Unit 21: Strategic Human Resource Management

Unit code         F/508/0533

Unit level         5

Credit value     15

Introduction

The aim of this unit is to explore the contribution strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) makes towards the development and support of sustainable organisational strategies. Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of seminal and contemporary models, theories and concepts which enable HR managers to make positive contributions to sustainable organisational change and growth from an HR perspective.

On successful completion of this unit students will have the confidence to contribute to strategic decision-making in an HR context. This will be based on strong theoretical and applied foundations which will add value to an organisation’s HR function and role.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit a student will be able to:

• Analyse key external and contextual developments which influence HR strategy.
• Apply contemporary theoretical and practical knowledge of HR development.
• Evaluate how appropriate change management models support HR strategy.
• Evaluate the contribution of HR management and development to sustainable business performance and growth.

LO1 Analyse key external and contextual developments which influence HR strategy

• Strategic HRM and external influences:
• What is strategic HRM and what are the benefits? What are the main external influences on HR strategy?
• What are the generic HR strategies that these external factors influence?

External and contextual developments:

• Contemporary trends and developments in HR such as the impact of globalisation, workforce diversity, changing skills requirements, continuous improvement and processes for improving productivity.
• Changes in HR policy and practice related to current trends and developments. The use of cloud technology for aligning people and processes.
• The impact of technology on the recruitment and selection process, monitoring employees and supporting performance management.
• HR issues in the private, public and third sectors

LO2 Apply contemporary theoretical and practical knowledge of HR development

The theory of HR:

• The history of HR development from personnel to HRM and the growth of strategic HRM.
• Links between organisational strategy and HR strategy: the universalist and contingency approaches to HRM.

The impact of theory on HR practices:

• The relevance of theory to developing organisational HR practice.
• Contemporary HR theories and practices such as flexible work arrangements, performance management, e-recruitment and the 540 performance appraisal.
• The concept of applied HR strategy.

Change management strategies, models and concepts:

• The concept of organisational behaviour and the impact of change on organisational behaviour.
• The use of different approaches towards change management, including: Kotter’ 8-Step Change model, Lewin’s Three Step Change model.
• The relevance of the psychological contract in relation to managing change. The use of Nudge theory to support organisational change and behaviour.

HR Strategy:

• How does change management support and influence HR strategy?
• HR workforce planning, recruitment processes, managing employee motivation and performance management.

LO4 Evaluate the contribution of HR management and development to sustainable business performance and growth

Sustainable performance and business growth:

• What is sustainable growth?
• How does HRM support sustainable business performance and growth?
• The ‘best fit’ perspective and resource-based view emphasis on achieving competitive advantage.
• Evaluating the contribution of HR management through benchmarking and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), 10-C checklist of HRM, the model of capability for skills evaluation and the use of performance management systems.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO1 Analyse key external and contextual developments which influence HR strategy
P1 Determine key current trends and developments that influence an organisation’s HR strategy. P2 Analyse how both external and internal factors influence HR strategy and practice.	M1 Critically analyse the influences of the external and contextual developments and discuss how this impacts on the HR strategy of an organisation.	D1 Critically evaluate the influences of key external and contextual developments applying relevant theories, models and concepts.
LO2 Apply contemporary theoretical and practical
knowledge of HR development
P3 Apply relevant	M2 Examine how human	D2 Evaluate how human
theories and concepts	resources theory relates	resource theory relates to
relating to the growth and	to practice in a specific	practice in a specific
development of strategic	organisational example,	organisational example,
HRM to specific	identifying areas where	comparing and
organisational examples.	this will differ in other	contrasting this with other
	organisational situations.	possible organisational
		contexts.
LO3 Evaluate how appropriate change management
models support HR strategy
P4 Evaluate how	M3 Provide valid	D3 Critique how change
appropriate change	justifications for the	management strategies,
management models	application of chosen	models and concepts
support HR strategy in	change management	could be implemented
application to relevant	strategies, models and	together with reference to
organisational examples.	concepts to demonstrate	consequential benefits
	how they effectively	and potential drawbacks
	support HR strategy.	for an organisation.