Dr. Kyle LewisTMP 291 – Winter 2015v. 011115 – p. 1 1

Creating & Managing Human Capital

Professor:Dr. Kyle LewisMeeting time:TuTh 12:30 – 1:45

Office Hours:By appt, Phelps 1318Classroom:Phelps 1508

Contact at:Phone:805.893.5415

Course Overview

This is an intermediate-level course that seeks to develop business leaders who understand human resources practices essential to firm performance. The course is relevant for entrepreneurs who are building successful organizations and aspiring leaders in existing enterprises. In this course you will examine how to structure and adjust an organization’s basic human capital levers to achieve superior results.

Managing human capital is different from the “human resources” practices prevalent twenty years ago. Managing human capital focuses on achieving organizational strategic goals, rather than on tactical objectives. This focus means that human capital practices need to support an organization’s ability to change quickly to respond to changes in the competitive environment. Unlike the human resources practices of the past, managing human capital emphasizes balancing the costs and gains from investing in employees. There is growing evidence that strategic human capital management improves firm performance (revenue, stock price, customer satisfaction, retention, factory safety) and sustains competitive advantage. Unfortunately, many managers continue to engage in practices that reflect outdated knowledge and beliefs, leading to dysfunctional outcomes that can be very costly.

This course is designed to help you learn about:

  1. How organizations link organizational requirements, corporate strategy, and human capital systems with specific business objectives.
  2. Talent management processes, including how companies hire, socialize, appraise, reward, and retain talent.
  3. The practices and analytical frameworks that help managers leverage human capital.
  4. The factors that affect your success as a developing business leader.

In this course you will exercise your critical thinking skills by analyzing how managers and organizations apply human capital strategies in practice. The course will develop your skills in problem solving, creative thinking, and written and oral communication and will broaden your perspective about the role of managers in determining organizational success.

Course MaterialsReadings and lectures are available via Gauchospace and Harvard Publishing.

Dr. Kyle LewisTMP 291 – Winter 2015v. 011115 – p. 1 1

Course Format

This is a discussion-focused class that will require your attendance and engagement. A large portion of your grade will be based on in-class contributions and leading discussions. Students should come to class prepared to summarize main points and apply the readings to in-class exercises and analyses.Other graded components include essays and case analyses.

Evaluation of Student Performance

Weights for each graded component are as follows:

30%: Class Participation

10%: Discussion leader

30%: Three (3) essays

30%: Four (4) case analyses

Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A

/ 4.00 / >= 93.33 %
A- / 3.67 / >= 90.00 %
B+ / 3.33 / >= 86.66 %
B / 3.00 / >= 83.33 %
B- / 2.67 / >= 80.00 %
C+ / 2.33 / >= 76.66 %
C / 2.00 / >= 73.33 %
Ds and Fs / Below 2.00, at discretion of instructor

The requirements for each component are outlined in greater detail below.

  1. Class Participation (30%). To get the most out of this class, you must be actively engaged in the class discussions, exercises, and lectures. The class participation grade will be based on the instructor’s assessment of the consistent quality of students’ contributions during class exercises and discussions. Instructor evaluations will be conducted at the end of the quarter using the following indicators of student performance:

Showed evidence of thorough preparation for exercises, cases, discussions

Participated constructively (i.e., listened attentively, volunteered ideas) in class or in team discussions and exercises.

Added value to discussions (i.e., integrated material, provided relevant, non-redundant examples, played devil’s advocate, gave constructive feedback).

  1. Discussion Leader (10%). You will choose one Case, for which you will be discussion leader. Discussion leaders should be prepared to introduce the case (setting, key issues and decisions facing the organization) and to pose provocative questions about the case during class discussion.
  1. Essays (30%). Three (3) one-page essays (12-point font, 1” margins) are due during the quarter. You may choose when to turn in each essay, provided that: a) only one essay per week is turned in; b) each essay addresses a different course topic, and c) all essays are turned in before the last class day. The aim of the essay is to help stimulate deeper understanding of the topic area, by focusing on ONE of the following:
  • Linking the topic to your own work experience
  • Linking the topic to your coursework in another functional area
  • Developing and answering a question that expands issues raised in the readings.

