FAST School of Management MBA 1.

5 (Fall 2013)
Course Title:
Credit Hours:
Course Structure:
11:20)

Strategic Human Resource Management and

Leadership
3 Credit Hours
Section A ; Tuesday and Thursday (10:00 to
Section B ; Tuesday (11:30 to 12:50 and
Thursday (1:00 to 2:20)

Instructor:

Dr. Hamid Hassan

Email
Phone:
Office hours

hamid.hassan@nu.edu.pk
+92 (042) 111 128 128 Ex.323
To be announced after the first session

Course Description:
This course provides an understanding of the strategic use of human resources
management from multiple perspectives and defines its contribution for value creation in
combination with an appropriate and successful leadership style. The course will blend
theory and practice by focusing on application side and linking it with the theoretical
underpinnings. In the first part, it discusses how operational view of HRM i.e., by using
and Organizational behavior theory, AMO theory and transactional cost theory etc. can
be translated into strategic view by using resource-base, resource-dependence the
institutional theory etc. In the later part the course will discuss leadership theories and
practices and role of effective leadership in organizational success. The focus will remain
on managerial leadership that can influence followers (i.e., employees) and transform the
pertinent utilization of (human) resources into a strategic success.
The main parts of the course will include:

Text:

The conceptual framework and the practice of Strategic Human Resource

Management
Strategic Planning of Human Resource
Strategic Management of Human Resources
Leaders and Leadership from Ancient to Modern Perspective
The Role of Leadership and the Strategic Success
Suitable, Effective and Successful Leadership for Modern Organizations
Armstrongs Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management 5 th edition by
Michael Armstrong, KoganPage (2011)
Strategic Human Resource Management 4th Edition By Alan Nankervis, Robert
Compton & Marian Baird, Thomson (2002)
Leadership in Organizations Seventh Edition By Gary Yukl, Pearson Education
(2011)

Selected case studies and articles will be distributed in the class

Selected Text will be included from following books:

Strategic Human Resource Management 2nd edition, Edited by Randall S. Schuler

and Susan E. Jackson, Blackwell Publishing (2008)
Human Resource Strategy A Behavioral Perspective Tata McGraw-Hill Edition for
South Asia By George
F. Dreher & Thomas W. Dougherty, McGraw-Hill (2005)
Leadership Theory, Application & Skill Development Second Edition By Lussier &
Achua, Thomson (2004)

Requirements
Class Conduct: The course is designed to be an interactive one, and much of your
learning depends upon your active involvement with the subject matter. This means I
expect you to read the text, think about the class material, and analyze the issues both
before and after the class sessions. A high level of participation from you will make this
course an enjoyable learning experience. Major sources are the required textbook and
your lecture notes. Although there will, of course, be a large overlap between the
textbook and the lecture, these sources are not interchangeable. The lecture may deviate
from the textbook in that (a) some parts of the textbook are dropped or only touched
upon briefly in the lecture, and/or (b) topics not addressed or only very briefly
summarized in the textbook are presented in more depth during the lecture. You will
need to know both the textbook and the lecture notes. In the rare cases that information
in the lecture contradicts that provided in the textbook, the information in the lecture is
relevant for exam.
You are fully responsible for reading, listening to, and recording the required materials. I
will not repeat the lectures personally for those who did not attend classes. I may provide
additional materials, like lecture slides, on a discretionary basis but I do not feel obliged
to do so. If you missed a class, please find a classmate who is willing to share lecture
notes with you. I will be available to give you additional help, if you need to discuss some
specific topic or course related / project related issue. You may visit me during office
hours or otherwise set an appointment by email for this purpose.
Group Activities: The class will be divided into groups that maintain the same members
throughout the term. By maintaining intact groups, the groups become a focal point for
learning and skill development. There will be group projects and group feedback reports.
You are required to form your groups having not more than five members, during the first
week of the course. After the first week if you are not a member of any group, I will
assign you groups and there will be no change in groups after that. The first group
meeting will be on first class day of second week of the term. Failure to be part of this
group formulation will result in not being able to earn any of group project points for the
course.
Examinations: Quizzes will be multiple choice and unannounced, Midterm may contain
short answer questions/case study, Final will contain descriptive questions/case study

Attendance: The absence allowance should give you enough flexibility to deal with
unexpected illness or emergency. There is a penalty for missing class/group activities.
Showing up after a class has begun will count as an absence, as will leaving early. In no
case, there will be exception to this policy.
Class Participation (CP): Class participation is welcomed, expected, and extremely
important for the overall success of this course. I expect all class members to contribute
to class discussions. This should be based upon prior reading, lectures and class
exercises. If you feel uncomfortable getting involved in large group discussions, get an
appointment and see me about strategies for increasing your involvement. You will get
CP points in each class, ranging from negative 1 to positive 10. If you are absent you will
get zero for that class.
Group Project: Each group will select living organization and analyze the HRM system in
that organization. A written report (50-60 pages- double spaced, 12 fonts, Times New
Roman) is to be submitted before presentation of the project. For written report consider
the following.
1- A cover sheet with the title of your report, the course name and number, your
name and student number, and the date of submission.
2- Introduction of the organization and industry and an idea of prevailing HRM
practices in the industry.
3- Vision and mission of the organization
4- Explain the prevailing HRM system and compare it with reference to Ideal SHRM
view.
5- Explain how strategic HRM can produce tangible outcomes for this organization
6- Identify the problem areas with reference to # 4
7- Recommend immediate actions. Explain why other issues do not need immediate
action.
8- Conclusions
9- List of references
Case analysis and presentation: Each group will analyze and present a case study. A
short written report is due before the presentation.
Typing and writing: Assignments/ reports must be typed on A4 size paper. Well written
English and good spelling are expected; I will deduct 10% of the available points for five
or more spelling and/or grammar errors on any assignment. Put your name, registration
number and on all assignments/ reports/ evaluations. Assignments/ reports not fulfilling
the above conditions will not be accepted.
Late submissions: I will deduct 25% of the available points for late submissions.
Further 10% will be deducted for each day after the 25% deductions. No point will be
given once an assignment/exam is returned to the rest of the class. There will be no
exception to the policy.
Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty will result at minimum grade F for the
course. These also include copying the assignments/ reports.

Evaluations:
Active class participation:
Quizzes and Assignments:
Group activities and presentations
Case presentation and report
Project presentation
Project report
Midterm
Final

10%
10%
25%
10%
5%
10%
15%
40%

Class Schedule:
WEEK
#1

CONTENTS
-

Course Introduction; Details of class participation, projects reports and

evaluations
Looking inside for competitive advantage: strategic view and HRM
margins
Case study/group activity
The concept of HRM
The concept of organizational strategy, culture and structure
The concept of Strategic HRM
Case study/group activity
The strategic role of HRM and its impact
Human resource planning
Case study/group activity
Staffing: recruitment and selection strategies
Case study/group activity
Staffing: recruitment and selection strategies
Case study/group activity
Training and development and career development strategies
Case study/group activity
Mid- term Exam

# 13

Performance management and strategic remuneration

Case study/group activity
Performance management and strategic remuneration
Case study/group activity
Leaders and leadership in organizations
Trait and great-man theories and emergence of leadership
Case study/group activity
Behavioral perspective and effective leadership
Case study/group activity
Contingency /modern perspective and suitable leadership
Case study/group activity
Project presentations

# 14

Project presentations

# 15

Project presentations

#2

#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
# 10
# 11
# 12