Module Directory

This module will examine how a wide range of institutional and cultural contexts shape the way in which employer-employee relationships are constructed, enforced and normalised.

In particular, this module will contest popular norms and assumptions that lie behind the dominant HRM theories and approaches and seek to highlight and explain the oft-observed gaps between theory and practice. Students will develop a critical understanding of contemporary HRM challenges and an acute awareness of their impact on individuals, organisations and wider society.

The aims of this module are:

• To introduce students to the theory and practice of strategic HRM in contemporary organisations.


• To provide critical insight into the impact of strategic HRM on a range of stakeholders.


• To consider the influence of strategic HRM on employee and business performance.


• To review contemporary strategic HRM practice developments and debates.

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

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key perspectives, theories and concepts that inform contemporary strategic human resource management (HRM).


2. Critically analyse connections between organisational strategy and people strategy.


3. Demonstrate an understand of the employee lifecycle and ways in which domains of people practice are connected and inform strategic HRM practice.


4. Critically evaluate the significance of strategic HRM for firms’ performance and the achievement of organisational priorities.


5. Reflect on the role of HR professionals in supporting wider people and organisational strategies.


6. Consider the effects of strategic HRM practices and values within a wider social, economic, and political context.

Over recent decades, political, economic and socio-cultural shifts have culminated in the emergence of Human Resource Management (HRM) as an organizational practice distinct from more traditional ‘personnel’ approaches to managing people at work. An HRM approach takes a strategic view of the organizations’ employees as drivers of competitive advantage and HRM functions – recruitment, training & development, performance & reward management and industrial/employment relations – are correspondingly aligned with this aim. However, the empirical evidence that HRM achieves these strategic objectives and, more fundamentally, the nature and role of HRM in an organization is highly contestable. While exploring existing dominant theories and approaches, this module focuses on contemporary HRM issues through a critical lens.

Syllabus

• Introduction to strategic HRM and the employee life cycle.


• Recruitment and selection.


• Performance management and reward management.


• Training and Development.


• Future trends (digitalised an sustainable agendas) and summary of the module.

This module will be delivered via:

• One 2-hour lecture per fortnight.
• One 2-hour seminar per fortnight.
• One independent study week.

Both the lectures and seminars are designed to encourage and facilitate active participation by students in order to create an inclusive, positive learning environment for all. Audio-visual learning resources will be delivered both in-situ and via Moodle, the on-line learning portal.