36258 - PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student is able to: - Identify the main factors shaping individual motivation at work - Analyze the factors that favor innovation and collaboration in groups - Analyze leadership styles that facilitate the achievement of organizational and personal goals and aspirations - Understand the tools needed to promote an agile work organization

Course contents

This course is designed to provide both theoretical and practical information and insights into human behavior in the workplace. It will draw upon theories and empirical evidence relating to "positive psychology" - of which some leading scholars are Seligman, Achor, Cameron. In doing so, this course aims to analyze the individual aspects and organizational dynamics that facilitate individual growth and development and collaboration in a contest of high uncertainty, multiculturalism and openness to international markets. The architecture of the course is based on the framework developed by Daniel Cable in his book “Alive at Work”, using the recent empirical evidence resulting from the integration between neuroscience and behavioral sciences, we will analyze the factors that have a positive impact on the seek system, which shapes individual behaviors and motivation.

Readings/Bibliography

Cable, D. 2019. Alive at work. Harvard University Press.

Additional readings and scientific articles will be distributed in class and on the website: virtuale.unibo.it

Teaching methods

Assignment of theoretical readings (HBS articles & other publications), case method, simulations, discussion, role playing, group/team projects (including final project/case). Students will be expected to participate during class and be able to draw upon and apply their work experiences. A final project (carried out and delivered in groups) will be presented during the last class meeting.

Assessment methods

Marks are intended on a numerical grade scale (0 to 30), being 18 to 30 the passing grade range.

The final examination will consist of two main dimension:

• Teamwork 50%
• Final Individual paper: 50%

Teamwork: Outline a People Strategy (50%)

Your team is working as a consulting team for a multinational company. You have been asked to help the HR management in outlining a new “People Management Strategy” that can help the company to thrive in this uncertain and complex scenario after the pandemic.

The People Strategy is a plan that enables the company to create value. It helps the company to attract, retain, develop, and inspire its workforce. It is the instrument that, aligned with the business strategy, enables a company to attain its most important goals. It is a sort of roadmap that will help a company to grow using its most important assent: the human capital. The company is asking your help as, due to Great Resignation trend, 15% of its internal workforce resigned in the last months (also many high-talented people), making at risk the future development and career growth.

The “People Strategy” plan has usually four components:

1. It outlines the necessary policies and practices that will enable the company to get the necessary capabilities for performance.
2. It clarifies the main culture and values of the company.
3. It outlines some strategies and actions to attract and retain the talents needed.
4. It helps designing a great people experience.

In developing the People Strategy, you must integrate the key pillars of the seeking system, showing what factors enable people’s engagement and motivation, according to the book by Daniel Cable (2019) Alive at work. In particular, the book shows that people’ seeking system is activated when:

1. People can use their unique strengths and skills at work (i.e., self-expression)
2. People feel free to experiment, take risks and keep control over their tasks (i.e., experimentation)
3. People perceive a great meaning associated with their job (i.e., purpose).

Web resources:

• HBR Video on Strategy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Ik1OB4TaE
• Interesting visualization of People Strategy at University of Lancaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFNIpyz5LqQ
• Steve Job on people Management: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60dheI4ARg
• People Strategy at Spotify: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG29dvZRIsI

The people management strategy will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Conceptual framing (25%): The People Strategy is clear, concise and it presents the overall philosophy of the company as well as the main actions to attain its goals.
2. Academic Framework (25%): Students show a good capacity to link the People Management Strategy to theoretical frameworks and concepts discussed in class
3. Practical relevance (25%): The proposed strategy is doable, relevant and matching the characteristics of the contemporary workplace.
4. Final Presentation (25%): Clarity, originality, and creativity of the final presentation

Exam –

Students will evaluate one company’s “People Statement” from its annual report. Students can choose from company statements that will be provided on the day of the exam. Incorporating the topics, we have learned in class, students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the company’s People Statement.

Things to consider will be:

• What is good about the statement?
  • Why?
  • How does it relate to the topics from class?
• What is bad / missing from the statement?
  • Why is this a problem?
• What could be added from the topics from class?
• Are there any parts of the statement that are questionable?
• Are there parts of the statement that are irrelevant?

Considering your past work experience, what would you like to see from such a statement?

Teaching tools

Slide, articles and additional material will be available online on the institutional platform.

Office hours

See the website of Marcello Russo