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Syllabus

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Important note

This module ‘builds’ on the following undergraduate modules, namely HRDT 211 (Mentoring and coaching), HRDT 314 (organisational learning and development), HRDT 322 (Managing HRD, especially the study units on change management, leadership development, talent management and strategic HRD). Strategic HRD also “builds” on BMAN 111 and BMAN 121, whilst career development and management/career management and performance “builds” on IOPS 221 in the undergraduate BHRD degree. Students should review these modules before attempting this module.

Also review Carbery and Cross (2015), Chapters 2, 5, 6, 11 and 12 studied at the undergraduate level to better equip students for this module.

Module outcomes

On completion of the people development in an organisational context module, the student should be able to demonstrate the following:

  • Integrated and applied knowledge, engagement in and understanding of, as well as the ability to critically interrogate, evaluate and analyse multiple sources of knowledge related to people development within an organisational context, including, but not limited to, learning organisations, organisational development and change, career management and performance, multiskilling, management development  and the role of human resource development, as well as strategic human resource development, in the aforementioned and how that knowledge was produced, as well as applying such knowledge within a human resource development context
  • The advanced ability to select, apply and critically judge the effectiveness of the implementation of a range of relevant techniques, methods and procedures related to people development within an organisational context, such as strategies, interventions, programmes, enabling factors, practices and models, including the sequential steps, phases and procedures, where applicable, with a view to effectively implement, use and apply the aforementioned in the practice and advancement of human resource development as well as strategic human resource development solutions and recommendations based on applicable theory-driven arguments.
  • The ability to access, process and manage information, to critically review and apply information-gathering, synthesis of sources, evaluation and management strategies in the form of assignments, presentations and examinations in an acceptable academic format, in order to ethically develop creative responses to problems and issues within a human resource development context.
  • The ability to operate effectively within a system by understanding the roles of people and relationships between the various elements within the system related to people development within an organisational context, including, but not limited to organisational development, and the role of human resource development, strategic human resource development and human resource development practitioners therein.

Assessment criteria

The student will reach the outcome if he/she is able to:

  • Review, describe, critically analyse and evaluate a range of theories, concepts and ideas relevant to people development within an organisational context and the role of human resource development, as well as strategic human resource development therein.
  • Select and apply appropriate theories, ideas and concepts relevant to people development within an organisational context, specifically within a human resource development context.
  • Describe, explain, critically analyse, evaluate and distinguish between the different techniques, methods and procedures relevant to people development within an organisational context such as strategies, interventions, programmes, enabling factors, practices and models, including related sequential steps and procedures, where applicable.
  • Identify, select and effectively implement applicable strategies, interventions, programmes, enabling factors, practices and models, including the sequential steps phases and procedures related to people development within an organisational context and specifically in the practice and advancement of human resource development.
  • Identify, analyse, evaluate and critically analyse and reflect on insufficient practices, deficiencies, barriers and challenges related to people development within an organisational context.
  • Effectively address insufficient practices, deficiencies, barriers and challenges related to people development within an organisational context by applying applicable evidence-based, practice-driven human resource development, as well as strategic human resource development solutions and recommendations based on applicable theory-driven arguments.
  • Access, gather, manage and critically review information and sources related to people development within an organisational context while abiding by the rules of intellectual property and plagiarism.
  • Process and synthesise gathered and reviewed information sources and ethically develop creative responses to problems and issues in human resource development in the form of assignments, presentations and written examinations in an academically acceptable format.
  • Operate effectively within an organisational system by understanding the relationships between various elements related to people development and organisational development and the roles of human resource development practitioners and strategic human resource development therein.
  • Critically analyse and justify the role of human resource development in aspects of people development within an organisational context, including, but not limited to organisational development.
  • Critically analyse and effectively implement the role of human resource development practitioners in all aspects related to people development within an organisational context, including, but not limited to organisational development.

