Blok 1A
Course description
In organizations change has become a daily experience of most employees. This course is familiarizing you  with basic insights on managing human and social capital in a changing environment. We do so from two sub-disciplinary perspectives: HRM &Organizational Behaviour. In order to benefit the most from the lectures and tutorials, you are asked in advance to critically analyse various reading materials within both sub-disciplines. Moreover, you are being asked to write research-based papers and integrate analytical knowledge and insights as a group.
 
In the 1A block the course offers 2-4 contact hours per week including:

• 6 plenary sessions (including five guest lectures)
• 7 interactive tutorials on the HRM and Change Management

 
The course in Block 1A is organized in 4 content modules:
§  Module 1: Human Resource Management Systems and Firm Performance
§  Module 2: International HRM and Change Management
§  Module 3: HRM and new employment relationships
§  Module 4: Changes in the HRM function
 
You are encouraged to attend all the tutorials and plenary sessions. You will work in groups and individually, and submit writings via the Bb site. Study activities in this course include both individual and group work:

• Individual work – reading the study materials, writing the final paper.
• Group work (in groups of six students) – writing weekly assignments, preparation of presentations, and participation in discussions during the tutorials.

 
Key words
Human Resource Management, HRM Function, Strategy and HRM Organizational Change/Development, Leadership, Management/Business/Process Consulting, Change Management
 
Assessment
The content of the assignments may vary per semester, however the final grade is constituted as follows:
•         50% will be based on the class contributions / weekly assignments; every submitted assignment has to score higher than 5,4;
•         50%  will be based on the final individual assignments (papers); the topics for the final assignment will be distributed after the last tutorial. A total of 15 research topics will be distributed. Papers have to score higher than 5,4.
Group papers, once received an “insufficient” grade (not higher than 5,4), have to be revised and re-submitted within one week, based on the feedback. Every group may also revise and re-submit papers that get a “sufficient” grade IFF: the group applies two extra articles discussed with the teacher, the group may re-submit maximum two papers in the course. In every case, the highest grade counts. 

The role of guest lectures in the course
We will enjoy real live HRM stories from HR directors from different companies like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines; Philips, KPMG.
You will not have special assignments related to the presentations of the respected invited guests. However, be ready to discuss an application of theories to the “HRM cases” presented by guest lectures.
And – NB! – your individual final assignments (papers) will have questions to analyze / compare HRM systems in 2-3 cases that were presented by the guest lectures.
Tip: do not miss guest lectures; come prepared (check for the information about recent developments within a particular company); ask questions during the lectures; and try to foresee how HRM-related issues in a particular company can be explained by theoretical concepts of the course.
 
Contribution to the programme learning outcomes
This course:

• covers the advanced level of what is known as “soft side” of business administration, i.e. managing social and human capital (or: ‘Human Touch’) in the setting of on-going and/or episodic organizational change;
• serves to nourish students’ attitudes to understand and accept the importance of the human and social side of organizational life, particularly in changing work experiences of (managerial and nonmanagerial) employees ;
• is built on, and aims to contribute to both academic and real life business practices; it aims to support students to be qualified for business and research-oriented positions.

 
Knowledge integration with other courses
This course shapes the fundamental preparation for the BA master electives, related to the research areas within Change Management and HRM. Moreover, it builds and integrates factual and operative knowledge of students within fundamental theories from HRM, OB, Sociology and Psychology that play a vital role in progressing in other MSc courses like MOTI and/or OTIM (Leadership theory;  Social Exchange or Learning theory; the Resource-Based View; Intellectual Capital, etc.). 

Recommended prior knowledge
Basis knowledge on HRM and change management is necessary    


Blok 2B

Course description

• Final group paper: 100%