Department of Strategic Management and Organization Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta Faculty
Ian R. Gellatly, Ph.D.
Professor
Campus Office: 4-21B Business Building
Office Phone: 780 492-5823 (please leave a detailed voice-mail message) E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: https://www.ualberta.ca/business/about/contact-us/school-directory/ian- gellatly
Office Hours: By appointment Class Information
Section Meeting Times Room
A2 Tuesday, 12:30pm to 1:50pm BUS 1-06 Thursday, 12:30pm to 1:50pm BUS 1-06 uLearn course website: https://ulearn.ualberta.ca/
Course and Learning Objectives
The primary objective of this course will be to introduce students to the principles of effective human resource management (HRM), and how these activities occur within a variety of critical contexts (e.g., business strategy, global, technology, legal). Specifically, SMO 311 has been designed to provide both awareness and comprehension of the HRM function, and serves as a foundation course for the other HR classes within the Alberta School of Business. SMO 311 also aspires to incorporate the learning goals of the B Com Program, in particular: critical thinking, global awareness, oral communication, teamwork, and written communications. These learning goals in SMO 311 are measured by the following assessments: (a) Exams will assess knowledge acquisition, critical thinking, global awareness, and written communication; (b) the Group project will assess research skills, knowledge acquisition, critical thinking, organizational and time-management skills, oral communication, and teamwork; and, (c) class attendance and participation will assess professionalism, critical thinking and oral communication.
Link to the HR Profession
As noted above, the aim of SMO 311 is to provide you with the basic knowledge that will help you understand how the different HR activities can fit together into an integrated system that is aligned with organizational goals. For a list of the core knowledge areas needed by HR professionals check out the CPHR Competency Framework. Also, for more information about how SMO 311 as well as other HR courses offered within the school contribute towards the waiver of the NKE exam check out CPHR Alberta (https://www.cphrab.ca/post-secondary-accreditation-program).
Required e-Textbook (available in print as well)
Steen, S.L., Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P.M. (2016). Human
Resources Management. 4thCanadian Edition. McGraw Hill Education.
Textbook website: http://connect.mheducation.com/class/i-gellatly-fall-2017
Method of InstructionThe method of instruction will be a blend of lecture and application exercises (e.g., class exercises, case analyses and discussion). Students are expected to prepare for class (e.g., read the assigned material before class). Attendance is strongly recommended and will be monitored throughout the term. All in-class material and all of the readings are potentially testable.
Evaluation Schedule, Weighting, and Final Grades
Attendance/Participation 5%
Job-Analysis Assignment 5%
Weekly In-Class Quizzes 15%
Exams (3); each exam is worth 20% of your final mark 60%
Group Project: Video Presentation 15%
Evaluation Criteria
Attendance and Participation. Throughout the term we will attempt to apply knowledge through case analyses, class exercises, guest speakers, group presentations, and/or discussions. It is expected that students attend class and actively participate. Marks for this component will be based on individual attendance (when assessed) and my evaluation of the quality of your participation over the term. This component is worth 5% of your final mark.
Job-Analysis Assignment. In Week 4 we will be devoting class time to an exercise that will involve investigating what we know about a particular job (assigned by the instructor) in terms of duties, responsibilities, core work activities/behaviours, and human attributes (e.g., required knowledge, skills, abilities, personality characteristics), organized into a comprehensive job description. Each group will submit their report before the next scheduled class. Note that students should expect to work outside of class to complete this assignment. This component is worth 5% of your final mark.
Weekly In-Class Quizzes. A non-cumulative, mini-quiz will be scheduled most weeks (see Topic Outline). The content covered by each of the scheduled quizzes will be the week's assigned reading with a few items devoted to material presented during the lecture. The instructor will collect the scorecards after each quiz session. Time permitting we will take up the quiz at the end of class. Quizzes will be scored and the marks posted on uLearn later that day. When a quiz is not written or handed in at the scheduled time, a score of zero will be recorded. Your mark for this component of the course will be based on the average of the quiz performances, and worth 15% of your final mark.
Exams. Three non-cumulative exams will be scheduled throughout the term (see Topic Outline for important dates). The content covered by each exam will be all of the assigned readings and lecture notes not covered by a previous exam. In terms of format, expect written short-answer questions.
Together, the three exams will be worth 60% of your final mark (20% each).
Group Project: Video Presentation. For this assignment, students work within their assigned groups (the plan is to do this in Week 3). Each group, in conjunction with the instructor, will select a question to investigate. This assignment will provide an opportunity to learn how to find and process information not only on internet but using relevant data bases at the library. I will try to organize a session where a research librarian comes into the class to provide an orientation of what is available and where to begin. Once you have sourced, read, discussed the research material, the next step is to
summarize your findings and conclusions in a short presentation. This term we will NOT be performing in-class presentations. Rather, each group will be responsible for preparing a 10-minute (no more; no less) video presentation, and submit this assignment to me on or before December 1st 11:59pm.
