BSc Management with Industrial/Professional Experience

The course takes a critical approach to study of HR Strategy and practices. It encourages students to delve into empirical and theoretical research literature to engage with and gradually increase their understanding of:

-          The meaning of HRM; how forces external to the organisation shape HRM

-          HR strategy and performance

-          Pay and reward management

-          Training and skills development and  the changing nature of skills

-          HR planning, recruitment and selection

-          Performance management and appraisal

-          Employee involvement, participation and fair treatment at work.

-          Recent trends in HR and employment practices

-          Equality, diversity and work-life balance.

Only available to students on: BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism; IMABS; IM; IBFE and Acctg.

Only available to students on: Mgt/Mgt Specialism; IMABS; IM; IBFE; Acctg.

The course aims to give students an understanding of how human resource management is planned and organised. More specific aims include:

• To examine how and organization’s strategy informs HRM practice and how HRM, in turn, impacts on organizational performance, not just from a narrow economic perspective but also in terms of its impact on the wider society.
• To expose students to a range of theoretical frameworks and alternative views on how HRM works and what it means for organizations and different groups of workers.
• To apply these concepts critically in the in-depth study of key HR strategic practice areas such as recruitment and selection, learning and development, payment and reward, fair treatment, employee involvement, diversity management and work-life balance. 

At the end of the course students should be able to:

a) Identify the links between HR Strategy, practices, contextual forces,  and organisational performance.

b) Understand, review and critique academic work and organizational practice in selected areas of HRM, specifically in relation to HR strategy, policy and practice and considering fair treatment, equal opportunities, worker’s representation, involvement and well-being.

-          Contextual, societal and organizational forces shaping HRM

-          HRM, strategy and performance;

-          Pay and reward management;

-          Training and skills development and  the changing nature of skills

-          HR planning, recruitment and selection

-          Performance management and appraisal

-          Employment involvement and participation.

-          Recent trends in HR Strategy and employment practice

-          Equality, diversity and work-life balance.

Lectures and in-lecture exercises plus guest speakers when possible (HR practitioners and career advisors) and surgeries

Seminars and group discussions.

Optional formative assignment: essay rehearsing answers to hypothetical exam questions.

One exam (100%)

- Informal advice and discussion during lectures and seminars.

- Written feedback on optional coursework.

- Generic feedback posted on Blackboard regarding overall examination performance.

Wilkinson, A., Redman, T. and Dundon, T (2017) Contemporary Human Resource Management: Text and Cases. 5 Edition. Harlow: Pearson.

Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R., and Kynighou, A. (2016) HRM at Work, 6e, CIPD Publishing: London

Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2015) Strategy and Human Resource Management, 4 Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

Wilton, N. (2017) An Introduction to Human Resource Management. London: Sage.

Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: None
Dependent courses: None

Programme Restrictions: Only available to BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism; IMABS; IM; IBFE; Acctg.

For Academic Year 2023/24

Updated: March 2023

Approved by: March UG Committee