College of Arts and Sciences Department of Political Science Master of Public Administration Program etroy PA6604 Workforce Planning and Selection COURSE SYLLABUS etroy XTIA T1/15 August 10- October 11, 2015 For course syllabi posted prior to the beginning of the term, the instructor reserves the right to make minor changes prior to or during the term. The instructor will notify students, via e-mail or Blackboard announcement, when changes are made in the requirements and /or grading of the course. etroy Courses at Troy University All etroy courses at Troy University utilize the Blackboard Learning System. In every etroy course, students should read all information presented in the Blackboard course site and should periodically check for updates-at least every 48 hours. Remember: This is not a correspondence course in which a student may work at his/her own pace. Each week there are assignments, online discussions, online activities and/or exams with due dates. Refer to the schedule in the syllabus for more information. Remember: This is not a correspondence course in which a student may work at his/her own pace. Each week there are assignments, online discussions, online activities and/or exams with due dates. Refer to the schedule in the syllabus for more information. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Instructor: Dr. Kristie Roberts-Lewis Mailing Address: Perimeter Center 1107 Perimeter Center West Suite N101 Atlanta, GA 30338 Contact Phone: (678) 527-0623 (office); (404) 314-7663 (cell) Troy Email Address: robertsk@troy.edu ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS 1
I will have virtual office hours on Mondays 11:30 am- 3:30 pm, Tuesday s 1:00pm- 5:00pm, Wednesday 11:00 am -3:00 pm and all other days and times by appointment. However, please note that emails/messages will be returned within 24 hours Monday-Thursday and 48 hours Friday-Sunday. INSTRUCTOR PROFILE Post-graduate Syracuse University (2009) Ph.D. Jackson State University, Public Policy & Administration & Policy (2003) M. Div., Emory University-Candler School of Theology (2013) M.P.A., Albany State University (1995) Dr. Kristie Roberts is a native of Atlanta Georgia and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Fort Valley State University, a Masters of Public Administration Degree at Albany State University with a dual concentration in General and Human Resources Management, a Masters of Divinity from Emory University s Candler School of Theology and earned a Ph.D. from Jackson State University in Public Policy & Administration. Dr. Roberts has also completed post- graduate studies at Beijing Union University in Beijing, China, Oxford University, Oxford England and a post doctoral fellowship at Syracuse University, Syracuse New York the first person of color to receive this recognition from the Mellon Foundation and the Future of Minority Studies Program. Concomitantly, Dr. Roberts completed a Fulbright Hays Fellowship in Ghana West Africa studying the Food Insecurity: A Critical Analysis of the Food for Peace Program and the Impact on Ghanaian Women and Children. Dr. Roberts has authored several articles in both domestic and international outlets and is actively involved in numerous civic organizations. Dr. Roberts has been inducted into Who s Who Among Collegiate Faculty in 2010, Who s Who of America in 2002" and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter, where she actively works with at-risk youth, fund development and public policy issues affecting women. Moreover, Dr. Roberts actively participates in the following organizations: Toastmasters International, the Conference of Minority Public Administrators, The American Society of Public Administrators, and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, The American Association of University Women and the Atlanta Suburban Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. MPA equad As an active MPA student you have access to the MPA equad located on your etroy Blackboard page under "Organizations." The MPA equad is your immediate access point to information and links for, course concentrations, registration, MPA and etroy forms, major program requirements, professional opportunities, MPA program orientation, faculty advising, "Live" chat access and much more. Visit the MPA equad 24/7 for the latest program happenings and to review the available resources. Please take approximately 4 minutes to view this video link to find what the MPA equad can do for you: http://trojan.troy.edu/artsandsciences/politicalscience/mpa/how-to-access-equad-advising.html 2