Assessment plan

Assessment plan

Formative assessment:

Summative assessment:
  • Class participation, which may also include writing a test, presenting prepared assignments (other than the formal written Assignments mentioned below), as well as self and peer evaluations. Students who do not attend classes unfortunately forfeit the class participation mark. Note that class participation in this programme is compulsory.
  • Formal Assignments – at the back of this study guide.
  • Regarding the above-mentioned Class participation and Formal Assignments: 20% of the assessment is to be on the three (3) lower order cognitive levels: remembering, understanding and applying.
  • Regarding the above-mentioned Class participation and Formal Assignments: 80% of the assessment is to be on the three (3) higher cognitive levels: analysing, evaluating and creating.
  • The summative assessment consists of a formal written examination and ONLY as indicated on the university's timetable at the specified time and venue.
  • Regarding the above-mentioned examination: 20% of the assessment is to be on the lower order cognitive levels/cognitive skills: remembering, understanding and applying.
  • Regarding the above-mentioned examination: 80% of the assessment is to be on the higher order cognitive levels/cognitive skills: analysing, evaluating and creating.

The calculation of marks is as follows:

Participation mark (consists of the formative assessment as indicated above):         50%

Examination mark (consists of the written examination as shown above):                 50%

Module mark:                                                                                                             100%

Module mark allocation

Participation mark

The participation mark is compiled by completing the three (3) assignments during the course of the module and by attending the study school contact session.

The marks for the assignments and class participation are converted to a percentage that compounds to the participation mark.

Examination mark

The examination consists of a 4-hour (120 marks) paper, with a sub-minimum pass mark of 40%. Questions, mostly of a paragraph or essay type, will be set on the outcomes of the module.

Study materials and sources

The following textbooks are prescribed for this module:

  • Carbery, R. & Cross, C., eds. 2015. Human resource development: a consice introduction.   London: Palgrave. (Please see the example in the case of a chapter in the book edited by Meyer (2016) being referenced below for the way in which a specific chapter in this edited book should be referenced.)
  • Chalofsky, N.F. 2014. Handbook of human resource development. John Wiley & Sons.
  • NWU Harvard. 2020. (In NWU referencing guide.  Potchefstroom: North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Library Services. p. 1-57). (Available at http://library.nwu.ac.za/sites/library.nwu.ac.za/files/files/documents/quoting-sources.pdf or from the Ferdinand Postma Library.)
  • McDonald, K.S. & Hite, L.M.  2014.  Contemporary career literature and HRD.  (In Chalofsky, N.F., Rocco, T.S. & Morris, M.L.  ed.  2014.  Handbook of human resource development.  1st ed.  New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.  p. 402-418.)
  • Werner, J.M. 2022. Human resource development: talent development. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.  
  • Wilson, J.P., ed.  2012. International human resource development: learning, education and training for individuals and organisations. London: Kogan Page. (Once again, please note that this is (also) an edited book, consisting  of different chapters, each with its own author(s) indicated.)

Articles:

 

Study plan

Planning of your study programme:

(For your personal use)

Study task

Approximate study time (hours)

Date of submission

Actual date of comple­tion

Level of achievement (%)

Study Unit 1

17

Study Unit 2

17

Study Unit 3

16

Study Unit 4

15

Study Unit 5

15

Study Unit 6

15

Assignment 1

15

Assignment 2

15

Assignment 3

15

Study school

16

Examination

  4

Total

160 hours

Warning against plagiarism

Warning against plagiarism

ASSIGNMENTS ARE INDIVIDUAL TASKS AND NOT GROUP ACTIVITIES. (UNLESS EXPLICITLY INDICATED AS GROUP ACTIVITIES)

Copying of text from other learners or from other sources (for instance the study guide, prescribed material or directly from the internet) is not allowed – only brief quotations are allowed and then only if indicated as such.

You should reformulate existing text and use your own words to explain what you have read. It is not acceptable to retype existing text and just acknowledge the source in a footnote – you should be able to relate the idea or concept, without repeating the original author to the letter.

The aim of the assignments is not the reproduction of existing material, but to ascertain whether you have the ability to integrate existing texts, add your own interpretation and/or critique of the texts and offer a creative solution to existing problems.

Be warned: students who submit copied text will obtain a mark of zero for the assignment and disciplinary steps may be taken by the Faculty and/or University. It is also unacceptable to do somebody else’s work, to lend your work to them or to make your work available to them to copy – be careful and do not make your work available to anyone!

Plagiarism is a serious offence and you should familiarise yourself with the plagiarism policy of the NWU. http://library.nwu.ac.za/copyright-and-plagiarism

Please refer to the Policy on Academic Integrity which is found on the following website: http://www.nwu.ac.za/sites/www.nwu.ac.za/files/files/i-governance-management/policy/2P-2.4.3.2_Academic%20integrity_e.pdf