| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Innovation, Science & Sustainability |
| Unit Title: | Human Resource Practice and Strategy |
| Unit ID: | BUMGT3106 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BUMGT2104) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (BUHRM3702) |
| ASCED: | 080303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Today’s human resource (HR) professionals not only need to be equipped with a comprehensive understanding of various aspects of HR practices but also with an understanding of the alignment between HR strategy and business strategy. The understanding of this alignment is vital for supporting the growth of their organisations as well as fostering the development and well-being of their employees and society in general. Thus, this unit blends Strategic Management and Human Resource Management (HRM) disciplines, focusing on how HRM Practice and Strategy influence the creation of effective business strategies and are pivotal for their execution. This is done by defining the HR strategy, explaining its integration within an organisation’s overarching strategy, and its influence on the organisation’s potential for success. This is further elaborated by explaining how HR strategy adapts to different organisational, industry, and societal contexts. To summarise, this unit aims to examine the role of HRM practice and strategy in contributing to the long-term performance and viability of the organisations. This unit will be taught mainly from the perspective of HR managers and practitioners. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Evaluate significant HRM activities at the functional, operational and strategic levels of an organisation using relevant HRM theory. |
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| K2. | Analyse the effectiveness of HR policy and strategy within an organisation. |
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| K3. | Explain how work can be organised to maximise the contribution of an organisation's labour efforts. |
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| K4. | Identify the complex relationship between strategic and operational HR activities. |
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| K5. | Relate the impact of environmental and other factors on strategic HRM. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop effective HR strategies to meet organisational needs. |
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| S2. | Integrate HR strategies with the strategic direction of an organisation. |
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| S3. | Apply established theories of strategic HRM to organisational strategic contexts. |
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| S4. | Interpret and relate HR strategies and operational activities to specialist and non-specialist audiences. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply strategic HRM concepts in a variety of HR and industry contexts. |
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| A2. | Demonstrate initiative and judgement in the application of strategic HRM practices. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics may include:
1. Introduction to the unit.
Human resource management: what and why?
2. Strategy and strategic management
3. Strategic HRM: ‘best fit’ or ‘best practice’?
4. Strategic HRM and sustained competitive advantage
5. Building a workforce: the challenge of interest alignment
HR manager: a trusted partner
6. Employee voice, social legitimacy and strategic negotiations
7. Workforce performance and the ‘black box’ of HRM
8. Culture and change leadership
9. Expert practice and enabling organisations
10. HR strategy in services, manufacturing and multidivisional firms
11. HR strategy in multinational firms
12. Reviewing and enhancing HR strategy |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Evaluate current theories of Human Resource Management Practice and Strategy and apply them to HRM-related scenarios | Individual written assignment | 10-30% | | 2. | K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | As a group, complete a critical, research-based analysis of a strategic human resource management topic in the context of the Australian business landscape | Group assignment (report and/or presentation) | 30-50% | | 3. | K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Final assessment. It covers material from the whole semester. | End of semester Assignment | 40-60% |
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