Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Managing High-Performance Organisations provides students with an opportunity to broaden their management skills and to relate HRM to general management issues and processes. The unit addresses practical implementation of current practices adopted by successful organisations worldwide. In addition, the unit provides a conceptual underpinning to advanced units including MGN423 Contemporary Strategic Analysis and MGN421 Strategic Human Resource Management.

Aims

Managing High-Performance Organisations is designed to provide a bridge between HRM-discipline specific and strategic/general management perspectives. The unit is therefore a centrepiece of the postgraduate HRM program. The unit serves the vitally important role of locating HRM in to its broader organisational and general management context. It also aims to develop advanced level business knowledge and skill and to develop conceptual frameworks to assist in the high impact integration of HRM with business success and organisational performance.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate during on-line and in-class discussions an understanding of conceptual frameworks, tools and techniques used in high-performance organisations and the critical issues linked to their implementation.
2. Demonstrate well developed general management knowledge and skills relevant to HRM practitioners in contemporary organisations by creating a manual of high performance.
3. Demonstrate through completion of a reflective journal critical thinking about HRM policies, tools and practices.

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

The unit covers current management tools and practices, from the perspectives of managerial expectations, consultant's recommendations, and academic research findings. Rather than focusing on descriptions already covered in introductory units, the content will be oriented towards issues of implementation with regards to people and context, and to critical analysis where appropriate. Topics covered in the unit include:

Business Models

Governance

New ways of working

Outsourcing

Talent Management

Advanced Control Systems

Risk Management

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Delivery mode
The QUT Business School seeks to create postgraduate learning environments that help participants better manage family-work-study conflicts. For example, the units in the Master of Business (HRM) program provide a range of delivery options that offer some flexibility with respect to class timetable. These delivery options vary by unit. Your lecturer will provide details in class. Flexible delivery options are supported by educational technologies to both connect you with others in the unit and with unit content. Whatever delivery option is used, you still have the option of as much face-to-face time with teaching staff as you need to support your study. We encourage you to regularly access the HR Program portal, the unit Blackboard site, attend scheduled classes, engage in on-line activities and make effective use of staff consultation times.

In this unit, flexible study options are provided by a flexible learning approach including learner centred activity and the integration of technology in learning experiences. The initial learning activity is online, with reading and discussion issues in high-performance management through an online discussion forum. Through face-to-face group discussion in class, these ideas are further developed, increasing the depth of understanding and awareness from combined discussion participants' (students') and lecturer's expert points of view. The individual understanding of the issues as developed through the discussion boards and in-class group discussions is confirmed through a post-discussion learning journal reflection. Thus learning is happening in several environments: individual reading and initial discussion board posting, in-class group discussions, and individual assessed learning journal.

The second learning activity is a group task bringing understanding of the issues and practical implications to a practical high-performance organisation context, by preparing an organisational manual on how to create and maintain such an organisation. You will utilise both class time and place as well as other group-determined times and places for working on this assessment.

The lecturer supports learning through participating in discussions, extending or assisting where necessary in-depth understanding through all environments and activities.

Assessment

In this unit, assessment and learning activities are closely integrated. Essentially, your participation and learning form components of your assessment. First, the online discussions and a post class discussion synthesis are submitted as a reflective journal. Then, each week during the in-class discussions, you identify key issues arising from the readings. Identified issues, once developed, discussed and understood provide a resource that you can refer to when preparing for the final assessment piece. You will use your understandings of issues and practical implications for managing high performance organisations from the in-class and online learning activities and apply them to develop an organisational manual as a company guide. Thus you need to be active in online and in-class group activities to be able to complete the assessment items and achieve well.You will receive ongoing formative feedback for both in-class and on-line processes. Assessment item 2, the reflective journal, is an iterative assessment - you receive regular informal feedback from group members and the lecturer during on-line and in-class sessions. Assessment item 1, the high performance manual builds on the learning and understandings gleaned during weekly activities. You receive informal feedback during a whole-of-class question and answer session following the manual of high performance presentation and formal written feedback provided by the lecturer.

Assessment name: Reflective Journal
Description: You participate in weekly reading and discussion activity through online discussions and in-class group discussions. At the conclusion of the in-class work each week, you synthesise final understanding of the issue in a one-page document. You submit a copy of your postings, and a one-page synthesis.
Length: 2,000 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1)
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Weeks 2 to 12

Assessment name: Project
Description: In groups, you take your understanding of the issues in high performance organisations and implications for organisations, and develop an organisational manual for guiding the management of high performing organisations. As with organisational practice, you present your manual at a class briefing. A template for the manual is provided on the unit's Blackboard site. (Marks incorporate self and peer assessment of group processes.)
Length/Duration: 2,000 words
Formative or Summative: Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.2), TW (4.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 13

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed Text
Schermerhorn et al (2011). Management, 4th edition, John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.

Reference

Stone, R (2011) Human Resource Management, John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.

Other Resources
A selection of readings for each session will also be available on the unit's Blackboard site.

There are no out of the ordinary costs associated with this unit.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 24-Jan-2013