essay title: Illustrating your analysis with examples, including those covered during the module and examples from your own organisation or one known to you, discuss the role of human resource management (HRM) in organisations and critically review the link between HRM and wider organisational strategy.
Word count: The recommended length of the essay (1,500 words maximum) must be
respected. Please include the word count of your essay on the front page. A penalty reduction
of 20% may apply to all essays that are more than 10% over the recommended word count.
Please include a cover page that lists the (i) module name, (ii) your name, (iii) your tutors
name, (iv) the title of the coursework essay, and (v) the word count.
Layout: the assignment should be prepared using 1.5 spaced text and 12-point Arial font.
Structure: please include: (i) an introduction (at the beginning of your essay) and (ii) a
conclusion (at the end of your essay), and (iii) separate your essay into clear paragraphs,
making use of sub-headings to clarify which paragraphs contain a separate idea or argument.
Particular attention is paid to the possibility of plagiarism, which is claiming the work of others
as your own. This is a key issue and something that you need to understand and take very
seriously, as you cannot mention others ideas or words you have read or heard about in
different settings (including conferences, interviews) without proper acknowledgement of the
source. More information about plagiarism and how to avoid it can also be found on the
Birkbeck student services website (see above link).
Referencing: please follow conventions for academic referencing (which requires you to use the
Harvard System of Referencing). Please do not make reference to your lectures notes and
avoid referring to entire books, instead choose to refer to specific chapters or articles within
each text, with page numbers also listed.
Module Structure
Week 1 Work Motivation and Job Design
1-1 Week 1 Topics:
Module Introduction and Assessment. Reflections on Management Studies I.
Management and Motivation: Theory X and Y; Maslows Hierarchy of Needs; The
Psychological Contract. Herzberg: Motivators and Hygiene Factors; Locke: Goal Setting.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
2-1 Week 2 Topics:
Human Resource Management: Role and function of HRM: Propositions, Philosophy,
Planning. Equal Opportunities and Diversity.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
3-1 Week 3 Topics:
Leadership, Influence and Power: Management vs Leadership; Styles of Leadership; The
Leadership Continuum; Gender and Leadership.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
4-1 Week 4 Topics:
Groups, Teams and Teamwork: Individual, Groups & Teams; Steps in Team Development;
Belbin Team Roles; Benefits of Teams; Gender and Teams.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
5-1 Week 5 Topics:
Marketing: Role and function; Links to Strategic Management; Influences on Buyer
Behaviour; The Marketing Mix; Product Life Cycle and Wave of Products.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
REFERENCING
– will need at least 5 references
6-1 Week 6 Topics:
Managing Creativity, Innovation and Change. Role and function; the Innovation Process;
Change and the Organisational Paradigm.
Academic Study and Employability Skills.
