Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Nikola Balnave
Contact via email
E4A 509
Wednesday 1:45-2:45pm (or by appointment)
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
HRM107
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit examines the broad macro issues related to managing people at work. The scope extends to the macroeconomic environment including the economic, political, social, and institutional context. The unit is approached from a stakeholder perspective, emphasising the way that management, labour and the state, along with other key stakeholders, act, both separately and together, to structure the employment relationship. Topics include the regulatory framework, bargaining structures and processes, conflict and co-operation, and the impact of change and reform directions. In particular students will be required to develop graduate capabilities in relation to critical, analytical and integrative thinking.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Important:
It is the responsibility of students to view their marks for each within session assessment on iLearn within 20 working days of posting. If there are any discrepancies, students must contact the unit convenor immediately. Failure to do so will mean that queries received after the release of final results regarding assessment marks (not including the final exam mark) will not be addressed.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Assignment | 20% | No | Week 6 |
Report | 40% | No | Week 9 |
Final Examination | 40% | No | University Examination Period |
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%
Weighting: 20%
Due Date: Wednesday 5 April (Week 6)
Duration/Length: 1000 Words (+/- 10%)
Submission Details
Students must submit their assignments electronically through Turnitin using the link on iLearn by 4:00pm on the due date.
A hard copy of your assignment must also be submitted either to BESS (E4B) by 4:00pm on the due date, or to your tutor during your Week 6 tutorial.
Hard copies must be identical to the electronic version submitted.
Late submissions
Late assignments must also be submitted through Turnitin and a hard copy submitted to BESS in Building E4B to be date stamped and forwarded to your tutor for marking.
No extensions will be granted. A student who submits a late assessment will be penalised by 10% per day. That is, marks equal to 10% of the assignment’s weight will be deducted as a ‘flat rate’ from the mark awarded. For example, for an assignment that has a possible highest mark of 20, the student’s awarded mark will have two marks deducted for each late day. Saturday and Sunday each count as one day. This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption to studies is made and approved.
Description
This assessment task requires you to read a number of short documents and then answer a range of questions.
Aims and Objectives
This exercise is designed to start students thinking about the range of perspectives held by various stakeholders on employment relations issues. When it comes to debates about employment relations matters, there is no black and white, no right or wrong. Employment relations stakeholders often have different and sometimes competing views, and expected alliances can often shift depending on the issue. Students are encouraged to approach any employment relations matter objectively, recognise that there will be a number of perspectives on the issue, and critically evaluate all viewpoints before arriving at a conclusion.
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 40%
Weighting: 40%
Due Date: Wednesday 10 May (Week 9)
Duration/Length: 2000 Words (+/- 10%)
Submission Details
Students must submit their reports electronically through Turnitin using the link on iLearn by 4:00pm on the due date.
A hard copy of your report must also be submitted either to BESS (E4B) by 4:00pm on the due date, or to your tutor during your Week 9 tutorial.
Hard copies must be identical to the electronic version submitted.
Late submissions
Late essays must also be submitted through Turnitin and a hard copy submitted to BESS in Building E4B to be date stamped and forwarded to your tutor for marking.
No extensions will be granted. A student who submits a late assessment will be penalised by 10% per day. That is, marks equal to 10% of the assignment’s weight will be deducted as a ‘flat rate’ from the mark awarded. For example, for an assignment that has a possible highest mark of 40, the student’s awarded mark will have four marks deducted for each late day. Saturday and Sunday each count as one day. This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption to studies is made and approved.
Aims and Objectives
This assessment encourages students to:
Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 40%
Weighting: 40%
Due Date: Formal Examination Period
Duration: 2 Hours
The final examination will be closed book. The exam will be of two hour duration. The exam will be held during the University Examination period and will include short answer and multiple choice questions.
A final examination is included as an assessment task for this unit to provide assurance that:
i) the product belongs to the student and
ii) the student has attained the knowledge and skills tested in the exam.
The unit involves 3 hours face-to-face teaching per week consisting of a two hour lecture and one hour tutorial.
The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
Students MUST attend the tutorial assigned unless given permission by Lecturer or Tutor in special circumstances
The NSW Industrial Relations Society Prize
Abbott, K., Mackinnon, B.H., and Fallon, P. (2016), Understanding Employment Relations, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, Victoria.
Students are required to use iLearn.
Course material is available on the learning management system (ilearn)
The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/
Students are expected to read and research each topic in advance, participate in class /tutorial discussions and to maintain a strong interest in current issues and changes in workplace relations.
Week |
Week Commencing |
Lecture Topic |
Text Chapter/s |
1 |
27 Feb |
Industrial Relations, HRM and Employment Relations |
11 (see also pp.3-4) |
2 |
6 March |
Approaches to the study of employment relations |
1 |
3 |
13 March |
Employment relations in the Australian context |
2 |
4 |
20 March |
Trade Unions |
3 |
5 |
27 March |
Employers and employer associations |
4 |
6 |
3 April |
The State |
5 |
7 |
10 April |
Agreement making |
6 |
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17 - 30 April |
MID SEMESTER BREAK |
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8 |
1 May |
Wage determination |
7 |
9 |
8 May |
Industrial conflict |
8 |
10 |
15 May |
Collective bargaining simulation |
Readings on iLearn |
11 |
22 May |
Work health and safety |
10 |
12 |
29 May |
Employment relations and diversity |
9 |
13 |
5 June |
Unit review and exam briefing |
All |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
The nature of scholarly endeavour, dependent as it is on the work of others, binds all members of the University community to abide by the principles of academic honesty. Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:
Further information on the academic honesty can be found in the Macquarie University Academic Honesty Policy at http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Macquarie University uses the following grades in coursework units of study:
Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Grading Policy which is available at:
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
If, at the conclusion of the unit, you have performed below expectations, and are considering lodging an appeal of grade and/or viewing your final exam script please refer to the following website which provides information about these processes and the cut off dates in the first instance. Please read the instructions provided concerning what constitutes a valid grounds for appeal before appealing your grade.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
A new, up-to-date, textbook has been adopted for the unit. Lecture material and tutorial activities have been updated to reflect current workplace relations issues.
The unit explores the impact of industrial relations and employment policy and practice on economic and social sustainability.
The unit uses research by Macquarie University researchers as well as from external sources. The unit gives you practice in applying research findings in your assignments.
Recommended resources:
E-Resources:
ABI/INFORM – comprehensive business database.
Business Source Complete – business resources for undergraduate/postgraduate use, with extensive archive of articles. Access to industry reports, market research reports, country reports & company profiles.
Emerald Fulltext – scholarly research in management.
Factiva – full text business and company information from major Australian and international news sources.
Related Databases:
AIMMAT: AIM Management & Training Database – a source for Australian, New Zealand and South East Asian articles on management and training. Includes many case studies.
Informit – Australasian content on social, economic and political issues.
Proquest ANZ Newsstand – provides full text of Australian and New Zealand newspapers, except the AFR.
Relevant Journals:
Australian Bulletin of Labour
Journal of Australian Political Economy
British Journal of Industrial Relations
Economic and Labor Relations Review
HR Monthly
International Journal of Employment Studies
Journal of Industrial Relations
Labour and Industry
New Technology, Work and Society
People Management
Research and Practice in Human Resource Management
Work and Occupations
Work, Employment and Society