Instructor:  Gloria Campbell   Gloria.campbell@wartburg.edu
Course offered MWF at noon in WBC 116. Office:  WBC 107  352-8229; Home 352-6614 before 9:00 p.m.
Office hours in  WBC 107:  1:15 on M, 1:30 on T & H, 10:45 on W and 9 on F

Required text: Fundamentals of Human Resource Management by Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, and Wright, 2^nd edition, McGraw Hill / Irwin.   www.Mhhe.com/noefund2e

Additional links on MyWartburg website including www.shrm.org

 

Course description: Serves as overview of the personnel/human resource management function and helps potential managers to understand the role of HR functions in the successful operation of the business.  What is their role with regard to these functions and how do they impact this employee?  How is the success of these factors measured in the company?

 

Course objectives:

 

1.                   Develop an understanding of the role of human resource management in strategic planning of the organization.

2.         Learn how to gather information and develop job analyses, job descriptions, and job specifications.

3.         Help students to make good decisions as they interview with employers and select from among options.

4.         Introduce students to the training and appraisal process so that students will more likely advance within the organization that they choose.

5.                   Review the complexity of compensation and benefits systems and the effects on employee motivation.

6.         Broaden view of human resource management to help value diversity and globalization of the work force.

7.         Serve as realistic view of the challenges and satisfactions to those specializing in human resource management.

8.         Assess the variety of factors that affect the quality of work life.

9.                   Emphasize the importance of safety and health programs in promoting employee welfare.

10.        Identify human resource issues involved with unionization and collective bargaining.

11.        Consider ways to assess the effectiveness of human resource management systems including dashboards.

12.        Explore the issues faced when HRM systems become global in their deployment of employees.

13.        Improve critical thinking skills to analyze and solve problems.

14.        Improve teamwork and communication skills, both oral and written, especially through projects and
  cases.

 

Tentative Evaluation components:

The final curve for the course will come from the compilation of points listed below. Exam curves will be 90/80/70/60 on exams, while other projects will be curved on the basis of 90% = A-; 80% = B-; 70% = C-; and 60% - D-.

 

Exam 1:                                                                                    75 points

Exam 2                                                                                     125 points

Exam 3                                                                                     125 points

Teamed HRM Recruiting Project                                                  100 points

Individual HRM Interview Research Project                                    100 points        

Class participation                                                                       50 points

Benefits project  (bonus or deduction points possible)                               

In-class activities                                                                         25 points
(more could be added with corresponding increase in total points possible)

 

Total                                                                                         600 points

 

 

 

Examinations

Exams will include a combination of MC, T/F and short-answer questions showing your command of the course concepts and your ability to integrate information. Quizzes are also available on the student CD or website to test your vocabulary and usage of concepts.  Note that the potential essay questions are highlighted with an * on the study guide.

 

The Wartburg Honor Code applies.  No exams may be made up without prior notification and good cause. Anyone caught cheating will fail the exam and/or the course. People are to remain in the classroom until they complete the exam unless approval of the instructor is secured.  No hats with bills, notes, or cell phones during exams.

 

Expectations:  The course is designed to help you think, not memorize information. But to think, you must come prepared to ask critical questions and to discuss assigned text content and cases.  Application to current events will be helpful. 

 

Note that each chapter ends with review and discussion questions, HR IQ, and application cases.  Make sure that you have reviewed them before class so that you are ready to participate in discussion.  No written answers are required unless assigned in class. We may also add video cases throughout the term to help you better understand HR functions.  Make sure that you take notes from speakers and tours to integrate into your essay exam questions.

 

Attendance:  Should you have complications or illness, please call or email me before class if at all possible. Should you miss more than two class sessions or part thereof, your class participation grade may be reduced by up to 10 points for each infraction. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the date due.  Please notify me of health or learning issues that require reasonable accommodation.

