Human Resource Management

Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the effective use of human resources in an organization, through the management of people-related activities. It is a strategic organizational activity of increasing complexity and importance. This introductory course covers the range of critical HR issues and core activities that all managers need to understand, including strategic HRM, legal issues, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development, and compensation and rewards. Through interactive lectures and case studies, students become familiar with the basic principles and techniques of strategic HRM. The course takes a practical view that integrates contemporary management thought with practical aspects of implementing HR functions in the real world. It enables students to be effective talent managers and to ensure that people are a source of an organization's competitive advantage. Additionally, the course focuses on a set of emerging, innovation-oriented issues that are applicable across all of the core topics. These include HR and people analytics—to better justify investments in HRM and people, leaders are increasingly looking for ways to leverage data and analytics to drive individual and collective performance; and coaching, mentoring, and performance improvement—leaders and managers are tasked with helping to improve employee satisfaction, growth, and performance, but leaders and managers need support in learning to provide sustained and effective feedback in its various forms. We also cover continuous learning—the organization that learns the most and the fastest will have a competitive advantage; the changing world of work and contemporary issues—the global pandemic and other forces are quickly changing work and organizations, pushing HR professionals to learn and lead in new ways; and equity, diversity, and inclusion—the workforce is changing to reflect societal diversity and organizations face new pressures to demonstrate their commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion.