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MGT8031 Global Issues in Employment Relations

Semester 2, 2023 Online
Units : 1
School or Department : School of Business
Grading basis : Graded
Course fee schedule : /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules

Staffing

Course Coordinator:

Overview

The importance of global employment relations issues to human resource managers and other managers in their roles is found in the knowledge of their respective employment relations frameworks. Change in labour markets and the interdependent economies throughout the world has been fast-moving and significant in its impact on organisations. The role of the state in regulating employment relations is shifting dramatically and all organisations are bound by industrial relations and employment law regardless of the country or countries in which they operate. Students are encouraged to consider the wider implications of managing the HR function within organisations operating in the global marketplace. Protections that workers enjoy in different countries vary according to the regulatory environment and HR professionals need to be aware of these differences. This course encourages students to think outside their own legislative framework and consider the themes emerging within the international context of employment relations.

The relations between `employers' (and managers as their `agents' in the workplace) and workers (or non-managerial employees mainly) throughout the world have faced enormous pressures arising from changes related to things like the increasingly global nature of work, increased domestic and international competition and other political and socio-economic pressures specific to different countries. Amongst others, organisations are pressured into becoming increasingly more flexible, efficient and productive. This course will assist students in developing an understanding of the complexity of these relations by putting it into an appropriate contextual setting, and by focusing on several critical issues surrounding the management of work and working people in the global workforce. The course adopts a critical perspective on a range of issues arising from employment relations and the broader socio-economic and political contexts within which these develop. The course considers, from an analytical and critical angle, aspects that relate to various concepts and themes such as human resource management, employee participation, trade unionism and empowerment. Apart from the global emphasis there are also specific international comparative perspectives woven into the course.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. critically examine aspects of the changing nature and context of the employment relationship;
  2. critically evaluate and compare the challenges associated with the parties and processes of employment relations in various countries;
  3. debate and research contemporary issues in employment relations;
  4. appraise the causes, patterns and manifestations of industrial conflict and bargaining processes;
  5. demonstrate through the written assessments, a practical understanding of employment relations in an international comparative context.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Comparative employment relations (ER) 15.00
2. Legislation and regulation 17.00
3. Cross-cultural studies in ER 17.00
4. ER parties: employees and their representatives, employers and their representatives, and the state 17.00
5. Key ER processes in different international contexts 17.00
6. Contemporary international ER issues 17.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Bamber, GJ, Lansbury, RD, Wailes, N & Wright, CF 2017, International and comparative employment relations, 6th edn, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales.

Student workload expectations

To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.

Assessment details

Approach Type Description Group
Assessment
Weighting (%) Course learning outcomes
Assignments Written Reflection (personal/clinical) No 10 1
Assignments Written Annotated bibliography No 40 2,3,4
Assignments Written Essay No 50 2,3,4,5
Date printed 9 February 2024