HANOI UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM

MGT5HRM
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Spring 2018
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 2

Course details
Course code MGT5HRM Course name Human Resource Management
Credit 3 Prerequisite MGT5ITM (Introduction to Management)
Term Fall 2018 Level Undergraduate
Course Coordinator Thu Hoang, Ph.D.
Thu Hoang, Ph.D
thuhg@hanu.edu.vn
Instructor(s)
Hieu Nguyen, MA
hieuntm@hanu.edu.vn
The syllabus contains important information. Please ensure that you read it carefully.
It is also strongly recommended that you keep this copy of your syllabus for future reference.

Course Description
Human resource (HR) is considered as the most important asset for organizations. The ability to attract,
develop, and retain a capable work force therefore is crucial for organizations to achieve their strategic
goals and bring desirable “values” to key organizational stakeholders. The values include not only
profits but also employee growth, satisfaction, and well-being, protection of the environment, job
creation, and positive contributions to local community where the organizations are located. Commented [TH1]: Introduce why the course is important

This course will cover the key HR functions that help organizations in acquiring, preparing, developing,
and compensating their employees. Specifically, the areas of job analysis, recruitment and personnel
selection, performance appraisal and management, and training and development, and compensation
will be the foci of this course. In addition, the course emphasizes the importance of understanding the
present and emerging external issues such as economic recession, legal issues, and globalization to
effective human resource management (HRM). Commented [TH2]: Key topics of the course

The material for this course will be presented through text, lectures, case studies, and class
exercises. Obviously, students are not expected to master this material before class, but failure to
familiarize yourself with the material will put you at a definite disadvantage. The tentative schedule of
reading assignments is included in this course profile. Commented [TH3]: Standardized Text. Apply to all

Learning Outcomes Commented [TH4]: Learning outcomes can be described in

terms of knowledge, skills, ability or competency

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to Some basic competency can be just simply copied from this model:
https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/competency-
 Understand models/building-blocks-model.aspx

 Apply There are 5 tiers in this model. Tier 4 and 5 are for specific Industry
 Appreciate where you can adapt but generic competencies such from Tier 1-3
can be simply used if you believe they are suitable for your course.

For example, here is the competency for “Teamwork”

Course materials https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/blockModel.as
px?tier_id=3&block_id=1403

I am happy to assist you on this should you need my assistance.

 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 3

You must purchase or have access to the following text.

Gomez-Mejia, LR, Balkin, DB & Cardy, RL 2012, Managing Human Resources, 7th edn, Prentice Hall.

Please note that the book is written for United States market. Due to substantial differences between
US and Vietnam in terms of the socioeconomic conditions, government administration, legal
environment, demographic characteristics, national cultures, and the HR practices used by local and
multinational corporations, students are encouraged and ultimately rewarded for reflecting on and
making connection between US and Vietnam regarding the course’s topics, exercise, and homework. Commented [TH5]: Note on course materials (if any)

Course communication
A Google Classroom (www.classroom.google.com) for this course has been created and you will be
invited to join prior to the start of the course. All the materials of the course will be provided on this
platform. Students who are not registered on the Google Classroom are not qualified to sit for the Final
Examination. Commented [TH6]: Standard Text. Apply to all course

Students with Disability

If you have a disability and are in need of academic accommodations, please notify me immediately to
arrange needed supports.

Academic Honesty
Faculty of Management and Tourism strictly prohibits all forms of academic cheating, fraud, and
dishonesty. These acts include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, buying and selling of course
assignments and research papers, performing academic assignments (including tests and examinations)
for other persons, and other practices commonly understood to be academically dishonest. Acts of
academic dishonesty may result a failing grade on the exam or assignment for which the dishonesty
occurred or failing the course.

Course structure
The structure of this course for on-campus students comprises of one 2.5 class hour lecture and one 2.5
class hour tutorial per week.

Grading and Assignment

Your course grade is comprised of the following 5 elements:

1. Active Class Participation (10%) 10 points

2. Discussion of a HR issue (20%) 20 points
3. Midterm Examination (20%) 20 points
4. Final Examination (50%) 50 points
Total 100 points Commented [TH7]: Be spefic
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 4

Each of the assignment is described in more detail below:

1. Active Class Participation (10%)
It is important for students to attend all classes and to be punctual. Remember, you will learn by doing,
not by passively listening. To do this you must be there, you must be prepared, and you must be
involved.

Participation Quality. To facilitate active participation by everyone, it is important that you have a
shared vision of what constitutes a contribution. Contributions can be and are:

 Preparation for case study discussion

 Making observations that integrate concepts and discussions.
 Citing relevant personal examples.
 Asking key questions (in class and on Google Classroom) that lead to revealing discussions.
 Participating in discussions on Google Classroom
 Engaging in devil’s advocacy: Disagreeing with the instructor when the difference of opinion
serves as both counterpoint and a way of exploring all sides of a concept, issue, or practice.
 Working with others to come to a common understanding of the topics – in and out of the
classroom.
 Pulling your own weight on group projects and participating enthusiastically in classroom group
activities: Being an active participant in group discussions.