 

Class participation requires more than just “being here”: (student job description)

• Arrives on time to class
• Body language shows interest in the class
• Comes prepared to class with chapter/s read and ready to discuss Critical Thinking Questions (CTD?).  These may transition to online discussions rather than always in class.
• Asks stimulating and insightful questions in class and in small group
• Volunteers to answer class discussion questions or provides examples from personal or family work experience.
• Stays on track during small group exercises and respects input from others in group
• Communicates constraints to instructor and/or small groups
• Returns promptly from any breaks and stays until class is dismissed
• Wears appropriate attire that isn’t derogatory or suggestive
• Respectful of speakers by staying awake and being attentive during guest speaker presentations
• Turns off cell phone during class; no leaving class to take calls unless emergency.  No IM / texting during class. 
• Bonus points are available for any class members who successfully invite HR speakers and host them for improved class understanding of the concepts covered.  Please collaborate with your instructor to make sure that the potential timing will work before making any commitments.  We have several speakers already scheduled.

 

Teamed HRM Recruiting Project.  This project can be done by up to two people but each student must research all the sites.  Choose 3 companies in a similar industry or category that interests you and analyze the 3 websites on the basis of the following: (Note:  You may want to focus on larger companies of at least 1000 people or more to have the type of data helpful for the report. Proposed companies must be posted on the Collaboration/Forums/Open Discussion section of the website.  Make sure that you read prior postings before making your selection as these are available on a first-come basis.  Make sure that you post the names of those doing the project) 

 

Research and compare and contrast how the recruiting sections of the companies’ websites vary based upon the following questions: (Note that the organization of the paper may start out with backgrounds on each company but the rest of the paper should be organized by the questions listed, not organized with all answers on Company 1, then Company 2, and finally Company 3.  This is a compare and contrast paper with APA citations for any data that doesn’t come from the company’s website.)  I hope to post these papers so that students interested in the companies can learn from your research.

Backgrounds on each of the 3 companies: 

• Where are they headquartered, how large are they?  Are they publicly traded, privately held, or nonprofit? 
• Describe the information about the company structure and financials that are included on the site.  If it isn’t available, look at other sites to find out how the company is doing financially (be specific in these metrics by showing how profitable the organizations have been during the past 3 years).
• How do the missions and visions of the companies compare as listed on the site? 
• Do you find any evidence of social responsibility, sustainability or corporate governance?  Does the company encourage its employees to be involved in the community? 
• To what extent is ethics profiled in information about the organization?
• How globally focused is the company?  Does that show up on the site?

 

HR Components:

• What types of jobs are available at these organizations as described on these sites?   (If none, you may want to change to another site!) 
• Compare how extensive the actual job descriptions are?  What aspects were included that you didn’t expect?  Did any of the organizations omit job description info that you wanted? What was omitted?   Why do you think the info was omitted?
• Do the sites offer the option of sorting job openings?  On what factors?  How easy is it for you to sort the jobs available? 
• Can you develop and save an online profile for applying to jobs?  In what format/s?
• How do the benefits of the companies compare as listed on the site?  Which benefits matter to you?  Why? 
• How easy is it for you to find career development and training information about the companies?  Does this matter?  Why?
• How clear is their recruiting process?  Do the companies have special recruiting efforts at colleges?  How does that recruiting differ from other recruiting?
  
  

Reflective Summary/Changes:

• How engaging is the content on the website?  Do they have tips to help the user navigate the site or stories about successful employees?  Are any awards for the company clearly available?  What special efforts are made to get candidates to return to the site?  Do they have any videos, podcasts or other graphic components to attract and keep your attention?
• What suggestions do you have for improvements to any of the recruiting sections of the sites? Which site/s do you think is superior and why?  (Bonuses of up to 15 points for letters that are sent to corporate headquarters with positive critiques and constructive criticism for any of the sites and any responses from HR personnel in these companies.)
• What did you learn from this exercise?  How will you use this learning in the future?

