MGT8031 Global Issues in Employment Relations

MGT	8031	78788	2, 2008	WEB	Global Issues in Employment Relations	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOBUS
Academic org:	FOB004
Student contribution band:	3A
ASCED code:	080309

Staffing
Other requisites
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Cec Pedersen
Moderator: Kim Southey

OTHER REQUISITES

Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to USQConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/business/aboutfob.htm>.

SYNOPSIS

The relationship between employers (or managers) and employees throughout the world has faced enormous pressures arising from economic globalisation, increased domestic and international competition and other political and economic pressures to make workplaces more flexible, efficient and productive. 'Global Issues in Employment Relations' will assist students to understand the complexity of this relationship by focusing on several critical issues surrounding the management of the contemporary employment relationship. The course adopts a critical perspective on a range of issues arising from the relationship between managers and other employees. 'Global Issues in Employment Relations' introduces the management student to industrial relations theory and identifies the key frameworks which govern management perspectives on the employment relationship. The course considers from a critical perspective human resource management, collective bargaining, employee participation and trade unionism. Each of the topics in this course will be considered in its global context, and be of relevance for students in most countries.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item/s that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective is/are shown in parentheses after each objective. On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

demonstrate an understanding of the changing nature and context of the employment relationship (Assignment, Examination)
demonstrate an understanding of the roles that power, justice and culture play in the employment relationship (Assignment, Examination)
demonstrate an understanding of the role that managers and managerial strategies, unions, employer associations, governments, collective bargaining, employee participation, grievance and discipline play in the employment relationship (Assignment, Examination)
demonstrate an understanding of best practice and relevant employment law in relation to the management of employment termination, downsizing and redundancy (Assignment, Examination)
demonstrate an understanding of employment relations in an international comparative context (Assignment, Examination)
explore and evaluate a debate or contemporary issue in employment relations (Assignment, Examination).

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	What is the employment relationship?	8.30
2.	The changing context and nature of the employment relationship	8.30
3.	The role of power, justice and culture in the regulation of the employment relationship	8.30
4.	Managerial approaches and the role of managers	8.30
5.	Trade unions and employers' associations	8.30
6.	Governments and employment relations	8.30
7.	Collective bargaining	8.30
8.	Employee participation	8.30
9.	Grievance and discipline	8.30
10.	Ending the employment relationship	8.30
11.	Case study in global employment relations: the fast food industry	8.30
12.	Comparative employment relations	8.70

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Bamber, GJ, Lansbury, RD & Wailes, N (eds.) 2004, International and comparative employment relations, 4th edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, New South Wales.

Lewis, P, Thornhill, A & Saunders, M 2003, Employee relations: understanding the employment relationship, Financial Times Prentice Hall, Harlow, UK.

Summers, J & Smith, B 2006, Communication skills handbook: how to succeed in written and oral communication, 2nd edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Nil.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	35.00
Directed Study	75.00
Private Study	55.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description		Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
ASSIGNMENT		100.00	50.00	03 Oct 2008
2 HOUR EXAMINATION		100.00	50.00	END S2

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval of the examiner, then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
This is a restricted examination. Candidates are allowed access to specific materials during the examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: (i) writing and drawing instruments; (ii) an unmarked paper-based translation dictionary.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Student Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene university regulations. These regulations can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm>. Students should also read the Faculty of Business Policies and Procedures which can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/business/aboutfob.htm>.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

Assignments: (i) The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner. (ii) Students must retain a copy of each assignment submitted for assessment. This must be produced within 24 hours if required by the examiner. (iii) In accordance with university policy, the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances. (iv) The examiner will not accept submission of assignments by facsimile. (vii) In the event that a due date for an assignment falls on a local public holiday in their area, such as a show holiday, the due date for the assignment will be the next day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the examiner's convenience.

Course weightings: Course weightings of topics should not be interpreted as applying to the number of marks allocated to questions.

This version produced 23 Jul 2008.