Students: Please put course title in the subject line of any emails sent to the instructor. COURSE INFORMATION Prerequisites: PA 6624 Course Description: A study of theory, principles, and legal requirements for effective workforce planning, recruitment, selection, and employment in public and non-profit organizational settings. The course provides an in-depth analysis of tools, techniques, and statistical concepts applied to the fundamental human resources function of workforce planning and staffing. Prerequisite: PA 6624 Student Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain and apply basic approaches to human resource planning and their relation to achieving organizational objectives. 2. Identify sources of information used for human resource planning and personnel selection. 3. Describe the job analysis process and explain its role in recruiting and selection. 4. Describe recruitment strategies for creating a diverse talent pool of qualified candidates. 5. Develop a staffing plan and compare and contrast the value of different assessment methods for identifying a candidate s suitability for employment. 6. Apply the concepts of validity, reliability, and associated statistical measures to various steps in the staffing process. 7. Explain the legal implications associated with employment testing, interviewing, and selection processes. 8. Demonstrate the ability to apply human resources staffing strategies to support achievement of organizational objectives. Desired Competency: Students will be able to apply concepts, processes, practices, and major quantitative techniques in support of workforce planning and staffing in a public and non-profit organizational setting. Student Expectation Statement The student is expected to participate in the course via e-mail exchanges (or other communication) with the instructor, by reading the readings, submitting comments to the discussion forums, submitting assignments, and completing all course assignments in a timely fashion. Students are expected to check their e-mails daily and the announcements at least every 48 hours.*** Useful Web Sites for This Course See the Helpful Resources/Web Links section in the course Blackboard site. 3
Other Course Information There will be weekly Blackboard Collaborate sessions that will be determined based on a consensus date decided by students and their availability*** TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED The textbook provider for etroy is Barnes & Noble. Please visit: http://troy.bncollege.com to access the bookstore. Gatewood, R. D., Feild, H. S., & Barrick, M. (2011). Human resource selection. (7 th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. ISBN: 13: 978-0-538-46994-4 Heneman, H.G., Judge, T.A. & Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D. (2013). Staffing Organizations (7th Ed.). Boston. MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. ISBN: 978-0-07-811268-3 REQUIRED SUPPLEMENT Nkomo, S.M., Fottler, M.D. & McAfee, R.B.. (2011). Human Resource Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders (7 th Ed.). Mason, OH:. Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9780538468077 OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTS York, K.M. (2009). Applied Human Resource Management: Strategic issues and experiential exercises. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. WEB SOURCES Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978). Federal Register, 43. 38290-38315. http://www.uniformguidelines.com/uniformguidelines.html. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ The textbook provider for is MBS Direct. The Web site for textbook purchases is http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/index.htm. Students should have their textbook(s) from the first week of class. Not having your textbook(s) will not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should refer to the Late Registration section for further guidance. Recommended Additional Reading or Resources American Psychological Association (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th Ed.) Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association (http://apa.org.). COURSE REQUIREMENTS Upon Enrollment: Check email address, post personal and professional information, etc. 4
General Note on Discussion Board Exercises: students are expected to read all materials and participate in class activities. Participation will enhance understanding of the course material. Participation in discussion of cases is an essential component of the course. Students will earn points for timely and substantive participation in Discussion Board Activities. Case study answers: Students are required to respond to five case studies provided by the instructor and posted in the documents section of. A maximum of 5 points can be earned for each case study answers. Article Analysis Reviews: Using the Troy University electronic library, each student is to research and post an analysis of two articles relating to one of the subjects under review during the relevant week of the assignment. Your assignment is to post a summary (no more than 2 page double-spaced) of the article. Be sure to include a reference for your article so classmates can assess the article as needed. Threaded discussion comments may be directed toward the strengths and weaknesses of the issue discussed. Threaded discussion comments must be substantive. Substantive means discussion having relevance and importance to the subject at hand. Up to five points will be awarded for the content of the summary and up to five points for substantive interaction with classmates. Non-Proctored Examination Schedule & Instructions: The exam will be a combination of 4 short essay questions and two case analysis questions. It will be available for a specific time period. See the Course Schedule in the syllabus for the dates the exams will be available. The exam will be delivered online via Blackboard. They will be found in the Exams and Quizzes section. The exams will be timed. Points will be deducted if the student overruns the time limit for the exam. See the exam instructions