 

Procedure for Selecting Companies:  To ensure that we don’t have duplicates on companies, make sure that you post your choice on the collaboration section ASAP.  Note that up to one of your companies can be used by a previous group; two must be unique offerings.  That way you can stake your claim to the company you want with a first come, first “taken” rule!  In your final paper you might want to include screen captures of the sites in your appendix for illustration purposes.  Make sure that you save your paper digitally so that it can be posted onto the web.

 

Individual HRM Interview Research Project on one company.  Contact at least one person in HR or upper management in a company of at least 100 employees to schedule an interview to learn more about how the company approaches/handles the following:  (This will require an interview of at least 45 minutes, not a 10-minute conversation. It also should not duplicate any of the companies profiled by the speakers already scheduled for the term, nor should two people do the same company without a prior OK.)

• Strategic planning for organization including the environmental factors that most impact their organization
• Legal implications regarding discrimination in EEO, ADA, FMLA, reverse discrimination, OSHA, etc.
• Issues of safety and healthy work environment
• HR planning for number and types of jobs.
• Job analysis to develop job descriptions
• Recruitment and selection techniques used
• Testing in the selection process; types of interview questions used
• Orientation, training, and development processes
• Performance assessment and management
• Separating and retaining employees
• Developing a compensation and benefits structure that fairly rewards and motivates employees
• Avoiding unions or working effectively with them
• Managing employees in a global environment
• Continued change to create and maintain a high performance work environment

Summarize the findings of your project in a research paper.  Use secondary web sources to fill in where possible.  Make sure that you have included references to prior research on the company’s HR policies to help you to ask insightful questions. 

 

Rubric for grading HR interview research project:

 

____60%  Fully explores all required sections of project; connects to all HR functions listed in project assignment.  Shows extensive research with competitors, second interviews/contacts, etc.

____10%  Indicates sources with full URL citation.  Includes appendix section of web content that illustrates content discussed in paper

____30% Format of paper includes:  Introductory section with clear thesis of why you selected the topic and any relationship you have to the organization.  How did you go about getting any contacts?  The paper uses headings for subsections of paper.  Single spaced content with blank lines between paragraphs.  Full bibliography of sources in APA style.   Paper is written at a professional level with varied sentence structure, clear transitions, etc.  Content is edited and proofed effectively.  

 

Alternative to HR project to above interview:  Up to 5 people will be selected from those expressing interest through an email to Gloria.campbell@wartburg  by September 14 to work on a marketing research project evaluating information collected from Cedar Valley SHRM chapter.  Students working on this substitute program will learn survey and SPSS software, analyze data, and complete a report to be sent to members of the Cedar Valley Chapter.  A focus group has already been developed and potential questions brainstormed, so the project has already been started.  This could be a substantial addition to any management resume.  On the email, indicate any prior work and/or HR experience, why you are interested in the project, etc.  Also add the emails of at least two references including one faculty member. 

 

Tentative Schedule for Course Topics: (Notification of change possible in class)

CTQ = Critical Thinking Question to be prepared before class for discussion

9/5        Intro to course

 

9/7        Chapter 1:  Managing Human Resources

 

9/10      Chapter 2:  Trends in HRM;

CTQ:  Which of the trends do you feel are most critical to the success of organizations during the next decade?  Why?

 

9/12      Speaker Lisa Smith of LKS Career Connections

9/14      Chapter 3:  Providing Equal Employment Opportunity

            CTQ:  What HR laws recently enacted are the most important?  What laws are still needed?

            Optional email due on special project application 

 

9/17      Diversity in Hiring:  Candidate Conundrum

            Hot Seat DVD Case 10:  Diversity:  Mediating Morality

           

9/19      Finish Chap 3 and start Chapter 4  Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs

            CTQ:  What issues will surface regarding the development of jobs in the new Wartburg Wellness Center?

