Course Description

This course focuses on strategic human resource functions such as compensation, benefits, training, recruitment and selection, health and safety, career development, labor relations, job requirements, and employee governance. Attention is directed to both the expatriate and the foreign manager as part of the multinational's responsibilities in effectively managing their human resources around the world.

The emphasis is on globalization of business and how it forces managers to grapple with complex issues as they seek to gain or sustain a competitive advantage. Faced with unprecedented levels of foreign competition at home and abroad, firms are beginning to recognize not only that international business is high on management's list of priorities but that finding and nurturing the human resources required to implement an international global strategy is of critical importance.

Course Objectives

This course emphasizes cross-cultural human resource issues. It is designed to be interactive and student activities will generally fall within the scope of the learning objectives which are:

• To understand the principle functions performed in human resource management and how these functions evolved.
• To be able to explain the significance of cross-cultural differences in the management of multi-national enterprises.
• To help you appreciate and understand the nature of cultural diversity on the human resource function in global organizations.
• To foster a greater awareness of the issues facing international human resource manager when crossing political and economic boundaries.
• To learn to manage human resource management conflicts between personal, organizational, and societal values.

The course will be lecture and discussion oriented, based on required readings and company vignettes. It is intended to be participatory in design hence, it is expected that each student will have read the assigned readings prior to the class meeting and be prepared to discuss them in class. Discussions and individual contributions are encouraged, expected, and indeed count toward the final evaluation.

Skills/Abilities Developed

1. Teamwork
2. Communication
3. Problem Solving
4. Decision Making
5. Critical thinking
6. Leadership
7. Creativity

Evaluation and Grading

Your grade in the course will be determined by your performance over several activities. The weight given to each is as follows:

Your grade will be determined solely based on your performance on the exams and activities indicated. There will be NO extra credit. The only points that can be earned are noted above.

Text

Human Resource Management. (2000). Mathis and Jackson. (9th Edition). Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing.

International Human Resource Management, Managing People In A Multinational Context. (1999). Dowling, Welch and Schuler (Third Edition). South Western College Publishing.

Methodology

The format of the class will be lecture and discussion oriented, based on the assigned reading and case studies. Outside readings assigned for every class will also provide the basis for class discussion.

Class participants are encouraged to actively engage the instructor to clarify points, and ask questions pertaining to the issues at hand, and to seek assistance during posted office hours.

Preparation includes (1) reading the text, (2) solving the assigned cases studies, and (3) identifying questions that you need answered. Attendance will be taken and assignments may be picked up on an unannounced basis. Also, students may be asked to present cases in class. While attendance and homework assignments will not be graded per se, they may factor into the Subjective Assessment noted in the Evaluation and Grading section.

Attendance Policy

Tardiness is unacceptable so a student who is five minutes late for the start of the class session will not be allowed to join the class already in progress. Attendance will be taken regularly. A student who for no valid reason, remains absent from campus for an excessive length of time during the semester may be asked to withdraw from the course and from the college. Non-compliance with the expectation of attendance may result in the student being dropped from the roll for the course by the professor in consultation with the Dean and, in any case, will incur a reduction of the student's final grade by up to 15% after the course evaluation criteria (see section below) have been computed. The instructor will determine the reduction of the final grade after a careful consideration of the following guidelines.

• 1 - 3 unexcused absences: reduction by up to 5%.
• 4 - 6 unexcused absences: reduction by 10 - 15%.
• More than 6 unexcused absences: grounds for withdrawal from the course.

Students who miss a class due to illness must provide the instructor with a valid medical certificate if they wish to prove cause of absence.

Students will be expected to arrive for class promptly. Tardiness is distracting and time consuming for both the instructor and class participants. Students who consistently arrive late will be charged with unexcused absences, which may affect final grades as noted above.

Course Calendar (TDB)

Statement on Cheating and Plagiarism

A student, whose actions are deemed by the College to be out of sympathy with the ideals, objectives or the spirit of good conduct as fostered by the College and Swiss community, may be placed on Disciplinary Probation or become subject to dismissal from the College. Cheating is a dishonest action out of sympathy with the ideals, objectives and spirit of the College. Cheating reflects negatively on one's personal integrity. Cheating is unjust to those students who have studied.

Consequently, the College has adopted the following code:

• When an examination is in progress, all unauthorized books, notes, papers and notebooks must be left outside the classroom, or, where this is not feasible, left beneath the student's seat unopened.
• So far as logistically possible, students will be asked to distribute themselves around the room during an exam so as to leave the widest possible space between them.
• During the examination only the blank paper required for the examination and a pencil, pen or other tools as permitted by individual instructors may be on the desk.
• Should an instructor see written crib notes in evidence during an exam, the presumption would be that the student is using those notes for cheating on an exam.
• If a student must leave the classroom during an examination due to physical duress, the student must turn in the exam and will not be allowed to return during the examination period. No make-up examination will be administered.
• It is within the prerogative of the instructor to take a student's paper during an exam and to ask that student to take an oral exam, or another exam, at the instructor's choice.
• A student found cheating will be reported to the Dean of the College and may be called before the Student Appeal and Grievance Hearing Board for further disciplinary action.
• A student found cheating on an exam would be given an "F" for that examination. If it is a final examination, the student may be given an "F" for the course.
• A student whose paper or assignment has clearly been plagiarized will receive an "F" for that paper. Notification will be sent to the Dean of the College. A second offense in that, or any other, course may result in dismissal from the College.

Cases of academic dishonesty may be handled by the instructor in whose course the violation occurred if the matter is a result of student ignorance or is a first offense. The instructor will assess the severity of the violation and impose an appropriate penalty. In the event of a repetition of dishonesty, the matter will be referred to the Dean of the College, and the student will risk expulsion from the College.