Module Directory

This module addresses the principles and practice of human resource management (HRM). The organisational context in which HRM operates will be considered as well as more recent developments.

Key contextual considerations concern the managerial, institutional and social context of HRM. HR strategies will be considered within the macro and micro institutional constraints in which it operates, including ethics, demographics, regulation and stakeholder expectations. The key operational functions of HRM's remit will be considered, including resourcing, reward and learning/development.

Emerging work practices will be considered in this context, including new forms of organisation such as sustainable HRM and agile practices. Introducing students to both orthodox and critical perspectives on the nature of HRM and emphasizing the ethical responsibilities of the HR practitioner, the module aims to provide a basis for critical judgement on the current state of theory and practice in the field.

The aims of this module are to explore:

• The aims and objectives of the HR function in different types of organizations and the managerial environment in which HRM operates.


• The knowledge and techniques associated with the work of the human resource practitioner and their historical development.


• Perspectives on the strategic management of human resources and critical assessments of the theories.


• Theories of people resourcing and critical assessments of the theories.


• Theories of human resource development and organizational learning and critical assessments of the theories.


• Theories of reward management and critical assessments of the theories.


• Theories of human resource development and organizational learning and critical assessments of the theories.


• The role of the business environment, institutional conditions, political forces, ideologies and social conditions and their implications for management and human resource management.


• Recent changes in the practice of HRM including various forms of flexibility and attempts to redefine employee identity and their consequences.


• The ethics of HRM and the reputational and professional obligations of the human resource practitioner.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Identify a range of people practices, and propose how to design them in an integrated way


2. Identify key legal-regulatory trends relevant to HR practice, how to apply this knowledge, and how to mitigate risk


3. Compare and contrast different models of people resourcing in a range of different situations


4. Compare and contrast different models of reward management in a range of different situations


5. Compare and contrast different models of facilitation, consulting, coaching and mentoring in a range of different situations


6. Compare and contrast different ethical perspectives, and how these different approaches and values influence internal and external decision-making


7. Critically evaluate how an organisation is responding to different socioeconomic, demographic and technological trends in a specific sector and how this could impact organisational outcomes


8. Develop a people plan (review, develop insight, align with organisation strategy, create proposals)


9. Reflect on the benefits and risks associated with how people practices create value for different stakeholders, and compare what continuous professional development is therefore required.

Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)

The module will:

1. Enhance your ability to consider rival conceptual ideas in the field of HRM and apply these to a practical organisational problem (People Plan).


2. Enhance your critical thinking through case studies encouraging you to discern preconditions and consequences of management actions and to apply diverse theories and concepts to the analysis of practical organisational situations. (People Plan).


3. Innovation will be encouraged by encouraging you to develop solutions to HR issues and problems. (People Plan).

This module will be delivered over 10 weeks.