Department of Business BUS 3000 Human Resources Management Fall 2012 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 1:30 pm 2:20 pm Professor: Rhonda Gordon Office: J.D. MacLachlan Building, Room 205 Email: Office Hours: Secretary: Teaching Assistant: gordonr@uoguelph.ca By Appointment Helen Sherwood, Room 202 J.D. MacLachlan Building, Ext. 52672 TBA
Course Description: This course provides a basic knowledge of the key aspects of managing human resources in domestic and multinational organizations, emphasizing the link between human resource policies and practices and organizational strategy. Topics include human resource planning, job analysis, staffing, the legal environment, training, performance appraisal, compensation, employment relations, health and safety, labour relations, recent developments and future trends. Course Objectives: This course aims to provide students with a framework whereby they can understand: i) The emerging challenges in managing human resources ii) The contexts in which human resources management takes place, including the legislative framework iii) How to analyze staff issues and consider how organizations recruit, train, develop, maintain and phase out employees iv) Performance, training, and career developments appraisal and management v) The governance of the employer-employee relationship, from internal and external perspectives Learning Outcomes: This course aims to provide students with a framework whereby they can understand: -The emerging challenges in managing human resources -The contexts in which human resources management takes place, including the legislative framework -How to analyze staff issues and consider how organizations recruit, train, develop, maintain and phase out employees -Performance, training, and career developments appraisal and management -The governance of the employer-employee relationship, from internal and external perspectives Course Materials and Resources: One of your primary resources will be the course website (http://courselink.uoguelph.ca). All announcements, required and recommended readings, assignments and updates will be posted here. You will also be able to access any handouts you may have missed through this site. Check this site often. Required textbook Dessler, G and Cole, N. Human Resources Management in Canada, Canadian Eleventh Edition, Pearson Education. MyHRLab By purchasing the textbook for the course you will have access to Pearson s MyHRLab. MyHRLab is an online study tool. It can help you prepare for quizzes and exams and better understand the course material. For example, MyHRLab comes with two preloaded Sample Tests per chapter (the Pre-test and Post-test). You can work through these diagnostic tests each week to identify areas you haven t fully understood. You can also access videos and mini cases related to the course. I strongly encourage you to use this resource throughout the semester. According to research conducted by Pearson, students indicated that using MyHRLab helped them to achieve better grades.
Course Philosophy and Approach: The course attempts to challenge your ability to learn new information and apply that information in a meaningful way. The class pedagogy is to integrate theory with practice, preparing you for both certification and the work world. The topics we discuss will be highly applicable to anyone who wants to work for a company (paid or voluntary), manage others or start their own company. First, you will learn the topic and the theory. Then, in class and in assignments, you will learn what to do with your newly formed knowledge in a very transferable and applicable way. Therefore, the course attempts to be 50% theory based and 50% application based. However, please note that it is extremely difficult to apply information without fully understanding the theory, therefore developing an understanding of the theory will be extremely important to success in the course. The course is based on an active 12-week semester. In our view the most effective and efficient use of classroom time aims at reinforcing or clarifying what the student has tried to learn on an individual basis before entering the classroom. For this reason, it will be assumed that the student has carefully read the assigned material and made a reasonable effort to prepare solutions to the assigned problems PRIOR to the class. These materials will be DISCUSSED in class. Coursework: Readings are to be completed prior to the class discussion, as the discussions and lectures will only highlight key issues of the weekly reading. In addition, students are expected to refer to the course website for any class related updates and discussions. Students who find themselves unable to meet course requirements by the deadline or criteria expected because of medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances beyond their control, should review the regulations on Academic Consideration in the Undergraduate Calendar (http://www.uoguelph.ca/undergrad_calendar/c08/c08-ac.shtml) and discuss their situation with the instructor, Program Counsellor or Academic Advisor as appropriate. Group Work: 85% of Fortune 1000 companies use some form of teamwork in their work environments. To prepare you for your careers, team work is a component of this course. The teams will be selfmanaged, meaning that issues with time, effort and planning of group meetings will be the responsibility of the team members. If you have concerns or questions that you feel cannot be solved within the team, please contact the professor during the term to address these. Once classes have concluded, there is little I can do to assist with team-related problems. Assignments: Assignments are due at the start of the regularly scheduled class. If assignments are not handed in at that point, late penalties will be applied at the rate of 10% per day for each day late, including weekends. Extensions without penalty will only be granted for the most extenuating circumstances and requests for such extensions must be received by the instructor, in writing, prior to the due date. You are also advised to make use of the resources available through the Learning Commons (http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/) and to discuss any questions you may have with your course instructor, teaching assistant, Academic Advisor or Academic Counsellor. Attendance: Attendance will not be taken in the course. However, consistent attendance in class will increase your understanding of the material, thus may positively influence your performance in the course. If you miss class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to obtain the missed material. I am happy to answer questions/clarify course material; however, I will not reiterate entire lectures to those who missed class.
