Paper - Academic Registry and Council Secretariat - Queen Mary ...

TPB2012-015
Section 2 - Module Specification
Module Title Human resource management in the public services
Module Code
Credit Value 15 Level 7 Mode of Delivery On Campus Semester Semester 2
Module Organiser
Dr Maria Koumenta, Lecturer in Human Resource Management
Pre-requisite modules Co-requisite modules Overlapping modules
n/a n/a n/a
1) Content Description
Provide a description of the module, as it will appear in the Module Directory and on the Student Information
System (approx. 70-80 words).
This module provides a critical evaluation of the issues, challenges and processes involved in managing employees in the public
services. It does so by considering the unique financial, political and legal context within which public personnel practitioners
operate as well as the distinct characteristics of public sector jobs and those attracted to work within them, and examines the
constraints and opportunities these place on personnel policy and its implementation. Themes covered in this module include
resourcing and selection, pay and executive compensation, performance management, employee relations, values and
organisational ethics, managing change and the relationship between human resource management and public sector
performance. A further element of the course involves exploring the characteristics of public sector labour markets including
trends, labour market policy initiatives and their impact. The module draws on case study evidence from multi- country
institutional and organisational contexts and encourages students to assess how past legacies and recent reforms impact on
HRM strategy.
2) Module Aims
Specify the aims of the module, i.e. the broad educational purposes for offering this module.
This module aims to provide students with a strong understanding of the distinct nature of the public sector labour workforce as
well as the unique challenges involved in managing employees in the public services. It aims to develop an appreciation of the
various activities in which human resource managers in public sector settings are involved. The module seeks to equip students
with the relevant skills and knowledge to enable them to (a) undertake such activities in the future at an operational or strategic
level and (b) be able to analyse and critically evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of various policy alternatives affecting
human resource management in the public services.