck, JR, Gerhart, B & Wright, PM 2014, Human
resource management: strategy, people, performance, 5 edn, North Ryde, NSW, McGraw-Hill
Education. Chapter 16: International human resource management, pp. 553-571.
Stone, RJ 2013, Managing human resources, 4th edn, Milton, QLD, Wiley. Chapter 15 (International
human resource management, pp. 623-655).
Journals (this is not an exhaustive list).
Academy of Management Journal
Academy of Management Review
Administrative Science Quarterly
Annual Review of Psychology
Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources
Human Relations
Human Resource Planning
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management Review
Human Resource Management Research
Human Resource Development Quarterly
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal of Applied Behavioural Science
Journal of Applied Psychology
Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Journal of Human Resources
Journal of Management and Organization
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal of Vocational Behaviour
Organization Studies
Personnel Management
Personnel Psychology
Personnel Review
Research and Practice in Human Resource Management
Training and Development Journal
Journal Articles
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Aguinis, H & Kraiger, K 2009, Benefits of training and development for individuals and teams,
organizations, and society, Annual Review of Psychology, 2009, vol. 60 no. 1, pp. 451474.
Becker, BE & Huselid, MA 2006, Strategic human resources management: where do we go from
here?,Journal of Management, vol. 32, pp. 898-925.
Becker, BE & Huselid, MA 2010, SHRM and job design: narrowing the divide, Journal of
Organizational Behavior, vol. 31, pp. 379-388.
Benson, J & Brown, M 2010, Employee voice: does union membership matter, Human Resource
Management Journal, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 8099.
Boxall, P, Ang, S & Bartram, T 2011, Analysing the black box of HRM: uncovering HR goals,
mediators and outcomes in a standardized service environment, Journal of Management Studies, vol.
48, no. 7, pp. 15041532.
Brymer, RA, Molloy, JC & Gilbert, BA 2014, Human capital pipelines: competitive implications of
repeated interorganizational hiring, Journal of Management, vol. 40, pp. 483-508.
Claus, L & Briscoe, D 2009, Employee performance management across borders: a review of relevant
academic literature, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 11, pp. 175-196.
Haines, VY & St-Onge, S 2011, Performance management effectiveness: practices or
context?, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 23, pp. 1158-1175.
Guest, DE 2011, Human resource management and performance: still searching for some answers,
Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 313.
Grler, A & Zock, A 2010, Supporting long-term workforce planning with a dynamic aging chain model:
a case study from the service industry, Human Resource Management, vol. 49, no. 5, pp. 829848.
Judge, TA, Piccolo, RF, Podsakoff, NP, Shaw, JC & Rich, BL 2010, The relationship between pay and
job satisfaction: a meta-analysis of the literature, Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 77, pp. 157-167.
Hale, AR, Guldenmund, FW, van Loenhout, PLCH & Oh, JIH 2010, Evaluating safety management and
culture interventions to improve safety: effective intervention strategies, Safety Science, vol. 48, no.8,
pp. 1026-1035.
Humphrey, SE, Nahrgang, JD & Morgeson, FP 2007, Integrating motivational, social, and contextual
work design features: a meta-analytic summary and theoretical extension of the work design
literature, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 92, pp. 1332-1356.
McClean, E & Collins, CJ 2011, High commitment HR practices, employee effort and firm performance:
investigating the effects of HR practices across employee groups within professional services firms,
Human Resource Management, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 341 363.
McDonald, M, OCallaghan, J, & Bubna-Litic, D, (in press), Positive psychology applied to
organisations: A Foucauldian discourse analysis, Human Relations
McDonald, M, Wearing, S, & Ponting, J. 2008, Narcissism and neoliberalism: work, leisure and
alienation in an era of consumption, Loisir et Societe (Society and Leisure), 30(1), 489-510.
Peterson, SJ & Luthans, F 2006, 'The impact of financial and nonfinancial incentives on business-unit
outcomes over time', Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 91, pp. 156165.
Ployhart, RE, Van Iddekinge, CH & MacKenzie, WI 2011, Acquiring and developing human capital in
service contexts: the interconnectedness of human capital resources, Academy of Management
Journal, vol. 54, pp. 353368.
Pyman, A, Holland, P, Teicher, J & Cooper, BK 2010, Industrial Relations climate, employee voice and
managerial attitudes to unions: an Australian Study, British Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 48, no.
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2, pp. 460480 .
Schneider, B, Ehrhart, MG & Macey, WH 2013, Organizational climate and culture, Annual Review of
Psychology, vol. 64, pp. 361-388.
Van der Heijden, JAV, van Engen, ML & Paauwe, J 2009, Expatriate career support: predicting
expatriate turnover and performance, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 20,
no. 4, pp. 831-845.
Van Iddekinge, CH, Ferris, GR, Perrew, PL, Perryman, AA, Blass, FR & Heetderks, TD 2009, Effects
of selection and training on unit-level performance over time: a latent growth modeling
approach, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 94, no. 4, pp. 829843.
Wolf, C. & Floyd, S. W. (in press), Strategic planning research: toward a theory-driven agenda, Journal
of Management, DOI: 0149206313478185, (Published on-line March 2013).