This is an interactive class that requires your attendance and participation. Should a student need to miss a class, lab, seminar, examination for religious reasons, please advise the instructor in advance so that alternate arrangements can be made. I will attend regularly scheduled classes, including the midterm and final exams (I will only be absent in the rare case of extenuating circumstances, students will be informed of this via the course website). On-Line Communication: I will be communicating with you via your central email account <uoguelph.ca> from time to time. You are required to check this account on a regular basis. Please be advised that I cannot edit my mailing list to your hotmail/yahoo etc. account. All student e-mails will be responded to within 24 hours of receiving them (Monday to Friday 9-5). Any emails on weekends will be responded to no later than the following Monday. Method of Evaluation: Your performance will be evaluated based on the following: Quizzes 25% (5 x 5%) In-Class Group Work 20% (discussion questions, mini cases, etc) 30% Final Exam 25% Quizzes Quizzes will be completed on-line throughout the semester. See the course webpage calendar for due dates. Quizzes will be open for approximately 2 days and must be completed within the specified time frame. Quizzes will be comprised of multiple choice questions. There will be 6 quizzes throughout the semester. Each quiz will be worth 5%. Only 5 of the 6 quizzes will count towards your final grade. If you miss a quiz for any reason that will be the quiz that doesn t count (you cannot miss more than one quiz. If you do, any subsequent missed quizzes will receive a mark of zero). If you write all 6 quizzes, your lowest quiz mark will not be counted towards your final mark In-Class Group Work Throughout the course, students will be asked to participate in in-class group exercises, discussion questions, etc. These activities will make up 20% of your overall mark. There will be between five and 10 in-class group activities throughout the semester, each worth between 2% and 4%. Over the course of the semester, your group will be required to present to the class a current event that is relevant to the current weeks material or material that has recently been covered. The events must have occurred within one to two months from the time of presenting (this will ensure that the material is current). You may use diverse media such as newspaper, radio, TV, or the World Wide Web (eg. online newspapers, etc) as your source. Groups will consist of 8 or 9 students. A 30 minute presentation must be made to the class by all members of the group. Presentation aids are encouraged, including projecting the article for the class to reference. You must quote your source.
In the presentation, answer the following 3 broad questions: 1. What is the current event and how is it relevant to the material in the course? 2. How has it helped you understand the course material in a better or deeper manner? 3. How could this current event be relevant to you and your classmates when you graduate and enter the working world? Why? Evaluation of Presentation: 1. Degree of creativity 2. Relevance to course 3. Relevance to students 4. Degree of audience participation Scheduling: Scheduling of presentations will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis. A sign-up sheet will be available during the first few classes. It is imperative that each group schedules their presentation no later than October 1 st. Almost every week, articles and situations relevant to the course can be found in the media. All topics must be approved by the instructor prior to being presented to the class. Final Exam The final exam presents an opportunity to assess knowledge about Human Resources Management practice, legislation and learning as per the course textbook, lectures, presentations, videos and any inclass activities. This course extends beyond simply memorizing terminology or processes. The pedagogy of the class is an equal learning of theory and application. For the exams, you are expected to know the reading materials, lecture notes and any in-class discussion/presentations and be able to apply the information in a meaningful way. More information about formatting of the exam will be given in class. The final exam covers material from lectures, discussions, and readings associated with all material covered throughout the course. The final exam will be scheduled during the exam period (December 13 th from 11:30 am 1:30 pm). It will include a mix of multiple choice and short/long answer questions. Final examination conflict: students are responsible for ensuring that they do not have a time conflict with examinations in other courses. It is your responsibility to ensure you bring photo identification, pens and pencils to your exams. Consideration for not attending the final exam will only be given in accordance with the rules as set out by the University. Students who find themselves unable to meet course requirements by the deadlines detailed above due to medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances beyond their control, should review the regulations on academic consideration in the undergraduate calendar and should discuss their situation with the instructor, program counsellor, or other academic counsellor, as appropriate. Without such documentation, failure to complete the midterm(s) and final exam will result in a zero grade for that exam.