 

9/21      Ch. 4 Continued

            Proposal due for 3 companies analyzed on MyWartburg collaborative posting site

 

9/26      Test 1

 

9/28      Chapter 5 Planning for and Recruiting HR

            CTQ:  Covered through recruitment analysis project

 

10/1      Finish Ch. 5 & Chapter 6:  Selecting Employees and Placing Them in Jobs

            CTQ:  Case application

10/1      James Anderson on Social Entrepreneurship:  Leadership and Diversity….7 p.m. in Lyceum
                       

10/3      Ch. 6 Selecting Employees

            CTQ:  Which factors in selection are increasing in importance?  Decreasing? 

10/5      Ch. 6 Selecting Employees (Possibly Angie Hubbard on Oct. 1, 3, or 5)

 

10/8      Ch 7:  Training Employees
            CTQ:  If this course were offered online, how would it differ?  Contrast and compare advantages and disadvantages.  What changes do you anticipate of training in the future?

 

10/10    Krista Kirkpatrick from First National Bank

 

10/12    No class; work date while Campbell is in Washington DC

           

10/15    Teamed recruiting project due

Ch 8:  Managing Employees’ Performance

            CTQ:  In what ways is performance management changing?  Staying the same?

10/17    Ch 8:  continued

             Possible trip pending to CUNA Mutual; Van leaves at 11:55 from circle in front of Neumann

            Drive separately or come in my van to start at 12:05 am in foyer of Corporate Offices across from Red Fox

            Turn right into Heritage Way, then right into first parking area or into second lot along Heritage Way

            Go in east main doors; sign in and out for security purposes.  We will try to be done by 1:00 so that you can            get back for 1:15 classes, but you may want to warn your professors of this field trip

            Business casual (no holes in jeans, no t-shirts with ? comments, shorts, bare midriffs, flip flops, etc.)

 

10/19    Career Directions and Connection panel attendance; no regular class

 

10/22    No class; work date for second project proposal:

           

10/24    Ch 9:  Developing Employees for Future Success

            Proposal due by email to Gloria.campbell@wartburg.edu profiling the company and contacts that you are using for your HR interview analysis paper

           

10/26    No class…Fall term break

 

10/ 29   Ch. 10 Separating & Retaining Employees

            CTQ:  What are the impacts on the work environment as a result of firings, layoffs, demotions, etc. on managers, those who stay, and those who leave?

10/31    Catch up on Ch. 9 & 10

 

11/2      Test 2

 

11/5      Ch 11:  Establishing a Pay Structure

CTQ:  What issues develop with pay structures in entrepreneurships? 

                       

11/7      Ch 12:  Recognizing Employee Contributions with Pay

            DVD Case 3:  Negotiation:  Thawing the Salary Freeze

                       

11/9      Chapter 13 Providing Employee Benefits

Video case:  Compensating Workers through Pay and Benefits

 

11/12    Employee benefits discussion continued

 

11/13    Corporation Education Day attendance required at 11:30 to 12:30 in Lyceum

 

11/14    Ch 14 Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations

CTQ:  What are the advantages and disadvantage of unions?  For which types of HR functions are unions critical?    

11/16    Benefits project completed during class

11/19    Safety in the Workplace (from rest of Chapter 3)

CTQ:  In what ways does safety impact the various components/functions of HR? 

Video Case:  Workplace Ergonomics is Good Business

           

11/21    No class in exchange for 11/13 attendance

 

11/26    Ch 15 Managing HR Globally
CTQ:  If you were to be transferred to another country, what HR functions would be impacted and why?

 

11/28    Dana Chapman, AON consulting of Cedar Rapids on trends in global HR and high-performance organizations

11/30    Ch 16  Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations

            CTQ:  What metrics are the drivers of HR in high performance organizations?

            June Watkins, HR manager for Black Hawk County, Waterloo, IA

 

12/3      Ch. 16 continued. 

 

12/5      Ch. 16 continued; Final project due

 

12/7      Final class discussion

 

Final Exam Week          Test 3

 

This syllabus may be changed with notice to students, especially as a result of Outfly.    If you have any questions, please contact Gloria Campbell. I am eager to help you learn more about the exciting opportunities in HRM as a career and how you as a potential manager will implement and be impacted by this function.