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2023/2024  KAN-CPBAO1001U  People Strategy in Context

English Title
People Strategy in Context

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for cand.merc. and CPBA (CPBA)
Course coordinator
  • Frans Bevort - Department of Organization (IOA)
  • Michael Pedersen - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Human resource management
  • Strategy
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 02-06-2023

Relevant links

Learning objectives
  • Formulate a research question that has relevance to the course focus on various contexts for people strategy
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the courses’ theories about people strategy trough conducting a theoretical based analysis of the research question
  • Motivate the choice of theory used to address answer the research question
  • Ensure a logical coherence between problem statement, analysis and conclusion.
  • Discuss the theoretical and practical implications in relation to people strategy within the course’s field of study.
Course prerequisites
Bachelor degree
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved (see section 13 of the Programme Regulations): 1
Compulsory home assignments
Short presentation in exam-group during the case week
Examination
People Strategy in Context:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 2-4
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment An assigned subject is released in class
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Key for understanding the role of HRM is to understand that HRM is more than a function or a department in an organization. It is a way of creating value through combining people with the context they are part of. The value-creation routines of HRM such as recruiting and upskilling is always relative to its context. In this course we analyzing such different contexts: the societal development, the business or juridical environment, the specific organizational dimensions such as capabilities, routines and talent management activities, and the individual context that focus on meaningful work, self-management and daily habits of managers and employees.

 

HRM-routines and design can make a unique contribution to any organization that adds to and enhances the value added by management to the organization in general. While the skills and knowledge that makes HRM-routines possible are important, their ultimate relevance is determined by the value they add to the purpose of the organization and its stakeholders. In the course HRM practices and routines will be discussed in light of its potential value creation. Key concept discussed in the course will be HRM from the outside-in, sustainability, the role of organizational capabilities and routines, the notion of human capital, talent management and employee voice and a focus on purpose driven HR, self-management and the ingrained habits of managers and employees in everyday organizational life. 

 

In general the course will take its point of departure from these concepts and use them to distinguish the context of an reoccurring organizational case. The analysis then proceeds to inquire how a particular context affects HRM-policies, processes, and activities that have developed or strategically selected by management. The final element of the analysis is to analyze the relationship between stakeholders, business development and people development.

 

The course works with the assumption that the students are familiar with basic organizational theory, management theory, and basic HRM-concepts. This module will link people development to strategy in specific organizational contexts and widen the students' conception of how people development and strategic choice can influence another in specific contexts.

Key for understanding the role of HRM is to understand that HRM is more than a function or a department in an organization. It is a way of creating value through combining people with the context they are part of. The value-creation routines of HRM such as recruiting and upskilling is always relative to its context. In this course we analyzing such different contexts: the societal development, the business or juridical environment, the specific organizational dimensions such as capabilities, routines and talent management activities, and the individual context that focus on meaningful work, self-management and daily habits of managers and employees.

 

HRM-routines and design can make a unique contribution to any organization that adds to and enhances the value added by management to the organization in general. While the skills and knowledge that makes HRM-routines possible are important, their ultimate relevance is determined by the value they add to the purpose of the organization and its stakeholders. In the course HRM practices and routines will be discussed in light of its potential value creation. Key concept discussed in the course will be HRM from the outside-in, sustainability, the role of organizational capabilities and routines, the notion of human capital, talent management and employee voice and a focus on purpose driven HR, self-management and the ingrained habits of managers and employees in everyday organizational life. 

 

In general the course will take its point of departure from these concepts and use them to distinguish the context of an reoccurring organizational case. The analysis then proceeds to inquire how a particular context affects HRM-policies, processes, and activities that have developed or strategically selected by management. The final element of the analysis is to analyze the relationship between stakeholders, business development and people development.

 

The course works with the assumption that the students are familiar with basic organizational theory, management theory, and basic HRM-concepts. This module will link people development to strategy in specific organizational contexts and widen the students' conception of how people development and strategic choice can influence another in specific contexts.

 

 

Teaching strategy

 

The key concept is context analysis. The course learning design builds on a case example that students analyze in class and study groups through a number of workshops. The case act as a material through which students can get an understanding of how various contexts influences the design of business and people development.  Teachers apply the case analyses in a way that covers the broad business and people development areas. The course consists of a series of podcasts and vidoes that explain core elements in the readings for the course; thematic lectures about the broad stroke of the particular context (for instance HR from the outside in or human capital); workshops with a team-based focused analysis of the case. And finally a reflection session where the students reflect upon their learning and key takeaways from the week. Notice that a key ingredient in feedback sessions will be the students own reflections about what they find important, difficult and what new knowledge and knowhow they need to obtain in their further academic development. The aim with the feedback is more concerned with finding new avenues for student learning that getting to know the ‘correct result’ of a case analysis or a reading.


