47387 - HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Moduli: Cristian Balducci (Modulo 1) Marco Giovanni Mariani (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Cesena
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (cod. 9236)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know: - the main explanatory theories of the Psychology of the Human Resources; - the objectives and the methods of the professional activity of the psychologist in Human Resources; - the tools for the development of a project on human resources management.

Course contents

The course will be divided in two main components (modules) regarding crucial activities in the management of human resources in organizations: selection, and the assessment of performance at different levels.

  • The selection component will concentrate mainly on selection methodologies, with a focus on psychological testing (particularly tests aimed at assessing personality characteristics) and the (job) interview. Specific topics covered will be: the process of personnel selection; the notions of criterion, predictor, validation study; the outcomes of a selection process; a brief history of psychological testing in personnel selection; personality conceptualization and personality traits; the five-factor model; validity of personality measures as predictors of job performance; faking in the assessment of personality and how to overcome the problem; guidelines for a good selection interview; types and functions of the interview; structured vs. unstructured interviews; the cognitive basis of the interview; the psyhometrics of the interview; interviewing skills.
  • The perfomance assessment component will present theoretical topics, techniques, targets and ethical aspects of: job evaluation and job position analysis, competences assessment, performance and potential appraisal.

The topics will be presented and discussed in terms of sustainable industrialization, multiculturality, innovation and diversity management, as indicated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Readings/Bibliography

Parts of the readings below will be discussed during the lectures. However, only a subset of them will be used to assess students at the end of the course: a decision on this will be taken during the first meeting with students.

Selection component:

- Carless, S. A. (2009). Psychological testing for selection purposes: a guide to evidence-based practice for human resource professionals. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(12), 2517-2532.

- Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2010). The psychology of personnel selection. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Chapters 1, 2, 7).

- Pulakos, E. D. (2005). Selection assessment methods. A guide to implementing formal assessments to build a high-quality workforce. Society for Human Resource Management.

- Ryan, A. M., & Ployhart, R. E. (2014). A century of selection. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 693-717.

- Scroggins, W. A., Thomas, S. L., & Morris, J. A. (2008). Psychological testing in personnel selection, Part I: A century of psychological testing. Public Personnel Management, 37(1), 99-109.

- Scroggins, W. A., Thomas, S. L., & Morris, J. A. (2008). Psychological testing in personnel selection, Part II: The refinement of methods and standards in employee selection. Public Personnel Management, 37(2), 185-198.

- Scroggins, W. A., Thomas, S. L., & Morris, J. A. (2009). Psychological testing in personnel selection, Part III: The resurgence of personality testing. Public Personnel Management, 38(1), 67-77.

- Spector, P. E. (2008). Industrial and organizational psychology: Research and practice (5th edition). New York: Wiley (Chapter 6).

Performance assessment component:

- International Task Force on Assessment Center Guidelines (2009). Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment center operations. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 17(3), 243-253.

- Lengnick-Hall, M.L., Lengnick-Hall, C.A., Andrade L.S., Drake B. (2009). Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field. Human Resource Management Review, 19, 64–85

- Lengnick-Hall, M. L., & Moritz, S. (2003). The impact of e-HR on the human resource management function. Journal of Labor Research, 24(3), 365-379.

- Mariani, M. G., Curcuruto, M., Matic, M., Sciacovelli, P., & Toderi, S. (2017). Can leader–member Exchange contribute to safety performance in an Italian warehouse? Frontiers in psychology, 8, 729.

- Schmitt, N., Cortina, J. M., Ingerick, M. J., & Wiechmann, D. (2003). Personnel selection and employee performance. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

- Toderi, S., Gaggia, A., Mariani, M. G., Mancini, G., & Broccoli, M. (2015). Griffin and Neal's safety model: Determinants and components of individual safety performance in the Italian context. La Medicina del lavoro, 106(6), 447-459.


Teaching methods

The course will integrate in the traditional lecture in-group discussions and debates, case studies and practical exercises (e.g., on personality assessment).

Assessment methods

Module 1 and Module 2 are assessed separately, with each assigning a maximum of 15 points. The final grade/score will be the sum of the points obtained by the student in each module. The 'lode' will be assigned to students obtaining the maximum performance on both assessments, in the case of performances exceeding expectations. Attendance and active participation to classes will also be considered.

Assessment of module 1: Development a personnel selection project based on a job description given by the lecturer. The project must be documented in a final report of 3500 words. Specific details will be given during the first meeting.

Assessment of module 2: Written examination based on 7-8 questions including open-ended questions and multiple choice questions. The examination will be based on the lectures and some readings indicated by the lecturer during the first meeting.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides; videos; psychological tests.

Office hours

See the website of Cristian Balducci

See the website of Marco Giovanni Mariani

SDGs

Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.