on for the time limit and how the overrun deductions are calculated. RESEARCH PAPER: Students are required to write a research paper. The requirements of this paper are outlined below. The paper is to be an original research effort that has not been used to meet the requirement of any other course. The instructor must approve the topic of the paper. RESEARCH PAPER REQUIREMENT Workforce Planning and Staffing (PA 6604) The purpose of the research paper requirement is to give the student experience in the collection, synthesis, and analysis of qualitative data. Every student is expected to be the sole author of original, unpublished work, which has not fulfilled requirements of any other courses. The paper is to be of professional quality. The paper should be grammatically correct, use the APA citation style, and address the research question selected by the student clearly and succinctly. The instructor must approve your topic. Note that there are specific deadlines throughout the term for submission of various elements of the research paper. These deadlines are established 5
to help the student complete a substantive and polished research paper. Students should READ AND FOLLOW these guidelines. There is a high correlation between adherence to the guidelines and good grades on research papers. General Guidelines 1. Topic selection: Develop a preliminary title and briefly describe (no more than 1 page) the topic you want to investigate. Also discuss your motivation for selecting the topic. A good topic and a well-crafted statement of the research question is the basis for a quality paper. This step is perhaps the most difficult part of the research paper. Requirement: The instructor must approve all topics. To meet this objective students will provide to the instructor a typed description of their topic (a single page should be adequate). Deadline: Third class session 2. Introduction: This is a narrative of about 1 to 1 1/2 pages in length. It should explain the topic under investigation and why it deserves analysis. Place your topic within the general context of public administration. Then move to the more specific issues of interest to you. This section also includes an explicit statement of your research question. A research question is stated in such a way that there is more than one answer. A question involving the relationship between two variables takes the form: What influence does (your independent variable-the causal agent) have on (your dependent variable-what gets acted upon)? For example What impact does ability testing have on organizational performance? In contrast a descriptive research question involves the how, what, where, why or when of a particular phenomenon. A descriptive research question takes the form: How effective are assessment centers in identifying management, professional and executive level employees? 3. Final Paper: This is the culmination of all your hard work. The result should show it. - The length of the paper should be no longer than 8-10 pages, excluding title page and references. The paper must be written in Standard English, type written or printed from a computer printer, and double-spaced using 1-inch margins. Prepare your paper using a 12- pitch font. Your paper should have a cover page that contains the following information: Title of Proposal, Course Name and Number, Student Name, and Date of Submittal. - The paper must be written in narrative form with appropriate use of charts and tables at your discretion. - Use appropriate major and minor headings to divide the major sections of the paper. - All sources used in the paper must be cited whether you use direct quotes or summaries. The paper must follow the conventions of the APA Publication Manual. Format Introduction: The purpose of this section is to inform your audience on important aspects of the question you propose to investigate. What is the context of the question and how does it relate to the subject of organization theory? Your narrative should move from a general idea to a welldefined research question. Literature Review: This section includes a summary of each source (A MINIMUM OF 10) that you select to use to support your paper. The summaries should focus on the relevance of the 6
source to your research question and the evidence it provides. The instructor values the use of scholarly books and journal articles. Using other sources (newspapers, magazines, web sites) will hurt the substance of your paper. Care in selection and summarizing sources is essential to drawing supportable conclusions about your research question. Conclusions: In this section you will briefly summarize, in an integrated form, what you have learned from the entire literature review. The challenge is to blend the sources identified in the literature review into a coherent discussion of how the evidence relates to the research question. You want to present the material in a logical and understandable manner. One way to approach this task is to identify themes from the Literature Review and then build your summary/conclusions around these themes. The themes you select must extend logically from the material you have collected. Themes that are not supported by your literature review hurt the substance of your paper. The question you are trying to answer is the following: What does it (all your reviews) all mean as relates to your research question? Students in need of writing assistance should view resources with the Troy Writing Center at http://www.troy.edu/writingcenter/resources.html STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT MATRIX PA6604 Assessment Matrix This table shows how each Course Learning Objective is assessed by including the module of instruction, the specific course content, the learning strategy, and the assessment mechanism. Course Objective Module Content Learning Strategy Assessment Weeks 2-9 readings, case discussion, and postings and scenarios and case analysis articles analysis critiques. exercises and work. mid-term exam. 1 Explain and apply basic approaches to human resource planning and their relation to achieving organizational objectives. 