Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management

The module provides an understanding of the principal internal and external environmental contexts of contemporary organisations, including the managerial and business context, within which managers, HR professionals and workers interact in conditions of environmental turbulence, change and uncertainty. It examines how leading organisations respond to these dynamic environmental contexts. The module considers how leaders in organisations, and those in HR, need to recognise and acknowledge that corporate decisions and HR choices are not always shaped by managers alone. This includes consideration of the financial resources which can strongly influence corporate decision making.

You will also explore the international aspects of HRM such as the policies and processes of HR management in multinational corporations, comparative HRM issues, and the challenges associated with building and managing an international workforce. This includes managing a diverse workforce, interpreting legislative frameworks and developing appropriate policies to promote diversity and monitor implementation.

The module attempts to evaluate the importance of employees’ behaviour in organisations with reference to their individual performance and its impact upon business performance as a whole. You will examines the role of management staff both in the management, leadership and development of employees and the subsequent impact on employee performance. A distinction is made between leadership and management and their roles within organisations. You will explore the relationship between the leadership of the organisation, the behaviour of managers, human resource policies and processes and the organisation’s corporate strategy in relation to how these can be successfully integrated. It considers the HR professional’s role in relation to ethical standards and those of the CIPD. It also looks at the role CPD can play in ensuring individual practitioners maintain their personal knowledge, skills and standards.

The module then focuses on decisions that have to be made on the most appropriate organisational structure(s) to ensure delivery of organisational activity and to maximise its effectiveness, aiming for flexibility in delivery of its services in a changing environment. Organisational change is a constant and in this module we consider approaches that managers can take to the complex challenges of individual and organisational change.

Qualified professionals should be able to research relevant topics and write reports that can persuade key stakeholders in the organisation to change or adopt a particular policy or practice. This module provides you with the opportunity to develop the skills needed to diagnose and investigate a live, complex business issue from an HR perspective and to write  a report of this nature.

The focus of this module is the development of a Management Research Report (MRR) which meets the ‘Thinking Performer’ Standards of the CIPD. This is in the form of a piece of applied case study research based on a diagnosing a business issue with the purpose of analysing literature, secondary and primary data to design recommendations, solutions and an implementation plan which includes costs.

The applied nature of the report requires a critical evaluative approach, empirical investigation and analysis and a combination of academic research and business report writing skills. It requires reflection on the implications for professional practice from an ethical, professional and continuous professional development standpoint.

This module is concerned with the key role of developing talent to match the organisation’s needs today and into the future. There are two key strands to the module, Learning and Development from a theoretical standpoint (personal and organisational) and the practical skill based formulation, design and delivery of Learning and Development (specifically leadership and management development) to meet key business goals.

The construct of learning is explored as are learning theories from both an individual and group or organisational perspective. Planned and unplanned change as a trigger and its relationship with identifying learning needs are studied along with the enablers and barriers to learning. Identifying learning needs in practice is the next focus, requiring the formulation of learning strategy, before changing focus to the actual design, delivery and evaluation of a self-created learning tool.

There is recognition of differing approaches and interpretations of the concepts of learning and development and leadership and management development within a range of organisational contexts including public, private, not-for-profit, large, small, national, international and multicultural organisations. Overall, this module encompasses learning and development at all levels and draws on the established body of knowledge and theory in both leadership and management and learning and development.

The employment relationship has undergone significant change over the past few decades in terms of its structures and power relationships. Economic, technological and legal developments throughout this period have affected the way employees, management and trade unions interact with each other and hence moulded the employment relationship. The employment relationship is therefore an important and dynamic area within the discipline of human resource management.
The aim of the module is to understand and analyse the main HR interventions which take place during the employment relationship from vacancy to termination and steps between. It will provide students with a sound knowledge and critical understanding of the full employment cycle set within the historical context and enable analysis of the contemporary changing nature of this.
The module is designed for both knowledge acquisition, understanding and application of practices in order to develop/enhance HR skills and behaviours.