Managing group dysfunctionality: We are a diverse and mature group, but there are multiple priorities and expectations of each team and individual in the team. You are expected to have an orientation conversation to discuss your own timelines, the days that you are available for work related to the project, your own priorities and what the joint expectations of the team are. In the case of a dysfunctional group member, you must self police activities in the initial stages of dysfunctionality (e.g. being unprepared for a meeting, failing to attend, failure to respond to emails aligned with the expectations that your team set up) by sending out an email to the violator outlining what the issue was and what the expectation is to correct behaviour. If the situation is not resolved within the team, escalates, or the same member has repeat offenses, you are required to contact the professor during the course (not at the end when the group work is complete) to address these. Please include the past communication as part of the communication to the professor. We will work together to resolve the issue in a timely and appropriate manner. Grading: All assignments will be marked and returned to students within two weeks of the due date. Grades will be posted on the course website for all work completed within a maximum of two weeks after the assignment due date.
BUS 3000 HR Management - Course Schedule and Key Dates: Introduction Sept. 7 Course Introduction Review of course outline Week 1 Sept. 10 Chapter 1 Strategy & HR Sept. 12 Chapter 2 Legal Issues Sept. 14 Week 2 Sept. 17 Quiz #1 (chapters 1, and 2) Sept. 19 Chapter 4 Job Analysis & Design Sept. 21 Sign Ups Complete Week 3 Sept. 24 Chapter 5 HR Planning Sept. 26 Sept. 28 Quiz #2 (chapters 4 and 5) Week 4 Oct. 1 Chapter 6 Recruitment Oct. 3 Oct. 5 Chapter 7 Selection Week 5 Oct. 8 No Class Thanksgiving Oct. 10 Chapter 8 Orientation & Training Oct. 12 Week 6 Oct. 15 Quiz #3 (chapters 6, 7, and 8) Oct. 17 Chapter 10 - Performance Management Oct. 19 Week 7 Oct. 22 Chapter 11 Compensation Oct. 24 Oct. 26 Quiz #4 (chapters 10 and 11) Week 8 Oct. 29 Chapter 12 - Incentives Oct. 31 Nov. 2 Chapter 13 Benefits Week 9 Nov. 5 Nov. 7 Quiz #5 (chapters 12, and 13) Nov. 9 Week 10 Nov. 12 Chapter 14 Health & Safety Nov. 14 Nov. 16 Chapter 15 Employee Relations Week 11 Nov. 19 Nov. 21 Chapter 16 Labour Relations Nov. 23 Week 12 Nov. 26 Quiz #6 (chapters 14, 15 and 16) Nov. 28
Policies and Regulations: All students are expected to abide by the University s academic regulations in the completion of their academic work, as set out in the undergraduate calendar (see http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/c08/index.shtml). Some regulations are highlighted below. Academic Misconduct: The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and directs all members of the University community faculty, staff and students to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring. The University of Guelph takes a serious view of academic misconduct and it is your responsibility as a student to be aware of and to abide by the University s policy. Included in the definition of academic misconduct are such activities as cheating on examinations, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and submitting the same material in two different courses without written permission. To better understand your responsibilities, read the Undergraduate Calendar at: http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/c08/c08-amisconduct.shtml. You are also advised to make use of the resources available through the Learning Commons (http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/) and to discuss any questions you may have with your course instructor, teaching assistant, Academic Advisor or Academic Counselor. Students should be aware that faculty have the right to use software to aid in the detection of plagiarism or copying and to examine students orally on submitted work. For students found guilty of academic misconduct, serious penalties, up to and including suspension or expulsion from the University can be imposed. Academic Consideration: Students who find themselves unable to meet course requirements by the deadline or criteria expected because of medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances beyond their control, should review the regulations on Academic Consideration in the Undergraduate Calendar (http://www.uoguelph.ca/undergrad_calendar/c08/c08-ac.shtml) and discuss their situation with the instructor, Program Counsellor or Academic Advisor as appropriate. Religious Holidays: Should a student need to miss scheduled tests, mid-term examinations, final examinations, or requirements to attend classes and participate in laboratories for religious reasons, please advise the instructor within two weeks of the distribution of this course outline so that alternate arrangements can be made. For further information see http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/c08/c08-accomrelig.shtml.