2 Identify sources of information used for human resource planning and personnel selection. Weeks 2 & 4 readings, case scenarios and articles analysis work. discussion, article analysis critiques. exercises and mid-term exam. 3 Describe the job analysis process and explain its role in recruiting and selection. 4 Describe recruitment strategies for creating a diverse talent pool of qualified candidates Weeks 6-8 Weeks 2-8 readings, case scenarios and article analysis exercises readings, case scenarios, discussion, article analysis critiques. discussion, article exercises. 7
and article analysis work. analysis critiques. exercises, midterm exam. 5 Develop a staffing plan and compare and contrast the value of different assessment methods for identifying a candidate s suitability for employment. Week 4 readings, case scenarios. discussion. exercises, midterm exam. 6 Apply the concepts of validity, reliability, and associated statistical measures to various steps in the staffing process. 7 Explain the legal implications associated with employment testing, interviewing and selection processes. 8 Demonstrate the ability to apply HR staffing strategies to organizational objectives. Weeks 3-4 Weeks 2-5 Weeks 2-9 Readings, case scenarios, article analysis work. Readings, case scenarios and article analysis work. readings, case scenarios and article analysis work. discussion, article analysis critiques. discussion, article analysis critiques. discussion, article analysis critiques. exercises, midterm exam. exercises, Mid-term exam. exercises, midterm exam. METHOD OF EVALUATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES Assignment Values Percent of Final Grade Maximum points Article Analyses (2) 20% 20 Case Studies (5) 25% 25 Research Paper 25% 25 Mid-term Exam 30% 30 Total 100% 100 8
Assignment of Grades Grade Level Percentage A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 59 and under FA FA indicates the student failed due to attendance. This grade is given to any student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. See the Attendance section of this syllabus for additional information. COURSE POLICIES Submitting Assignments Submit papers in Standard English using a 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing in MS-Word format. The American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines are the standards for writing and referencing papers in the MPA program. Use the APA Research Style guidelines found at: http://www.troy.edu/writingcenter/resources.html There is one major assignment listed in the course schedule: Please note the due dates on them. Your responses must be typed, using 12pt. font, double-spaced, in MS-Word format. Failure to comply will result in point deductions. The assignments must be emailed to me directly by mid-night of the due date (note: Blackboard and I operate on central US time). Include your names on the assignments and submit the assignment to the Assignments Section. Points will be deducted for failure to follow the format requirements. No e-mail attachments will be accepted, due to the risk of viruses. Make-Up Work Policy Missing any part of this schedule may prevent completion of the course. If you foresee difficulty of any type (i.e., an illness, employment change, etc.) that may prevent completion of this course, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in failure for an assignment and/or failure of the course. If the instructor has not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments, exams, or forums, no make-up work is allowed unless extraordinary circumstances existed, such as hospitalization. Requests for extensions must be made in advance and accompanied by appropriate written documentation if the excuse is acceptable to the instructor. "Computer problems" are not an acceptable excuse. 9
