34435 - Human Resorces Management M

Academic Year 2017/2018

  • Moduli: Maria Rita Tagliaventi (Modulo 1) Massimiliano Ghini (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Engineering Management (cod. 0936)

Learning outcomes

The course of Organizational Behavior and People Management (12 ECTS) aims to provide students with basic management concepts to better understand organizational behaviour and human resources managenment. Lessons, discussion of case studies, and practice will focus on topics concerning individuals, groups, and organizational processes in work settings, as well as human resources management. More specifically, this integrated course is meant to provide theoretical concepts and managerial tools to (a) understand and analyze the main models underlying organizational behavior and people management; (b) develop and increase critical skills in decision making through the analysis of the impact of theories; c) identify problem solving approaches through discussion of case studies and meetings with human resources management professionals and consultants.

Furthermore, this course intends to develop and practice teamwork skills by examining complex situations, identifying common action plans, and coming up with solution during projects. In order to do so, work groups will be set up.

Course contents

Syllabus of ORGANIZATION M C.I. (3 ECTS)

Prof. Maria Rita Tagliaventi

  1. Identity and Organizational Culture
    • 1.1.What is organizational identity
    • 1.2.Sensemaking and sensegiving processes
    • 1.3.Identity and practices
    • 1.4.What is organizational culture
    • 1.5.Relationship between identity and culture
    • 1.6.Identity and culture change processes
  2. Decision making processes
    • 2.1.Types of decisions
    • 2.2.Decision making process:
      • 2.2.1.Bounded rationality
      • 2.2.2.The rational model
      • 2.2.3.The Carnegie model
      • 2.2.4.Decision making biases and errors

  3. Power, Politics and Conflicts
    • 3.1.Sources of power and politics
    • 3.2.Sources of individual formal and informal power
    • 3.3.Sources of organizational units' power
      • 3.3.1.Coping with uncertainty
      • 3.3.2.Irreplaceability
      • 3.3.3.Centrality
      • 3.3.4.Controlling and generating resources
    • 3.4.Politics as the exercise of power in organizations
      • 3.4.1.Tactics to increase individual power
      • 3.4.2.Managing politics in organizations
    • 3.5.Conflict in organizations
    • 3.6.Sources of conflict in organizations
      • 3.6.1.Differentiation
      • 3.6.2.Interdependencies
      • 3.6.3.Limited resources
    • 3.7.Pondy's model of organizational conflict
      • 3.7.1.Latent conflict
      • 3.7.2.Perceived conflict
      • 3.7.3.Experienced conflict
      • 3.7.4.Open conflict
    • 3.8.The likely consequences of conflict
      • 3.8.1.Strategies to handle conflict in organizations
      • 3.8.2.Managing conflict between individuals
      • 3.8.3.Managing conflict between groups
      • 3.8.4.Managing conflict at an organizational level

Syllabus of HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT M I.C. (3 ECTS)

Dott. Massimiliano Ghini

  1. Strategic Human Resources Management
    • 1.1.Key success factor and people strategy
    • 1.2.Aligning strategy, organization, culture and people
    • 1.3.Evidence-based approach to people management

  2. Neuroscience applied to people management
    • 2.1.Rationality, emotions and thalamus-amygdala-hippocampus relationship
    • 2.2.Mirror neurons, a wireless system
    • 2.3.Neural schemes, heuristics and fast and slow brain
  3. Selecting the right people
    • 3.1.Recruiting process
    • 3.2.Logics and tools for selection process
    • 3.3.Induction activities
  4. Engagement as a performance driver
    • 4.1.Defining compensation policy
    • 4.2.Leveraging the rewards system
    • 4.3.Measuring motivation in teams and organizations

  5. Developing competencies
    • 5.1.Differences between performance and potential
    • 5.2.Talent management
    • 5.3.Logics, methodologies and tools for developing competencies

Readings/Bibliography

Teaching material for the Organization course:

  • The handbook for this part of the course is:
  • Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge, Domenico Bodega (2016). Comportamento organizzativo. Conoscere e sviluppare competenze organizzative. Milano: Pearson Italia (Capitoli: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14)

Teaching material for the Human Resources Management course:

  • The handbooks for this part of the course is:
  • Boldizzoni D. e Quaratino L., (2014), Risorse umane. Logiche e strumenti per la valorizzazione del capitale umano, Mulino. (Capp. 1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5, 6, 7)

Additional useful readings:

  • Noe A, Hollenbeck J. Et al. (2012). Gestione delle risorse umane. Apogeo education.
  • Prandstraller F. e B. Quacquarelli (2011). Risorse Umane internazionali. Cultura, competenze, strategia. Milano: APOGEO.
  • Knights D. e H. Willmott (2009). Il comportamento organizzativo. Organizzazione aziendale e management. Milano: ISEDI.
  • Jones, G.R. (2007), Organizzazione. Teoria, progettazione, cambiamento, Milano: Egea.
  • Grandori, A. (1999). Organizzazione e Comportamento Economico, Bologna: Il Mulino.
  • Brown, R. (2000). Psicologia sociale dei gruppi, Bologna: Il Mulino.
  • Daft, R. L. (2001). Organizzazione aziendale, Milano: Apogeo.
  • Pilati M. e H. Tosi (2008). Comportamento Organizzativo – Terza edizione. Milano: Egea (Capp. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 12)
  • Kreitner R. e A. Kinicki. (2013). Comportamento Organizzativo. Milano: Apogeo. (Capp. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16).