Contribution is not continuously dominating class and group discussions. It also means listening to what
others say – they have a right to contribute (and you may even learn something!).

Marks for classroom contribution will be allocated in the following manner:

Students in this category provide leadership in
and out of the classroom and on the online
classroom and work toward enhancing the
Exceeds Expectations 9 – 10
interpersonal dynamics of the class. Rather than
dominating the setting, they act as facilitators,
bringing others into the discussion.

For showing an active interest in class activities

and participating in classroom (including Google
classroom) discussions; for regularly making
Meets Expectations 7 – 8
insightful comments which help others to
understand the course material; for being a
positive group member, etc.

For attending class on a regular basis and only

Does not Meet Expectations 5 – 6 occasionally contributing to the classroom
experience.
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 5

For failing on all the previously identified ways of

Fail - under 5
contributing.
Note on Case Study Preparation. Cases are extremely important in studying business as mere listening
to lectures and/or reading textbooks do not build students’ management skills or provide them with
managerial wisdom they need to apply to real-world business issues. Cases provide would-be managers
like you the opportunity to deal with real business issues of real managers in real organizations. For this
reason, a list of HR-related cases has been carefully selected for the course. Prior to each tutorial, you
are expected to read the assigned case(s), prepare a written summary, and provide answers to all case
study critical thinking questions.
For each assigned case, students should focus on:
a. The main HR issue(s) raised in the case that is/are relevant to the readings and the assigned
case questions. In this section, fully describe who was involved, doing what, in what
sequence, with whom, and the outcomes that chain of events resulted in.
b. Briefly explain how the case issue(s) described above relates to the specific course theories,
models, terms, and concepts. Explain how or why the issue(s) is/are significant from a HR
perspective.
c. Provide answers to the ‘Critical Thinking Questions’ at the end of the case(s).
2. Discussion of a HR issue (20%)
Each week, starting from week 2, except for midterm and REI week, a group of two or three students
will be responsible for discussing a HR issue (see the list of available issues in the proposed schedule).
Students are expected to thoroughly discuss the issues as well as its implications to HR practice. Making
a connection between the topic and Vietnam situation in the forms of application, reflection, or
‘compare and contrast’ is highly encouraged.
You will present your discussion of your assigned issue at the beginning of the corresponding tutorial.
Presentations should be 15 minutes or less. It will be followed by a short question and answer session.
Visual aids are allowed in the forms of handouts, poster, flipchart, or blackboard only (i.e., no electronic
means). All members of the team are required to participate in the presentation. The group is required
to submit a written discussion of the HR issue 2 days before the deadline and provide an update of their
work (if any) after their presentation, both through Google Classroom.
*** If you have unresolved issues with other group member(s) regarding the presentation, be sure to
bring them to my attention immediately and before the due date.
I will score your team’s performance based on (a) your ability to communicate your analysis of the issue
effectively to the audience (i.e., the importance of the issues, its implications on HR practices, and its
connection to Vietnam situation), (b) how well you integrate the course material into your presentation,
and (c) your professionalism. Your peers will also give you presentation feedback, during the Q&A
session, which will not count toward your grade.
3. Midterm Examination (20%)
The midterm will include multiple choice questions. There will be NO make-up exams except for serious,
documentable reasons. Please bring pencil and eraser to the mid-term.
4. Final Examination (50%)
The final examination may consist of several types of questions including multiple choice question,
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 6

short answer question, long answer or situational question, and case study. This is a two hours
examination and the official format will be notified by week 8.

Proposed weekly schedule

Please note that REI Business week for Spring 2018 is from April 16-20, 2018. It is not included in the
following schedule

Week 1
Introduction: Expectations and syllabus review.
Lecture 1: Meeting Strategic Human Resource Challenges
Case study: Case 1.3 Discussion: Managers and HR Professionals at Sands
Corporation: Friends or Foes?
Reading: Chapter 1, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012).
Presentation topics: N/A

Week 2
Lecture 2: Managing Work Flow and Conducting Job Analysis.
Case study: Case 2.3 Global: The Dilemma of Offshore Outsourcing.
Reading: Chapter 2, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012).
Presentation topics:
1. Are job descriptions really necessary? What would happen if a
company decided not to use any job descriptions at all?
2. Suggest some ways a manager can make changes in work designs
so that employees are able to achieve greater work–life balance.

Week 3 & 4
Lecture 3 & 4: Recruiting and Selecting Employees
Providing Equal Employment Opportunity
Case study: - Case 3.2 HR in Small Business: Can an Employee Be Dismissed for
Lacking Beauty for the Job?
- Case 5.5 HR in Small Business: One Job, Many Roles
Reading: Chapter 3 and 5, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. Recent economic difficulties, restructurings, and plant closing have
left many people without jobs and looking for new career paths. A
hiring employer can now enjoy being able to select from among far
more applicants than typical. Unfortunately, many of these
applicants lack qualifications for the jobs. How can a hiring
employer avoid or deal with this glut of unqualified applicants?
How can the problem be approached in recruitment? In selection,
what tools would you recommend when an employer is facing a
large number of applicants?
2. Should applicants be selected primarily on the basis of ability or on
personality/fit? How can fit be assessed?
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 7

3. Explain why HR decisions should be heavily regulated. Based on

your analysis of current social forces and legal system in Vietnam,
what new HR-related laws or regulations do you think should be
passed or issued in the next few years?

