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ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIA – 2012/2013

Module 3E5 - Human Resource Management

Leader:

Dr A. Richter

Timing:	Lent
Prerequisites:	None
Structure:	16L

Course content

The course is organised around four themes: Human Resource Management; Comparative systems (EU Germany, Japan and the USA), New Technology and Work; Globalisation and Employment.

AIMS

This course is concerned with human resource management (HRM) within an  international context.  The principal aims of the course are:

• to provide students with a broad and critical understanding of the key problems in human resource management in an international context
• to ensure that students have an understanding of the pressures for change and the impact of innovation on HRM
• to provide students with an understanding how globalisation and innovation are affecting the international division of labour and the way work is organised

SYLLABUS

Human Resource Management

Introduction to, and critical evaluation of, the theory and practice of HRM drawing largely on the experience of UK.; Use of the 1998 Workplace Employment Relations Survey; Management strategy in employment relations focusing upon: the piecemeal adoption of elements of HRM; decentralisation in decision making; and adoption of new forms of communication with employees.

Comparative Systems

Introduction to employment relations in the EU, Germany, Japan and the USA focusing upon the key characteristics of these countries compared with the UK.

New technology

New technology and its impact on management and the nature of the business enterprise focusing upon: the social, economic and political context in which new technology is applied; the impact of new technology upon products, production, skills and working patterns; and the future of work under new technology.

Globalisation

Globalisation and employment focusing upon; world-wide socio-economic and technological forces; the way multi-national firms are driving changes in the work and work organisations and the international division of labour.

Learning outcomes:

On completionof the course, students should:

• understand the central issues of human resource management in an international context;
• comment critically on the impact of technological change on work organisations;
• be able to apply the concepts and theories they have learned to actual cases and  examples from management practice.

Teaching methods:

The course will be taught in a series of lectures, case studies and both group and class exercises. This will enable students to be able to understand the key ideas and central issues of the course and will allow for the application of theoretical concepts to actual cases and examples.

Methods of assessment:

The module will be assessed by a mixture of coursework and examinations.

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Part IIA Courses for references for this module.

Last updated: June 2012

teaching-office@eng.cam.ac.uk