Public Management: Human Resources

Teacher(s)

Brenton Scott;

Language

English

Main themes

Contemporary practices of Human Resource Management (HRM) in public administration across OECD countries.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Critically question and apply ethically and democratically appropriate management tools based on the latest international research to attract and support talented professionals from all backgrounds for fulfilling and varied careers in public service.

Content

While public organisations have been influenced by private sector management techniques in recent decades, the assumption that these are superior and lead to better outcomes has been questioned after the Global Financial Crisis and some lacklustre public sector reforms. There are also distinctive factors ranging from political pressures to employee motivations to the absence of a ‘bottom line’ as well as accountability demands and citizen expectations that constrain managerial autonomy in public organisations. This course provides a forum for a critical interrogation of theories behind and practices of contemporary human resource management in the public sector around the world.The contents of course, covering the individual, organisational and (inter)national levels, are organised around the career of public officials:

• Entry (e.g., methods of recruitment, national schools of recruitment, diverse and inclusive recruitment; integration of new recruits, work motivafion, job satisfaction, retention or turnover rates etc.);
• Career systems (e.g., mobility, effects of crises, performance-related management, leadership management, high performance work systems, skills for high performance civil service etc.);
• Exit (e.g., pensions, future of the civil service etc.).

Teaching methods

The course combines:

• lectures with exercices;
• personal readings;
• interactions with different teachers (possibility of invited expert-practioners).

The lectures and the exercises prepare the students to the evaluation, but also and mostly to their future professional responsibilities in public-sector HRM.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation is composed of:

• class exercises (5 points); and
• final paper, including preparation (15 points).

Some class exercises can also be completed online, while the final paper is "at home" work and can be submitted after the conclusion of teaching activities.

Teaching materials

• Les supports de cours sont déposés sur le site Moodle du cours.

Faculty or entity

PSAD