96136 - Personnel Psychology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will: - know methods to assess personnel performance at different levels, in order to develop performance-focused interventions - be able to develop a project in personnel psychology for the organizational management.

Course contents

The course pursues the general objective of introducing the students to the organizational processes implicated in the heterogeneous activities of management of the personnel by their entry and permanence up to the different forms of separation.

The main topics concern the personnel psychology point of view concerning:

1) the role of the human resources function concerning the organizational strategy too;

2) essential elements of compensation;

3) computerized human resource information systems;

3) staff turnover/absenteeism;

4) career management;

5) recruitment and personnel selection process.

The topics will be analyzed/presented in terms of inclusive, sustainable industrialization, multiculturality, innovation, and diversity management too, as indicated by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings will be suggested together with every activity, mainly as chapters of the handbook and papers from scientific or professional journals. However, the following items may be considered as relevant references:

Dessler G. (2018). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management IV edition. Pearson. (chapters that will be presented in lessons).

Breaugh, J., A. (2013). Employee recruitment. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 389–416.

Slides of the teacher.

Teaching methods

The course has been designed and is based on student's active participation so that students are requested to attend all the planned units of the course systematically. However, didactic methods that will be used to improve knowledge/competencies are lecture & questions, group work assignments and exercises, small group discussion, student oral presentation, the student paper, and student reading. Expert practitioners will be invited to present organizational cases.

Assessment methods

The final grade will be based on two components, each carrying equal weight (50% of the overall score):

• An individual written paper (4–5 pages) on an assigned business case;

• A written exam consisting of three open-ended questions.

The evaluation will be based on the following criteria:

• Conceptual clarity;

• Appropriate use of theoretical frameworks;

• Ability to engage in critical reflection and independent analysis of the topic.

Additionally, students may earn up to 2 extra points by participating in a group project focused on analyzing a company’s e-recruitment system, which will be assessed through a final presentation.

Teaching tools

- Overhead projector, PowerPoint, hand-pencil instruments
- Teaching material will be downloaded from the teacher's web page
- E-learning platform

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Giovanni Mariani