• express the importance that the human resources function can have on organisational performance
• justify the relevance of Human Resources Management to Business Management in general
• enable participants to increasingly become aware of the impact of HR on an organisation
• support participants abilities to make decisions independently in areas related to HRM
• critically engage in discussions encompassing HR issues
• develop a pro-active approach to the application of theories pertaining to the main domains of HRM
• design training that reflects the needs of the employee and of the employer
• develop diverse performance appraisal systems
• develop specific reward systems depending on the nature, role and impact of different reward approaches

• outline the core functions of human resources management and their impact on organisational performance
• describe the effectiveness of selection methods depending on the context
• articulate diverse talent management approaches
• state the different trends in performance management
• explain the importance of the factors that enhance retention (e.g. communication, rewards, recognition, feedback)
• define the links between motivation, performance and employee well-being and the related theoretical perspectives
• appreciate the power of different forms of incentives at work
• outline legal matters related to issues of contracts, employee relations, employment law, minimum wage, H&S, working time, discrimination, harassment, dismissal, termination of employment etc.
• describe issues of employee well-being and the contribution of work-life balance to such well-being
• elaborate on the contribution which an HR department can make to the content, process and outcomes of organisational change
• understand the impact of culture on management
• classify the different elements that require alignment for the construction of a high-performing company
• recognise that HR experts cannot stop learning due to the dynamic nature of HRM
• demonstrate the drive to promote the relevance of the different HR functions on any successful organization (including NGOs)
• recognise the different roles and responsibilities of the Human Resources Manager
• understand the diverse perspectives of people from different cultures and how this can affect the management of people
• identify the areas in which cultural differences pose challenges as well as opportunities in managing people across cultures

Applying knowledge and understanding

The learner will be able to:

• evaluate the impact on organisational performance which diverse HR functions can have
• analyse current prescriptions for the Recruitment and Selection of the contemporary workforce
• promote the conditions that sustain employee engagement and retention
• relate motivation and reward systems to wider organizational policy and practice
• analyse organisations and their performance in order to ensure congruence between worker characteristics, job design and organisational structure
• facilitate the setting up of a high-performance culture
• explore the distinctive human resource challenges of managing a diverse and multi-cultural workforce

This module will be assessed through: Presentation, Assignment, Essay

Core Reading List

1. Baldacchino, G., Caruana, A., & Grixti, M. (2003) Managing people in Malta: case studies in local human resource management practice. Agenda Publishers.
2. Baldacchino, G., Cassar V. and Azzopardi J. (2019) Malta and its Human Resources: Management and Development Perspectives. Malta University Press.
3. Armstrong, M. (2016). Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management. Kogan Page.
4. Brooks, I. (2018) Organisational Behaviour: Individuals, Groups and Organisation. Pearson Education Limited.

Supplementary Reading List

1. Wilton, N. (2016). An Introduction to Human Resource Management. SAGE Edge.
2. Dessler, G. (2020) Human Resource Management. Pearson Prentice-Hall.
3. Jiang, K., Takeuchi, R., & Lepak, D. P. (2013). Where do we go from here? New perspectives on the black box in strategic human resource management research. Journal of Management Studies, 50(8), 1448-1480. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12057