Overview of Assessment
There are two (2) assessment tasks you need to complete for this course.
1. The first assessment task will be an individual report as outlined below. This will be referred to
as Assessment Task 1 Report.
2. The second assessment task will be a two hour exam which is outlined further below. This will
be referred to as Assessment Task 2.
Assessment Task 1 - Report - 40 marks
Due Date: Week 7 - (12 April 2015)
The first assessment task will focus on the foundation concepts covered throughout the course. The
written report should build your academic writing skills while allowing you to test your capacity to
develop a critical argument in relation to the topic as outlined below. Task 1 will demonstrate your
capacity for linking theories and concepts to human resource management outcomes. You will also
demonstrate an ability to locate, evaluate and use peer reviewed resources to develop a well-founded
and critical argument on the topic.
Instructions for Completing Assessment Task 1 Report.
Prepare a report (2500 words this includes the executive summary and references) that addresses
the issues raised in the case study and provide some recommendations.
The case study is on Unitel and can be found on pages 126 of the prescribed course textbook.
Assume that you are the HR Manager at Unitel. The CEO at Unitel has approached you to write a 2500
word report focusing on the important role of human resource management (HRM) in executing Unitels
new corporate strategy.
In your report, you are required to:
Explain the role of HRM in executing the business strategy at Unitel.
Identify key issues relating to the introduction of the new corporate strategy by Unitel senior
management.
Propose some potential solutions to the problems relating to the introduction of the new corporate
strategy at Unitel.
Discuss how Unitel may benefit from using four (4) human resource management practices (covered
throughout the BUSM3201 course) to improve organisational performance at Unitel.
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Make sure to follow the report layout as is explained comprehensively on this URL
<http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/reports-0 >.
Submission Process:
Assessment Task 1 Report must be submitted online through the BUSM3201 Human Resource
Management Blackboard site. When you submit the written report it will be automatically processed
through Turnitin as part of the on-line submission process.
Assessment Criteria for Assessment Task 1 Report
Assessments in this course will be assessed according to the degree to which you demonstrate the
criteria on the Assessment Marking Criteria Sheet below.
Marks are allocated to criteria as follows:
Demonstration of a clear understanding of the role of HRM in relation to executing the
business strategy at Unitel including reference to relevant models and theories. (7 marks)
Identification of key issues relating to the introduction of the new corporate strategy at
Unitel. (7 marks)
Identification of potential solutions to the problems relating to the introduction of the new
corporate strategy at Unitel. (7 marks)
Discussion of how Unitel could benefit from using four (4) human resource management
practices (covered throughout the BUSM3201 course) to improve organisational
performance at Unitel. (8 marks)
Demonstration of additional research beyond the course material and the course textbook
by using recent peer reviewed academic journal articles, scholarly books and book chapters
published between 2006 and 2015 (minimum of twelve (10). (6 marks)
Presentation, including referencing, formatting, layout (short report) and grammar. (5 marks)
TOTAL MARKS (40 marks)
Other Important Issues to Consider When Completing Your Report
* PRESENTATION: Overall professional and attractive presentation. The assignment report should be
typed and double spaced for clarity. A high standard of work is always expected, so poorly presented
work may be rejected. Students should use font no smaller than 11 point Times New Roman or 11 point
Arial.
* WORD LIMIT: observed - there will be 5% mark deduction for any 10% over/under the word limit.
* ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS: Technically accurate description of theories, concepts and models
* APPLICATION OF THEORY: Appropriate application of theory and practice, use of Harvard reference
system
* ORGANISATION EXAMPLES: Ideas, arguments and assertions substantiated by evidence from the
literature and where possible, organisational examples.
* IN-TEXT CITATIONS: In-text citations are MANDATORY to identify the source of information.
* CRITICAL ANALYSIS: comparing information from different sources; comparing definitions; and
comparing theories to be applied is essential to gain high grades. Remember to tell the reader what the
value of the theories and research you are reporting on, dont just describe it. Students are therefore
STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to attend relevant sessions offered by LSU. Your lecturer can also assist
by briefly explaining these techniques, but for a more detailed understanding coaching from LSU is
essential.
*RESEARCH: Evidence of extensive research with all sources listed in a Reference List with related in7