Case studies, literature (book chapters and international papers), and further material available on the Internet will be provided on the website on https://campus.cib.unibo.it, handed over or suggested during class activities.

Teaching methods

    1. GROUP PROJECT

    Group dimension and composition: There wil be minimum 5 and maximum 6 members for each group. Students will form groups on their own with the only aim of guaranteeing heterogeneity in terms of individual characteristics. For this purpose the following procedure has to apply:

    1. All the students have to fullfill an online survey (BRAIN BRIEF PROFILE) that allows them to determine their own profile. The link to the survey will be provided on https://campus.cib.unibo.it [https://campus.cib.unibo.it/]; the survey addresses participants to the projects only, students must not share the link with others;
    2. Within each group, no more than two individuals holding the same profile are allowed;
    3. Each group has to choose its name and a spokesperson. The spokesperson (using the Excel file available on https://campus.cib.unibo.it [https://campus.cib.unibo.it/] ) will communicate via mail the name of the group and name, surname, ID number and individual profile of every member of the group to the email address disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it [mailto:disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it] by not later than midnight of Saturday October 14, 2017 using the Excel file cited above;
    4. All the communications with the instructors, included the transmission of the final report, will involve only the spokesperson;
    5. In order to ease communication, it is mandatory that every email sent follows this format: the subject recall the «Group Name» and «Content of the message » (e.g., Group Alpha: Composition; Group Beta: Final report)

    (*) There are 8 possible profiles in terms of brain style: Scientist – Visionary –Inventor – Guardian – Strategist – Superhero – Deliverer - Sage

    The project will concern the application of themes and tools learned during the course to the analysis and the identification of problems and subsequent elaboration of solutions for one of the Companies ranked by MIT Technology Review. The link to the ranking is as follows:

    https://www.technologyreview.com/lists/companies/2017/

    Please notice that Facebook cannot be analyzed.

    First assignment: please send a document accounting for the reasons that have led you to select the company and presenting an outline of the project draft by Tuesday October 31, 2017.

    Meeting day: On Wednesay November 15 or on Thursday November 16, 2017 alternatively, all the groups will be required to discuss their project outline with the instructors (s) [the exact date and order of the presentations will be communicated via distribution list]. The meeting will last 20 minutes. Each group spokesperson will have to send a one-page project summary to disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it [mailto:disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it] by no later than Tuesday, November 14.

    Report required: All groups have to write a final report of the work, including multimedia contents, written in Word by the end of Monday December 18, 2017. The report has to be sent to the following email address: disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it [mailto:disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it].

    Assessment criteria: The main criteria will be: quality of the project; analysis capabilities; problem identification and problem solving capabilities. Each criterion has the same weight, 10/30.

    b) INDIVIDUAL TEST OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION M

    The individual test consists of 30 multiple choice questions, which will be assessed according to the following criteria:

    • +0,30 for every right answer
    • -0,15 for every wrong answer
    • -0,10 for every missing answer

    The individual test will take place in Lab 6 (located in via Terracini); dates will be set based on the official calendar, and will be communicated on AlmaEsami ( https://almaesami.unibo.it ). Students are required to sign up for each test on AlmaEsami exclusively (no email or other sign-up will be acknowledged). The minimum score to pass this test must be at least 15/30.

    c) INDIVIDUAL REPORT ABOUT THE PROJECT

    The individual report is based on the teamwork carried out during the project. Every report will include:

    - A critical analysis of the group experience and of the group dynamics through the lens of the models and the tools learnt in class. In particular, each student is expected to delve into the points of strength and weakness of her/his team experience, what problems have been addressed and how, what s/he would have done differently if possible, her/his role in the project team.

    - One page of “executive summary” in which all the main themes and the takeways learnt from the teamwork have to be addressed.

    - A relevant title and subtitle of 140 types as a summary of the report.

    Report format: All the students have to respect the following directions:

    Report written in Word, 6-page maximum length, executive summary included, (Style Times: New Roman 11; line spacing: 1.5; page margins: 2.5 cm)

    Submission date is Sunday, January 8, 2018 to the email address disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it [mailto:disa.progettiorganizzazioneaziendalem@unibo.it].

    Assessment criteria: The main criteria will be: quality of the project; analysis capabilities; problem identification and problem solving capabilities. Each criterion has the same weight: 10/30.

Assessment methods

The final exam of the overall course consists of three parts:

a) Group project

b) Invididual multiple choice test

c) Individual report

The final grade is calculated as the weighted average of the three above parts:

- 50% is the weight of the project grade (the same for all the group members)

- 25% is the weight of the individual multiple choice test grade

- 25% is the weight of the individual report grade

If the final average is decimal, there will be an arithmetic rounding.

Rewards and incentives are available for excellent outcomes in the three parts: if the grade in each part is at least equal to 27/30, the final average grade will be increased by 7%; if the grade in two of the three parts is at least equal to 27/30, the final grade will be increased by 3%.

The final grade must be registered compulsorily within 3 months from passing the individual test. Once per month a specific date for registering will be set. During office hours registering will not be possibile, as that time is devoted to clarify the topics and the themes studied in class. Registration dates and all information about the course will be communicated only via distribution list (maria.tagliaventi.OrganizzazioneAziendaleM2017-18) available on https://www.dsa.unibo.it..The password for the subscription to the list will be communicated in class.

Teaching tools

The teaching assistant is Dr. Donato Cutolo (donato.cutolo@studio.unibo.it)

Office hours

See the website of Maria Rita Tagliaventi

See the website of Massimiliano Ghini