Week 5
Lecture 5: Managing Employee Separations, Downsizing, and Outplacement
Case study: Case 6.3 Emerging Trends: From Turnover to Retention: Managing to
Keep Your Workers
Reading: Chapter 6, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. The Manager’s Notebook, “Job Hopping: Voluntary Is Part of the
Business Environment in India and China,” addressed job hopping.
Do you think it is becoming more prevalent? If you are a manger,
do you think job hopping is an issue? How would you deal with it?
2. The departure of senior workers through retirement can mean that
years of experience and knowledge are walking out an
organization’s doors. This “brain drain” can ripple an organization’s
ability to remain competitive, particularly if it is difficult to regularly
hire younger talent. What approaches would you recommend to
reduce this problem?

Week 6
Lecture 6: Appraising and Managing Performance
Case study: Case 7.5 HR in Small Business: Let’s Do It Right
Reading: Chapter 7, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. Superficially, it seems preferable to use objective performance data
(such as productivity figures), when available, rather than
subjective supervisory ratings to assess employees. Why might
objective data be less effective performance measures than
subjective ratings?
2. “Occasionally an employee comes along who needs to be reminded
who the boss is, and the appraisal is an appropriate place for such a
reminder.” Would the manager quoted here be likely to use a
rational or a political approach to appraisal? Contrast the rational
and political approaches. To what extent is it possible to separate
the two?

Week 7 Mid-term Examination

Week 8
Lecture 7: Training the Workforce
Case study: Case 8.1 HR in Small Business: Training Employees in a Small Business
Reading: Chapter 8, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 8

Presentation topics:
1. How effective do you think training can be in raising employee
motivation?
2. Training provides workers with skills needed in the workplace.
However, many organizations have dynamic environments in which
change is the norm. How can training requirements be identified
when job duties are a moving target?

Week 9
Lecture 8: Developing Careers
Case study: Case 9.2 HR in Small Business: Being Big on Development in Small
Business
Reading: Chapter 9, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. It has been argued that training can lead to turnover, but career
development can reduce it. Differentiate between training and
career development. Why might training lead to turnover whereas
career development might improve retention? Explain.
2. Today’s organizations are flatter and offer fewer opportunities for
advancement. How do you think careers should be developed in
this type of organizational environment?

Week 10
Lecture 9: Managing Compensation
Case study: Case 10.1 Discussion: Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness. Well, on Second
Thought …
Reading: Chapter 10, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. Several companies are moving in the direction of compensating
employees with nonmonetary rewards in lieu of higher wages (see
the Manager’s Notebook, “Rewarding Employees with
Nonmonetary Compensation”). Why do you think this is
happening? Do you think this is a good thing for companies and
employees? Explain.
2. One observer argues that external equity should always be the
primary concern in compensation, noting that it attracts the best
employees and prevents the top performers from leaving. Do you
agree?

Week 11
Lecture 10: Other Issues in Compensation (i.e., Rewarding Performance and
Designing and Administering Benefits)
Case study: Case 11.3 HR in Small Business: How Should Incentive Money Be
Distributed?
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 9

Case 12.3 Ethics: Google’s On-Site Child-Care Policy Stirs up a

Controversy
Reading: Chapter 11 & 12, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. This chapter identifies three assumptions underlying pay-for-
performance plans. Do you believe these assumptions are valid?
2. One observer notes that “the problem with using pay as an
incentive is that it is such a powerful motivational weapon that
management can easily lose control of the situation.” Do you
agree? Why or why not?
3. How might the increasing diversity of the workforce affect the
design of employee benefits packages in large companies?

Week 12
Lecture 12: Developing Employee Relations
Managing Diversity
Case study: Case 13.1 HR in Small Business: Treating Employees Like Family Is Good
for Business
Reading: Chapter 4 & 13, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. Do you think most employees have reservations about using an
appeals procedure such as an open-door policy? What can
managers do to convince employees that the available procedures
are fair and effective?
2. Millions of people use social networking Web sites, such as
Facebook and Instagram, to share personal information, including
photos and videos with their friends. Should companies use social
networking Web sites as a communications tool to build employee
networks? What are the advantages and the disadvantages of using
social networking Web sites as informal communication channels
for employees?

Week 13
Lecture 13: International HRM Challenge
Case study: Case 17.4 Ethics: When in Rome Do as the Romans Do? The Case of
Foreign Bribes
Reading: Chapter 17, Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy (2012)
Presentation topics:
1. How might an international firm trying to adapt HRM practices to
the local culture produce worse results than it would produce by
“exporting” HRM practices from the home office?
2. Some people believe that U.S. MNCs should serve as vehicles for
cultural change in developing countries by introducing modern U.S.
HRM practices and instilling values (such as punctuality and
efficiency) in the workforce that are necessary for industrialization.
 Human Resource Management – Course Outline 10

Do you agree with this assertion? Explain.

Week 14 Revision for Final Examination