WOLLO UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMNET
COURSE OUTLINE FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (MBA: 512)
Course Description
Human Resource management belongs to all organizations. Its focal point is people; people are
the life blood of organizations. Hence, this course is designed to offer conceptual framework and
insights that can be used in managing this human resource. It emphasizes on: overview of HRM
(emerging HR challenges; changing role of HR; the evolution, importance, scope and component
of HRM), human resources planning and development, attracting the talent (recruitment,
selection of personnel), induction, placement, training and development; performance planning
and appraisal; wage and salary administration and/or the human factor in work design &
compensation plans & incentive schemes (reward system); morale and motivation; discipline;
maintenance and safety; industrial relations; collective bargaining; grievances and grievance
handling; HRM in multinational (& transitional) enterprises. It also focuses on newly emerging
issues of Human resource like diversity and its management, empowerment, HIV/AIDS and the
workplace.
Course Objective
At the end of this course student will be able to:
 Gain an insight about the operative functions of personnel management
 Understand the importance and significance of human resource as an asset
 Acquire a broader perspective on managing human resource effectively.
 Understand the dynamic nature and applications of human resource management in
business and other organizations
 Be aware of the environmental influence experiencing human resource and how to deal
with these factors
 Have a clear understanding of human resource handling mechanism
Course Outline
Chapter One: Introduction to Human Resource Management
1.1. Definition and back ground
1.2. From Personnel Administration to Strategic HRM
1.3. HRM philosophies and schools of thoughts
1.4. Importance and objectives of Human resource management
1.5. The Strategic Value of HRM for Employees and the Organization
1.6. HRM’s contribution to profitability, efficiency, and effectiveness
1.7. The human resource management process, opportunities, challenges, and recent trends in
HRM
1.8. HRM environments
1.9 HRM models
1.10. Factors contributing to the growing importance of HRM
1.11. Key responsibilities of HR manager
1.12. Strategic planning and strategic trends
1.13. An Organization’s Strategic Planning Process
1.14. HR’s strategic role
Chapter Two: Job Analysis & Job Design
2.1. Meaning and definition of job analysis
2.2. Steps in job analysis
2.3. Methods of collecting job analysis information
2.4. Importance of job analysis information
2.5. Potential problems with job analysis
2.6. Job design
2.7. Implications of Demographics, Diversity, and Globalization for Job Design
Chapter Three: HR Planning, Recruitment & Selection, and Training
3.1. HR Planning
3.1.1. Meaning and definition of Human resource planning
3.1.2. Importance of human resource planning
3.1.3. Steps[procedures] in human resource planning
3.1.4. Factors affecting human resource planning
[Link] resource information system
3.2. Employee Recruiting
3.2.1. Features of recruitment
3.2.2. Purpose of recruitment
3.2.3. Factors governing recruitment
3.2.4. Sources and methods of recruitment
3.3. Employee Selection
3.3.1. Selection criteria
3.3.2. The selection processes
3.3.3. Factors governing selection
3.4. Orientation [induction]
3.4.1. Purpose of orientation
3.4.2. Levels of orientation
Chapter 4: Human Resource Training and Development
4.1. Introduction to training
4.1.1. Rationale for training
4.1.2. Training needs analysis (TNA)
4.1.3. Process of training
[Link] and approaches to training
4.1.5. The role of training managers in training
4.1.6. Evaluation of training
4.2. Human Resource Development
4.2.1. Theoretical components of HRD
4.2.2. The need for HTD
4.3. Career development
4.3.1. Rationale for career development
4.3.2. Stages in career development
4.3.3. New model of career development
Chapter Five: Performance Appraisal
5.1. What is Performance appraisal?
5.1.1. Purpose of performance appraisal
5.1.2. Performance appraisal steps
5.1.3. Problems associated with performance appraisals
5.1.4. Performance appraisals methods
Chapter Six - Compensation
6.1. The Motivational Role of Pay and Rewards: A Psychological Framework
6.2. Compensation and incentives
6.3. Pay structures
6.4. Types of pay
6.5. HR laws governing compensation
6.6. The strategic importance of benefits
6.7. Types of benefits
6.8. Voluntary versus mandatory benefits
6.9. Benefits program design and administration
Chapter Seven - Employee Relations
7.1. Theoretical framework of employee relations
7.2. Labor relation and labor laws
7.3. Collective bargaining
7.4. Grievance and discipline at the working place
7.5. Framework of organization of justice in an organization
7.6. Grievance management procedure
7.7. Discipline management
7.8. Workers participation in management
7.9. Trade unionism and collective bargaining
7.10. Regulatory framework for collective bargaining for Ethiopia
Chapter Eight: Work force diversity management
8.1. Introduction to work force diversity
8.2. Dimensions of work force diversity
[Link] management
8.4. Diversity management strategy
8.5. Approaches in managing diversity
8.6. Factors for the rise of workforce diversity
8.7. Work force diversity and employee performance
8.8. Reasons for diversity management in organizations
8.10. Barriers to effective diversity management
Chapter Nine – International Human Resource Management (IHRM)
[Link] concept and reasons for IHRM
[Link] features of IHRM
[Link] diversity and IHRM
9.4. Sources of human resources in an international organization
9.5. International human resources management activities
Chapter Ten: The Future of Human Resource Management
10.1. Globalization and HRM
10.2. Technology and HRM
10.3. HR Legislation and the Future of HRM
10.4. Future Trends in Human Capital and Talent Management
Reference
1. John. M. Ivancevich, Human Resource Management, 7th ed., 1998
2. Dessler: Human Resource Management, 9th ed.1998
3. Edwin B. Personnel Management,1998
4. [Link] and Leslie [Link]: Human Resource Management,1997
5. Margaret Attwood and Stuart Dim Mock: Personnel management ,1999
6. Margaret Foot Caroline Hook: Introducing Human Resource Management 1998
7. Wendell L. French: Human Resource Management,1996
8. Shaun Tyson and Alford York, An introduction to Human resource Management 1st ed,
2001
9. Hagel, J. and Armstrong, A.G. Net Gain: Expanding Markets through Virtual
Communities, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA, 1997.
10. Leonard-Barton, D. Wellsprings of Knowledge: Building and Sustaining the Sources of
Innovation, Boston, MA, Harvard Business School Press, 1995.
11. Manz, C.C. & Sims, H.P. Super Leadership: Leading Others to Lead Themselves,
Prentice-Hall, Berkeley, CA, 1989.
12. Peters, T. Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution, Pan Books,
London, UK, 1989.
13. Senge, P.M. (1990), The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning
Organization, New York, NY, Doubleday.
Assessment and Evaluation:
 Seminar (10%)
 Organizational visit report (10%)
 Individual assignment: Article review (20%)
 Final Exam (60%)