text citations. It is normal to have several in-text citations per paragraph.

*LANGUAGE: Syntax, grammar and spelling appropriate to academic standards
*PROOF READING: All good writers have their work proof read by someone else before they let it out
for public consumption. This is to ensure that any mistakes you have missed are picked up and that
another peron can understand the ideas and arguments you are trying to communicate.
* PAPERS WHICH HAVE NO INTERNAL REFERENCING / NO REFERENCE LIST WILL NOT BE
ASSESSED
* LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Any late assignment, unless granted an extension by your lecturer, will be penalised at 10% of the
assessment weighting within the first 24 hours after the due date and time. Then 10% for every 24
hours after that, and a full 100% after 7 days. No assignment will be accepted more than seven 7
calendar days late without Special Consideration from the Registrar. Application for Extension of Time
Submission of Assessable Work Procedure form is available at the Registrar Office (Assessment).
* TURNITIN SOFTWARE
You are required to use the Turnitin software to verify your reports originality.
Students are required to submit their assignment to Turnitin as the primary means of submitting your
work. The time and date of your papers submission to Turnitin is taken as the universitys official receipt
of your paper. Turnitin is used to check if your work is original, further details about the Turnitin software
package are available online at http://mams.rmit.edu.au/zdrig5rjsxnqz.pdf. This software checks your
assignment for originality and generates a report indicating areas in which the content overlaps with
other academic papers and student assignments. By inspecting this report you should be able to
determine whether your report would be acceptable as predominantly your own work. Further
instructions on the use of the software are stated in this webpage.

Assessment Task 2 - Closed Book Examination - 60 marks

Due: Exam Period
The examination will assess your knowledge of the topics covered in the course. The questions will
be short essay style and you will be expected to demonstrate both a knowledge of basic principles
and theories in the field of human resource management as well as an awareness of how they may
be applied in practice. The examination will be 2 hours in duration, with 15 minutes reading time.
The examination requires you to respond to a total of six questions (each worth 10%) from a choice
of ten questions. Questions will be drawn from selected topics and lectures in the course. You are
advised to be familiar with topics and key theories from both the lecture content and core readings
studied in the course in order to answer the questions.
Assessment Criteria for Assessment Task 2 - Closed Book Examination:
Key issues and responses relating to the exam questions have been developed
Presentation of logical and cohesive discussion that provides evidence of critical and analytical
thinking
Ideas and assertions substantiated through reference to key theoretical material and key
academic perspectives/views
Clear and comprehensive written style to convey meaning