PA 5343

Human Resources Management

Fall 2006

Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Greg Carpenter
Phone: 972-941-7614
Email: gregc@plano.gov

Overview
Dealing with people is the most difficult challenge that managers face. Public Sector
managers are no exception. Many supervisors and managers were promoted into their
positions based upon technical abilities, efficiency, and work ethic. Unfortunately, those
skills are not a predictor of success in the area of interpersonal relations. Human
resources managers spend a great deal of time dealing with the fallout from mistakes
that are made by technically competent supervisors and managers.

This class will focus on the issues that face public managers and/or HR directors in the
day to day operations of departments within public sector and non-profit organizations.
It will provide a variety of tools, techniques and principles aimed at improving the quality
of human resource management, ultimately affecting overall organizational
effectiveness. Today’s managers will find the topics covered in this class to be
essential to the effective operation of quality public sector and non-profit organizations.

Required Texts:
Evan M. Berman, James S. Bowman, Jonathan P. West, Montgomery Van Wart. 2006.
Human Resource Management in Public Service : Paradoxes, Processes, and
Problems, Second Edition, Thousands Oaks: Sage (ISBN 1-4129-0421-8)
Course Requirements:

Active Participation
You are expected to attend class and actively participate in class discussion. You will
also be expected to read and respond to weekly postings on WebCT. In order to be
prepared for class you will need to carefully read the assigned chapters, case studies
and/or handouts prior to class. Be prepared to discuss the topics that are covered in
the readings. Attendance in class is important to your learning and to the learning of
your fellow students. If you must miss class, let me know in advance. Absences may
affect your final grade.

Topics on WebCT
Most weeks a topic or case study will be assigned as part of the reading. All students
will be required to read the topics and/or case studies and will be required to post a
reaction paper on the topic and/or case study each week on WebCT. The reaction
paper should be brief and to the point. Reaction papers must be submitted by Friday,
prior to the class in which the case will be discussed.

Threaded Discussion
Students should read and respond to the reaction papers of fellow students in the
Topics on WebCT. Each week, students will be assessed on the quality of their
participation in the threaded discussions. All posts to the WebCT threaded discussions
should be made by Sunday night, prior to the Monday class that corresponds to the
topic. The reaction papers will be included as part of a weekly presentation in class
regarding the case.

Final Project and Paper

Working in a group you will be required to present a case study that is based upon on of
the major concept that is covered in the class. The project will include:
• Written material and documentation of the research that is done for the project
• A 20-30 minute presentation over the material (followed by a 10-15 minute Q &A)
• A 6-8 page paper on the subject
• Formal assessment of each team member that works on the project

The objective of the paper is to allow you to explore in-depth an actual case in the area
of human resources management while giving you the opportunity to exercise and
improve your professional research and writing skills. You must cite at least three
different academic sources in the paper, all drawn from books (other than the text), or
peer-reviewed journals. Other sources, such as Internet sites, may be included in your
research but do not count towards the three academic sources. Any standard
documentation technique is acceptable as long as it is consistent and complete. Each
team member must submit an individual paper. Academic sources may be the same,
however each paper must be written individually.
Examination:
The objective of the examination will be to determine your understanding of the material
and will focus on concepts. It will not be an exercise in rote memory. Be prepared for
short answer and essay questions.

Example of a short answer question:

Explain the difficulty in providing a one-size-fits-all policy of dress and grooming to the
staff of a government agency.

Example of an essay question:

Discuss the major factors that affect the quality of recruitment.

Grades:
A = 100 – 90 In class participation 10%
B = 89 – 80 Topics on WebCT 15%
C= 79 – 70 Threaded discussions 10%
F = Less than 70 In class assignments 10%
Midterm Exam 20%
Research Paper 15%
Final Project 20%

UTD Policy on Cheating

Policy on Cheating: Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic
activities. Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the
university. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism,
collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in
whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act
designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts."
Regents' Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2,
Subdivision 3.22.
Schedule
Readings (Berman book) Threaded discussion topics
January 8 Introduction

January 15 MLK Holiday – No Classes

January 22 Chapter 2: Case Study:
Legal Rights and Responsibilities: Doing Sexual Harassment
the Right Things Right
Case Study:
Ethnic Discrimination

January 29 Chapter 3: Case Study – Public Safety

Recruitment: From Passive Posting to promotional systems and
Aggressive Head Hunting minority systems

Chapter 4:
Selection: From Civil Service
Commissions to Decentralized Decision
Making

Groups Finalized

February 5 Chapter 5: No WebCT Posting

Position Management: Judicious Plan or
Jigsaw Puzzle?

February 12 Chapter 6: Pros and Cons of “Pay for

Compensation: Performance”
Vital, Visible, and Vicious

Chapter 7:
Family-Friendly Policies: Fashionable,
Flexible, and Fickle

February 19 Chapter 10: Chapter 143 of the Local

Unions and the Government: Protectors, Government Code
Partners, and Punishers.

February 26 Chapter 9: Case Study – Granite City

Appraisal: A Process In Search of a Building Inspectors
Technique

March 5 Spring Break No WebCT Posting

March 12 Handout – Performance Management Case Study -
Documentation in Discipline
Conducting the Performance Appraisal
Meeting.

Begin Project Performance Appraisals

March 19 Midterm Exam No WebCT Posting

March 26 Chapter 11: No WebCT Posting

st
Quality and Productivity in the 21 Century:
Continuous Improvement

April 2 Chapter 8: No WebCT Posting

Training and Development: Creating
Learning Organizations

Project Papers Due

April 9 Project Performance Appraisals No WebCT Posting

April 16 Final Project Presentations No WebCT Posting

April 23 Final Project Presentations No WebCT Posting