Presentations will be shared with the class, starting on Tuesday, December 5th and ending on Thursday, December 7th. When called upon, each group will play their 10-minute video in class, followed by a 5 minute question period. The goal will be to run five of these sessions on each day. Note that all group members must be in attendance, must participate in the video, and must be available to answer questions.
Finally, the video file you submit must be easy for me to open without having any special software (e.g., files can be played by Windows Media Player or iTunes). This component of the course will be worth 15% of your final mark.
Information Sources: Use publically-available resources (e.g., relevant University of Alberta library databases; internet search; periodicals; books). Your final video submission must include a comprehensive bibliography using the most recent APA format, including any and all websites that you visited and dates when you accessed these sites. Submit separately.
The University of Alberta Grading System
The University of Alberta uses a letter grading system with a four-point scale of numerical equivalents for calculating grade point averages (GPA). Grades reflect judgements of student
achievement made by instructors. These judgments are based on a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance in a class. Some instructors assign grades at intervals during the course and others assign marks (e.g., percentages) throughout the term and then assign a letter grade at the end.
Instructors must adapt their approaches to reflect the letter grading system.
Historical grade averages by course level are based on university-wide data. For 3rd year
undergraduate courses, the historical university mean is GPA 3.0. University-wide averages are provided for information and reference. They are inappropriate to use for small classes, and must not ever by applied even in large classes. Grades must reflect the level of student achievement. For more information on the updated marking and grading guidelines at the University of Alberta, please go to:
https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/PoliciesProcedures/Pages/DispPol.aspx?PID=101 Academic Integrity, Honesty, and Plagiarism
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at
http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudentB ehaviour.aspx and to avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating,
plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
Use of Electronic Devices in Class
Students are permitted the use of laptops or tablet devices in class to take notes or access the course website or other materials relevant to the class. Other uses are disruptive to the class, the instructor, and other students, and are not permitted. Use of smartphones/cellphones for making or
receiving calls or texting is prohibited. Smartphones/cellphones should be turned off prior to class. Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan.
Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
Week/Topic Outline: SMO 311 Section A2
Week 1 September 5th and 7th Strategies, Trends, and Challenges in Human Resource Management
Read: Chapter 1
Tuesday: Review Textbook Options (Leo Fong from McGraw Hill); Course Overview;
Introduction to HRM
Thursday: Strategies, Trends and Challenges
Week 2 September 12th and 14th The Legal Context for HRM and Creating Safe and Healthy Workplaces
Read: Chapter 2
Tuesday: Legal Context; Case Discussion Thursday: H&S Context; Quiz#1
Week 3 September 19th and 21st Group Assignments and Topics; Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs
Read: Chapter 3
Tuesday: Patti Sherbaniuk (Research Librarian);
Group Assignments, Topics, and Exercise (Developing a Team Charter)
Thursday: Lecture and Quiz#2
Week 4 September 26th and 28th Job Analysis Exercise; EXAM#1
Tuesday: Job-Analysis Exercise (worth 5% of
your final mark; needed for Weeks 5 and 9) Thursday: In-Class Exam (Chapters 1-3)
Week 5 October 3rd and 5th Planning for and Recruiting Human Resources
Read: Chapter 4
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#3
Thursday: Guest Speaker (Renate Burwash, Gateway Association); Exercise (Developing a Recruiting Strategy)
Week 6 October 10th and 12th Selecting Employees Read: Chapter 5
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#4
Thursday: Interview Techniques; Exercise
Week 7 October 17th and 19th Training, Learning, and Development Read: Chapter 6
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#5
Thursday: Case and/or Exercise
Week 8 October 24th and 26th EXAM#2 and Group Projects
Tuesday: In-Class Exam (Chapters 4-6)
Thursday: Guest
Speaker (Ricardo Carlos, Stantec); Group-Project Meetings (in class)
Week 9 Oct 31st and Nov 2nd Managing Employees’ Performance Read: Chapter 7
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#6
Thursday: Exercise (Developing Performance Measures) and/or Case
Week 10 November 7th and 9th Total Rewards Read: Chapter 8
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#7
Thursday: Job Evaluation Exercise
Week 11 November 21st and 23rd Collective Bargaining and Labour Relations;
EXAM#3 Read: Chapter 9
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#8
Thursday: In-Class Exam (Chapters 7-9)
Week 12 November 28th and 30th Managing Human Resources Globally;
Video Presentations; Creating and Sustaining High-Performance Organizations
Read: Chapters 10-11
Tuesday: Lecture and Quiz#9
Thursday: Lecture and Quiz#10
Week 13 December 5th and 7th Group-Project Videos
Tuesday: Groups 1-5 (@ 10 min video+5 min)
Thursday: Groups 6-10 (@ 10 min video+5 min)