6HR004 Sustainable Human Resource Management

“As the language of sustainable development enters the business mainstream, the responsibility for managing social and environmental issues is slowly shifting from the corporate fringe to an important business function”. Do you agree with all, or part, of this statement? Be careful to address all of the different concepts in your answer. Critical evaluation of theoretical constructs of HR models, theories and approaches linking theory into practice Evaluate contemporary issues in HR and analyse their impact upon people in organisations NB.Though this would seem to replicate much that is covered in other HR modules the emphasis here is different, as issues will be examined through the specific prism of sustainability. Structure: Attempted to define what we might mean by ‘sustainable development’, ‘business mainstream’, ‘corporate fringe’, ‘important business function’? Businesses seem to be talking more and more about “sustainable development” or are they? Managing social and environment issues becoming less of a fringe (unimportant) activity becoming a mainstream (important) management concern, or is it? Invensys model – Sustainability seems to mean environmental footprint safety performance lives and careers employee wellness community involvement Can you provide evidence, i.e real examples of companies that do talk about sustainable development and put it into practice. Models of human resource management – two to look at: Ehnert. I . 3 characters of sustainability – university of fern Tohm, Zaugg, Blum. (2 paragraphs) sustainable personnel practice. Looked at whether what the companies are doing matches the models Do you think all organisations are really concerned about social and environmental (Sustainable development) issues, if not then why not? What sort of companies are likely to be less concerned about S+E issues? BE CRITICAL Conclusion – more important or not? USE REFERENCES: GUIDED READING: You should read the core texts thoroughly – Ehnert, I. (2009) Sustainable Human Resource Management. A conceptual and exploratory analysis. New York, Springer. (This book is very expensive, hence copies in the Learning Centre) Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhard & Wright (2012) Human Resource Management. Gaining a Competitive Advantage. Global edition. New York. McGraw Hill. In addition these texts are particularly relevant. MacLoad, D. and Clarke, N. (2009), Engaging for Success: Enhancing Performance Through Employee Engagement, Crown Copyright, Dept for Business Innovation and Skills (BIR), London Martell, L. (2010) The Sociology of Globalisation. Cambridge: Polity. Pilbeam, S and Corbridge, M. (2010) People Resourcing and Talent Management: HRM in Practice. 4th ed. Harlow FT Prentice Hall Storey, J. (2007) HRM, A Critical Text. London. Thomson Thiele, L. (2013) Sustainability. Cambridge. Polity