 

Description of the teaching methods
Teaching will be blended consisting both of online and onsite elements.



There will be podcasts and videos covering key theoretical concepts while onsite meetings will mainly consists of thematic lectures, workshops and feedback sessions.



The course consists of six weeks. Each week consists of a blend of six elements



A video that let you know how to prepare best for the week (how to read the texts and watch the video and in which order)
Readings of texts you need to do
Podcasts and videos you are expected to have heard or seen before the start of each week
Live lectures giving an overview of the theme and the readings
Workshops where we work with the themes of the lectures
A ‘reflection Friday’ where students reflect upon the week, their takeaways, what they are struggling with and what they can do to gain more knowledge on the topic
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback will consist of feedback on casesolution in week II and every 'Reflection Friday' students will get feedback from peers and teachers.
Student workload
Watching online elements 50 hours
Reading texts and writing exam paper 190 hours
lectures and workshops 172 hours
Expected literature

Andersen, SK, Hansen, NW, Due, JJ & Madsen, JS 2021, Employment Relations in Denmark. in International and Comparative Employment Relations: Global Crises and Institutional Responses (7th edition). SAGE Publications.

Aust, I., Matthews, B. & Muller-Camen, M. (2020). Common Good HRM: A paradigm shift in Sustainable HRM. Human Resource Management Review, 30 (3)

Bevort, F, Holck, L and M. Mogensen (2021). Critical Contextualized Studies of Human Resource Management. In Parry, E, Morley, M.J. and C. Brewster (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contextual Approaches to Human Resource Management

 

Bévort, F., & Poulfelt, F. (2015). Human resource management in professional services firms: Too good to be true? Transcending conflicting institutional logics. German Journal of Human Resource Management29(2), 102-130.

Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2016) Strategy and Human Resource Management

Cantor, A.M, (2018) “I’m Not Mopping the Floors, I’m Putting a Man on the Moon”: How NASA Leaders Enhanced the Meaningfulness of Work by Changing the Meaning of Work. Administrative Science Quarterly 63(29; 323-369

 

Collings, D. and Minbaeva, D. Micro-foundations of Talent Management. In Tarique, I. (ed). (forthcoming) The Routledge Companion to Talent Management.

 

Feldman, M and Pentland, B (2003): Reconceptualizing Organizational Routines as a source of flexibility and change

 

Ibsen, C, Navrbjerg SE (forthcoming): ‘Keeping the State out through Legitimacy: Employers’ Associations in Denmark’. In Employers Organisations in the 21th Century. Routledge

 

Lee, M.Y. and A.C.Edmondson (2017): Self-managing organizations: Exploring the limits of less-hierarchical organizing. Research in Organizational Behaviour. Vol 37. 35-38

 

Maravelias, C. (2007): Freedom at Work in the Age of Post-Bureaucratic Organization, Ephemera 7(4): 555-574.

 

McGrath, R. (2013a): Continuous Reconstruction in the Transient Advantage Economy Strategy and Leadership Vol 41 (5) 17-22*

 

Minbaeva, D. et al. (2018) Talent Management in Denmark. In Vaiman, V., Sparrow, P., Schuller, R. and Collings, D. Macro Talent Management. New York: Routledge.

 

Pedersen, M and Dunne S. (2020): ‘Dewey’s Broad Account of Habit and its Relevance for Change Management: A Conceptual Clarification with Pragmatic Illustrations’, Journal of Change Management Vol 20 (3), 247-263

 

Ployhart, R., Nyberg, A., Reilly, G., & Maltarich, M. 2014. Human capital is dead. Long live human capital resources! Journal of Management, 40: 371-398.

 

Rosso, B.D., K.H.Dekas and A. Wrzesniewski (2010) On the meaning of work: A theoretical integration and review. Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol 30: 91-127

 

Raworth, K (2017) Why it’s time for Doughnut Economics, IPPR Progressive Review Vol 24(3) 216-222

 

Storm, L & Hutchins, G. (2019): Regenerative Leadership, Chapter 2 and 3.

 

Thompson, P. (2011) The trouble with HRM. Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 21(4), 355-367.

 

Turner, S.F. and E  Cacciatori (2016). “The Multiplicity of Habit – Implications for Routines Research”. In. Howard-Grenville, J. Rerup, C. Langly, A and H. Tsoukas Organizational Routines: How They Are Created, Maintained and Changed. Oxford Scholarship Online.  DOI: 10.1093/​acprof:oso/​9780198759485.001.0001*

Ulrich, D. and Brockbank (2005) Focusing on Customers. HR Magazine 62-66

Ulrich, D & Smallwood, N. (2004) Capitalizing on Capabilities. Harvard Business Review

 

Last updated on 02-06-2023