Essays will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Clarity, Organization, Professionalism: Are main ideas presented clearly in a logical progression? Does the essay conform to the one page limit? Is the essay free of grammatical and spelling errors?
  • Content, Insight: Are class concepts described and applied correctly? Does the essay show insight? (What from the readings/cases/discussions caused you to reflect on, or reassess, your previous thinking or behaviors? What are some tangible outcomes of your insights (e.g., on future behaviors, on your analyses/recommendations).)

4. Case Analyses (30%). There will be four (4) written case analyses, for which you are required to answer 1-2 questions. Answers must be limited to no more than 1 page per question, using double-spaced (12-pt font) type. Answers will be turned in on the day that the case is discussed in class. Case analysis questions are provided on GauchoSpace.

Course Policies

  1. Lecture slides. Hardcopies of lecture slides will be provided to you in class, and will be posted on GauchoSpace (after class). You may view the slides or print a copy for your personal use. Slides are copyrighted; please do not in any way distribute or post without Dr. Lewis’ permission.

Course Schedule appears on the following page

Dr. Kyle LewisTMP 291 – Winter 2015v. 011115 – p. 1 1

Course Outline & Schedule (subject to change)

Date

/ Topic / Reading/Preparation
1a / 1/6 (Tue) / Introduction to class
Value of Knowledge

1b

/ 1/8 (Thu) / Human Capital:
HC Framework
U/V Matrix / Read: Talent Management for the 21st Century
2a / 1/13 (Tue) / Hiring:
Competencies, Selection / Read: Hiring for Smarts
2b / 1/15 (Thu) / Hiring, continued
InterviewingPersonality / DO:Personality Test (GS)
Skim: Recent articles on Personality & Selection (GS)
3a / 1/20 (Tue) / Hiring, continued
<Discuss “Mark Pitts”> / CASE: Mark Pitts Case
DUE: Case Analysis (see questions on GS)
3b / 1/22 (Thu) / Legal Issues / Read: Best of Intentions (GS)
4a / 1/27 (Tue) / Legal Issues, continued / Read: Gender & Technology readings (GS)
4b / 1/29 (Thu) / Motivation
<Discuss “Lincoln Electric”> / CASE: Lincoln Electric Case
DUE: Case Analysis (see questions on GS)
5a / 2/3 (Tue) / Motivation, continued / Read: On the follow of rewarding A, while hoping for B
Read: How to motivate problem people
5b / 2/5 (Thu) / !! NO CLASS TODAY !!
6a / 2/10 (Tue) / Performance & Rewards / Read: Tutorial on Measuring performance (GS)
DUE: One paragraph description (or abstract) of your research paper
6b / 2/12 (Thu) / Performance & Rewards, continued / Read: Six dangerous myths about pay
Read:Why incentive plans can’t work
7a / 2/17 (Tue) / Managing Teams
<Discuss “Army Crew”> / CASE: Army Crew case
DUE: Case Analysis (see questions on GS)
7b / 2/19 (Thu) / Teams, continued
8a / 2/24 (Tue) / HC Analytics
<Discuss “Royal Bank of Scotland”> / CASE: Royal Bank of Scotland Group
(no case analysis due … please read the case for discussion purposes only)
8b / 2/26 (Thu) / Exit / Read: The right way to be fired
9a / 3/3 (Tue) / Exit & Downsizing
9b / 3/5 (Thu) / Retention & Job Satisfaction / Read: Job Sculpting
10a / 3/10 (Tue) / Retention & Job Satisfaction, continued
<Discuss “SAS”> / CASE: SAS Institute Case
DUE: Case Analysis (see questions on GS)
10b / 3/12 (Thu) / Careers / Read: Reinventing your personal brand
Read: Becoming the boss

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Read: Readings on GS or handed outCASE: Case on GS or handed outGS: Gauchospace