OBE 153 | Syllabus

Fall 2003                                                                                           Professor Jerry D. Estenson

 

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
College of Business Administration

 

OBE 153 - MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

T/TH 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM, T/TH 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

 

OFFICE:                          Tahoe 2048
OFFICE HOURS:             T/TH 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM and by appointment
OFFICE PHONE              CSUS Office 278-6781 (Phone)

EMAIL:                             University Email estenson@csus.edu

                                        Private Email jestenso@ns.net

WEBSITE:                        www.csus.edu/indiv/e/estenson

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TEXTBOOKS

Mathis, Robert L. and Jackson, John H. (2003) Human Resource Management 10th Ed. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Publication

 

COURSE OBJRCTIVE

 

This course is an overview course for individuals interesting in developing a deeper knowledge of human resource management. The course will also assist students with human resource management as a career aspiration. All students will gain an understanding of how human resources management is integrated into successful organizations. By course completion, participants should have gained knowledge, which will assist them in performing in entry-level management positions. This knowledge can be demonstrated by their understanding of:

1. How knowledge of theories and practices of organizational behavior, personnel management, labor relations, labor and employment law can be critical in assisting the development and implementation of effective business strategies.

2. The impact of chaotic external forces (global competition, legal changes, social pressure, political whims, economic change, and time compression) on the human dimension of organizations.

3. The effects of rapidly changing internal factors (pay system obsolescence, inappropriate job designs, downsizing, rightsizing, hollowing out, family/job conflicts) that are present in a number of postmodern organization. In dealing with these changes the individual will understand the importance of the ethical implications of changes effecting these organizations.

4. The tools and techniques available to postmodern organizations to help use human resources to meet strategic goals while maintaining a sense of humanity in the organization. In addition, at course completion students will be able to analyze and solve complex human resource problems.
   

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COURSE ACTIVITIES

 

The meetings will be divided between lectures and discussion of: assigned material, case studies, films, videos, and teamwork on a project. Special attention will be paid to expanding your understanding of how the world of work operates. The course is designed to provide a broader view of the human dimension of organizations and will help equip you to deal with career challenges.

 

To make classes a learning and growing experience, it is essential that you read all assignments and prepare all course material prior to class. Only by being prepared can you participate, only by participating can you contribute, and only by contributing can you help create a learning environment.

 

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

Assigned Readings:

You are expected to read the text and assigned reading as well as pay attention to the riveting lectures. There maybe videos and selected films to supplement the written material. You will be responsible for developing a working knowledge of all presented material.

Outside Reading Assignments:

You will be expected to collect and summarize an article relevant to five (5) sections of your human resources manual. The five articles will be from a credible academic source and must be linked to HRM strategies utilized in your manual. As an example, if your section discusses a strategy to create effective job descriptions you will select an article related to job design. Your summary will be no longer than one double spaced page. The page should contain the source of your article (presented in APA style), a summary of the author's key points, and your thoughts on the value of the article. Be prepared to discuss your article in class. Should you be unprepared to present when called on, you will loose 25 points from your course total for each occurrence. These article summaries will be collected at different times during the term.

 

EXAMS:

There will be two full period exams during the course of the semester. In addition there will be a final exam. The final will be based on material not covered in exams one and two.

Every effort should be made to take exams on the scheduled dates. Make up exams are discouraged, however in cases of mitigating circumstances make up exams may be considered.

 

HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL:

Your team will prepare an operational human resources manual. The manual will develop a strategy to effectively manage human resources in an organization you design. The manual will be professionally formatted and bound. Each manual will contain (as a minimum) a section on each of the following areas:

 

1.	Environmental scan to determine an industry in which you recommend a business be started or an organization formed.
2.	A statement of organizational purpose.
3.	A statement of values core principles of the organization
4.	A vision and mission statement
5.	Specific goals and objectives for the organization
6.	Organizational design
7.	Job design
8.	Recruiting plan
9.	Selection plan
10.	Performance assessment plan (this plan will include a system to evaluate each team member's contribution to the project)
11.	Training plan
12.	Compensation plan
13.	Benefits plan
14.	Organizational governance system
15.	Safety and Health plan
16.	Labor relations plan
17.	International operations plan

 

You will be placed on a team during the first week of class. The team will submit a work plan no later than 4 October 2002. The plan will include the performance metric for each team member's performance, task list, activities to complete tasks, individual responsibility for each task, time for task completion, and a statement defining an acceptable product. The work plan will become part of your manual and be considered in the final grade. The manual will be graded on content, depth of research, originality, usability and appearance. The manual should be between at least ten well-crafted pages in length. Should a team fire you, a term paper on a topic agreeable to the instructor will be assigned. Termination of a team member must occur before the end of week ten. In cases of internal strife, the instructor will act as mediator and or arbitrator in the resolution of team conflicts.

 

GRADE CRITERIA:

 

Description	Points
Exams (three at 200 each)	600
Human Resources Manual	250
Readings @ 20 points each	100
Participation (For complete credit: miss less than three classes, present articles when called on, and answer questions.)	50
TOTAL	1000

 

POINT/GRADE DISTRIBUTION

 

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

 

WEEK	ASSIGNMENTS	CHAPTER(S)
WEEK ONE January 28	INTRODUCTION Challenges in HRM	Chapter 1 and instructor slides
WEEK TWO February 4	Human Resource Planning How can we lessen the trauma of layoffs? Redesigning work	Chapter 2 and 6
WEEK THREE February 11	LEGAL ASPECTS OF WORK Finding ways to keep the organization out of court. PRESENT WORK PLAN	Chapter 4
WEEK FOUR February 18	Recruitment., Selection, and Socializing Employees Finding, hiring, and focusing the best and brightest	Chapter 7 & 8
WEEK FIVE February 25	Recruitment, Selection, and Socializing Employees (Cont.)	Chapter 8 EXAM ONE: Chapters 1,2,4,6,7 Test on Thursday
WEEK SIX March 4	Performance Appraisal Systems Measuring human performance	Chapter 3 and 11
WEEK SEVEN March 11	Employee Training and Career Development Staying current and employable	Chapters 9 and 10 Due: Turn in outside article summaries
WEEK EIGHT March 18	Compensation and Performance Based Pay Show me the money	Chapters 12 and 13
WEEK NINE March 25	Compensation and Employee Benefits	Chapters 12 , 13, and 14
WEEK TEN April 1	Employee Discipline Attitude adjustments	Chapter 16
WEEK ELEVEN April 8	Organized Labor From conspiracy to UPS	Chapter17 EXAM TWO: Chapters 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. and 16. Test on Thursday
April 14-18	SPRING BREAK
WEEK TWELVE April 22	Safety Health and Ethics AIDS--Carpal Tunnel Syndrome	Chapter 15
WEEK THIRTEEN April 29	Diversity Understanding Difference	Chapter 5
WEEK FOURTEEN May 6	International HRM Going global	Chapter 18 Due: Last outside articles Due
WEEK FIFTEEN May 13	Presentation of manuals and review for exam
WEEK SIXTEEN	Exam times as schedule in Spring 2003 Class Schedule	EXAM THREE:Chapters 5, 15, 17, and 18.

 

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