B0168 - PSICOLOGIA DELLE RISORSE UMANE E DELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student:

• understands the main approaches and areas of intervention developed by applied psychology for optimal human resource management in organizations;
• masters the most important psychological and psychosocial theories underlying these approaches and can evaluate their limits and criticisms.
• The student also develops methodological skills that favor the understanding and use of techniques and human resource management tools, particularly in the following areas: job analysis, search and selection, performance evaluation and management, career development, work engagement.

Course contents

The course is divided into two modules of 20 hours each, the first taught by Prof. Luca Pietrantoni and the second taught by Prof. Marco Giovanni Mariani.

Module 1: Operation and Innovation of Organizations (Prof. Luca Pietrantoni) Module 1 aims to provide a solid theoretical and practical base in the field of psychology applied to work and organizations. The most frequently used methods in this field will be presented, with a careful analysis to understand their functioning and effectiveness. The module will also explore a series of constructs and areas of intervention essential for effectively managing organizational processes. The main educational objectives of the module are:

1. Deepen understanding of the concepts of work motivation, job satisfaction and work commitment (work engagement), and examine the most effective techniques for increasing and maintaining these factors in a work environment.
2. Understand the crucial role of innovation in organizations and learn the theories and models (diffusion of innovation theory, Open Innovation) and strategies to promote a culture of innovation and to manage change processes
3. Analyze the integration of technologies in organizations (e.g., human-robot collaboration, human-AI teaming), potential and realized impacts of new technologies on the workplace, evaluate their advantages and challenges, and identify the most effective strategies to encourage the adoption of innovative technologies
4. Examine the importance of cultural values in the context of global organizations, deepen effective leadership techniques in such contexts. Examples will be provided from European projects, as well as case studies from projects with public and private entities. The ultimate aim of this module is to provide students with a thorough knowledge and practical understanding of these topics, thus developing the necessary skills to effectively manage organizational processes in a wide variety of work contexts.

Module 2: Human Resources and Work Performance (Prof. Marco Giovanni Mariani)

Module 2, in providing knowledge on the approach that characterizes applied psychology in the study of work and organizations and in human resource management, focuses on aspects related to the development and evaluation of personnel, considering the most scientifically solid constructs and methods. The main educational objectives of the module concern the deepening, from a psychological perspective, of the theoretical, methodological, applicative and ethical aspects related to:

1. recruitment and selection of personnel, paying particular attention to the use of new technologies.
2. training and development of human resources, also in terms of the intellectual capital of organizations.
3. employability and career, paying attention to the issue of reconciliation and sustainability for the person.
4. individual work performance, considering their management and evaluation.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1: Operation and Innovation of Organizations (Prof. Luca Pietrantoni) NIK CHMIEL, FRANCO FRACCAROLI, MAGNUS SVERKE (2019), Introduction to organizational psychology. Il Mulino, Bologna, 2019 Available on Pandora Campus https://www.pandoracampus.it/pandora/booksheet/index/ean13/9788815284709 https://www.mulino.it/isbn/9788815284709 Slides presented in class + possible in-depth articles in Italian or English made available on virtuale.unibo.it The professor at the beginning of the module will indicate chapters or sections to study for the purpose of preparing for the exam.

Module 2: Human Resources and Work Performance (Prof. Marco Giovanni Mariani) Cortese, C. G., Del Carlo A. (2017). The selection of personnel. Milan: Cortina Editore. Mariani M.G. (2011) Evaluate performance. Bologna: Il Mulino. https://www.darwinbooks.it/doi/10.978.8815/308436 Slides presented in class + possible in-depth articles in Italian or English made available on virtuale.unibo.it The professor at the beginning of the module will indicate chapters or sections to study for the purpose of preparing for the exam.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, classroom discussions and exercises based on materials provided by the teachers (eg. tools used in human resource management, job descriptions and specifications, evaluation grids, videos). Since this is a master's degree course, regular attendance at lessons and active participation in the various activities proposed by the teachers is generally expected.

Assessment methods

The final test will be written and will consist of 40 multiple choice questions (with four answer options) and open-ended questions. The time available will be 45 minutes. In order to get the praise, it will be necessary to answer all questions correctly. In the case of open questions, the answer provided by the student will be evaluated based on the following criteria: relevance of the answer, completeness and clarity. The result of the test can be rejected up to two times. Students with disabilities or with specific learning disorders are invited to contact the teachers if they wish to evaluate the possibility of an adaptation of the exam method (eg. oral test) or if they have special needs also in relation to the lessons.

Teaching tools

The slides of the different lessons and the additional material will be downloadable from the Virtuale.unibo.it platform.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Pietrantoni

See the website of Marco Giovanni Mariani