etroy Policies and Procedures Click on the Syllabus tab at the Blackboard site that supports this course for the link to the following important etroy Policies and Procedures: Method of Instruction Student/Faculty Interaction Expectations Internet Access Requirements Technology Requirements Technical Support Center Troy E-Mail s(s) and/or Other Materials Needed Library Support Honesty and Plagiarism Policy Late Registration Attendance Policy Make-Up Work Policy Incomplete Grade Policy Non-Harassment Policy Adaptive Needs (ADA) Policy Faculty Evaluation etroy Contact Information COURSE SCHEDULE (Example of Assignments using the Gatewood, et al. text & the Nkomo, et al. Human Resources Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents and Skill Builders cited as HRM Applications). * Please note that ALL discussion forums close Sunday at midnight CDT of that week.* Week 1 (10-16 August): Course Introduction Discussion Board: Post biographical information to the class discussion board in accordance with instructions at the Blackboard site. Use this exercise to introduce yourself to the class. Give information about your employer, your specific job, professional aspirations, hobbies, where you live, travel experiences, and more. This exercise should be grammatically correct and 300 to 400 words in length. Use this opportunity to interact with your seminar participants. Establish contacts and explore mutual interests. Week 2 (17-23 August) Reading: Chapter 1 Staffing Models and Strategy (Heneman) Chapter 1- An Introduction to Selection (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 2 - Legal Issues in Selection (Gatewood) Chapter 2- Legal Compliance (Heneman) Discussion Board: Critical Analysis and Response to Case study number 38- A Solution 10
for Adverse Impact in your HRM Applications text in the discussion board. Assignments: Review Power point slides and weekly resources. Critique the responses of your classmates to case study 38, utilizing the discussion rubric under the Assessment link as a guide. Week 3 (24-30 August) Reading: Chapter 3 - Human Resource Measurement in Selection (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 4 Reliability of Selection Measures (Gatewood) Submit- (Topic of Article Analysis One) Discussion Board: Research and post article analysis one to the class discussion board in accordance with instructions found at the site. Read and comment on the assignment posted by your classmates relating to Reliability of Selection Measures. Assignments: Review Power point slides that support readings. Use slides to guide your preparation for class activities. Develop a one-page topic paper, double-spaced, that discusses the research question that will be the subject of your research paper (8-10 pages). Post your topic paper to the discussion board and interact with classmates to help with clarification and deeper understanding of the topic. Week 4 (31 August- 6 September) Reading: Chapter 6 Strategies of Selection Decision Making (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 7 Job Analysis in Human Resource Selection (Gatewood) Discussion Board: Post your answers to case study numbers 30 (Job Analysis: Writing Job Descriptions HRM Applications) and 37 (Selecting Patient Escorts HRM Applications) on the discussion board. Case Study 30 will be done in student pairs. Student pairs will be made by the Instructor and listed on the announcement page. Assignments: Review Power point slides and weekly resources. Critique the responses of your classmates to case studies 30 and 37, utilizing the discussion rubric under the Assessment link as a guide. Week 5 (7-13 September) Reading: Chapter 8 Recruitment of Applicants (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 9 Application Forms and Biodata Assessments, Training and Experience Evaluations, and Reference Checks. (Gatewood) Discussion Board: Post your responses to case exercise number 40 (Evaluating the Recruiting Function - HRM Applications) on the discussion board. Assignments: Review Power point slides and weekly resources. Critique the responses of your classmates to case study 40, utilizing the discussion rubric under the Assessment link as a guide. Week 6 (14-20 September) MIDTERM EXAMINATION: The exam will consist of essay questions and two case analysis questions and will be posted under Week 6 folder on September 14, 11
2015 and should be submitted to the Turnitin link titled Midterm Exam on or before September 20, 2015 midnight CDT. Week 7 ( 21-27 September) Reading: Chapter 10 The Selection Interview (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 11 Ability Tests for Selection (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 12 - Personality Assessment for Selection (Gatewood) Discussion board: Post your responses to case exercise 50 (Test/Interview Validation - HRM Applications) on the discussion board. Assignment: Review Power point slides and weekly resources. Critique the responses of your classmates to case study 50, utilizing the discussion rubric under the Assessment link as a guide. Week 8 (28 September- 4 October) Reading: Chapter 13 Performance Tests and Assessment Centers for Selection (Gatewood) (Topic of Article Analysis two) Reading: Chapter 14 Integrity Testing, Drug Testing and Graphology (Gatewood) Reading: Chapter 15 - Measures of Job Performance (Gatewood) Discussion Board: Research and post article analysis two to the class discussion board in accordance with instructions found at the site. Assignment: Review Power point slides and weekly resources. Critique the responses of your classmates utilizing the discussion rubric under the Assessment link as a guide. Read and comment on the assignment posted by your classmates relating to Performance Tests and Assessment Centers for Selection. Wrap up research paper and submit the completed paper to my email address as an attachment by October 10, 2015 Week 9 (5-11 October) Submit completed research paper to the Turnitin link under week 9 by 5:00 p.m. on October 10, 2015. No extensions will be granted. All grades must be submitted by the first of the following week. 12