WED 469 - Training Systems Management
 

Purpose of the Course

An organization's success is determined in large part by its people. It is essential that organization members have the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to help the organization reach its goals. Given the rapid pace of change (e.g., technology, competition, workforce reduction), the KSAs employee's need will also change. One important way to ensure that organizational members have the competencies to meet current and future job demands is through a set of systematic and planned activities known as Human Resource Development (HRD). The content objectives of this course are to provide you with the knowledge of how to design, deliver, and evaluate HRD programs; to increase your awareness of the types of HRD programs used, and the issues involved in making HRD programs successful. The course builds upon the skills learned in WED 460 - analyzing occupations and jobs, specifying tasks and objectives, designing curriculum, and designing and developing an Instructional Systems Design (ISD) or training plan. Although this course is not considered a Human Resource Management (HRM) course, upon successful completion, you will have a better understanding of the complex legal, international and cultural aspects of HRM.

Course Catalog Description: Insight and understanding of administration and management of organizational training. Principles and techniques of managing training organizations. Process of planning, organizing, programming, staffing, budgeting, and evaluating a training organization.

General Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

1. Describe the major roles of HRD and those of the HRD manager.

2. Write HRD policy statements.

3. Develop an organizational chart for an HRD unit.

4. Develop a budget for an identified HRD unit.

5. Identify the major elements of an HRD budget.

6. Compare and contrast the various HRD budget systems.

7. Define the various financial management words and terms associated with an HRD application.

8. Identify the three major categories of HRD staff and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each.

9. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing external consultants in the HRD effort.

10. Identify the various instructional strategies that are appropriate to the HRD unit.

11. Identify the major purposes of the Performance Appraisal system.

12. Describe the various activities that are available to the HRD staff that will enhance professional development.

13. Identify the various factors to be considered when selecting external and internal facilities for HRD activities.

14. Describe the major characteristics of dedicated and non-dedicated facilities for HRD purposes.

15. Identify the major types of instructional support items that would be required for various HRD activities and classrooms.

16. Identify the types of people with whom the HRD manager should maintain professional relationships.

17. Describe the various strategies to develop and maintain these relationships.

18. Describe the relationships between strategic and long-range planning and functional or short range planning.

19. Identify the time periods associated with the various planning processes.

20. Identify the major roadblocks to effective planning activities.

21. Describe major supervisory responsibilities of the HRD manager.

22. Identify the various activities that should be undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the HRD unit.

23. Identify the major reasons why corporations support HRD.

24. Define the term "Corporate Culture" and identify the major cultures found in the business world.

25. Describe the international considerations of HRD.

Text and Resource Materials

Assignments and Requirements

PARTICIPATION: WED-469 is an advanced course in human resource development (HRD), a major part of a course on human resources management (HRM). A significant amount of material is presented each class period. It is essential that you keep up with the reading material; think about concepts presented and be prepared for classroom discussions. If you have questions, ask; do not wait until it is time for an exam. Ten (10) points are possible for classroom participation.

PROJECT: You are expected to complete a project, either individually or within a small (2-3 persons) group. The project is the preparation of a comprehensive report on a "case study" company. Various case studies are presented; you will choose the one (1) you prefer from:

1. Appendix A
2. Appendix A-2
3. Appendix A-3
4. Appendix A-4
5. Appendix A-5
6. Appendix A-6

The report will be presented following the outline found in Appendix B. If you wish, you may create your own company (for real or just on paper) and develop your project around that company. In any case, the outline found in Appendix B is the outline to follow in developing your project. The project accounts for 30 possible points.

E-LEARNING UNITS: There are three e-learning units presented as a part of the course requirements. They are listed in the section on Text and Resource Materials. E-learning units account for 30 possible points. Instructions on the completion of each e-learning unit are contained within the unit.

EXAMS: There are two exams; a midterm which accounts for 10 points and a final which accounts for 20 points, both tests are cumulative. Exams include multiple choice, short answer and essay responses. Material from the text, assigned readings, class exercises, presentations and other assigned sources are relevant material for each exam. Exams must be completed within the designated time period. If you require special consideration (e.g., students who qualify under ADA), you must make prior arrangements with your instructor.

Note 1: Your instructor may elect to permit you to submit portions of the project as drafts first. Please confirm due dates with your instructor.

Note 2: All coursework, in class and e-learning units, are to be turned in to your instructor on the date and time specified by your instructor.

Note 3: Your instructor may invoke a point penalty of up to 10% for late assignments. Please confirm late assignment penalties with your instructor.

Grading

A conventional letter grade will be assigned based upon the following cumulative points

A = 90 to 100 points

B = 80 to 89 points

C = 70 to 79 points

D = 60 to 69 points

F = Below 60 points

Policies and Standards

You are expected to attend class, read assigned materials, participate in class activities, and complete other requirements as may be assigned. Most problems and disagreements between students and instructors can be avoided by open communication at the beginning of a course. Therefore, you are encouraged to ask your instructor about any issue not understood.

Informal attire is permitted, but please dress in a manner appropriate for a university classroom. No hats or caps are to be worn in the classroom. Food and beverages may be consumed during class only if local conventions permit. Regarding all other matters, each student is expected to become familiar with and adhere to the Student Conduct Code.

If you need course-related accommodations you should contact your instructor during the first week of class.

Schedule

There are several ways an instructor may choose to conduct WED-469 within the three seat time weekend format. One approach is suggested below:

1. Assign the first two chapters as pre-class reading assignment. This should be no problem as students are typically in their third semester and will have purchased the text during the earlier weeks of the semester. The first Saturday, review the two assigned chapters using selected Power Point slides.

2. On the first Sunday, continue with Part II, Chapter 3; Recruiting and Selecting Qualified Employees. Then present a summary of Chapters 4 and 5 remembering that Chapter 5 has the material students will need for the e-learning unit so it may not be necessary to use extensive class time for Chapter 5.

3. Begin the second Saturday with Chapter 6, follow with Part III Chapters 7 and 8. This provides a review of what students should have mastered in WED-460 and WED-462. If students show mastery, move on to Chapter 9 as it is a major part of WED-469.

4. Begin the second Sunday with Chapters 10, 11 and 12, the Organizational Development aspect of HR.

5. The third Saturday and Sunday are mandatory e-learning unit days. Students work in groups or independently to complete the assignment and submit them to the instructor of record.

6. The fourth Saturday and Sunday the focus is on the legal, cultural and international issues and aspects of HR. Utilize selected slides from Chapters 13, 14, 15 and 16. Provide the final exam on Sunday afternoon.

Weekend #1

Weekend #2

Weekend #3

Weekend #4

Instructor Information

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