Human Resource Management: Mapping and Understanding External and Internal Contexts for HR Strategy
Explore the role of 'context', its interdependencies and how HR strategies fit with different organisational types.
Duration
5 weeksWeekly study
14 hours
Human Resource Management: Mapping and Understanding External and Internal Contexts for HR Strategy
Understand the HR contexts and strategies in organisations.
This course tackles the idea of ‘context’ and the range of inner and outer contexts; trends such as volatility, uncertainty and complexity; theories such as convergence and institutional theory; contextual interdependencies; and the implications for HRM. The relationship between HR strategies and business strategies is explained where HR strategies include best practice; planned versus emergent strategies; positioning versus a resource-based approach; and fit with organisational type such as small business with a single product compared with a large multi-product and multi-divisional company.
What topics will you cover?
- Context; its meaning and the various types of context
- Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity in contemporary environments (VUCA)
- Strategic human resource management
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
Who is the course for?
This course is for students enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resources Management.
What software or tools do you need?
A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.
Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.
A desktop or laptop computer with either:
- Windows 7 or higher
- Mac OS X 10.7 or higher
The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.
To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone)
Who will you learn with?
Charles is a Lecturer in Management (Open University). He has extensive experience in teaching on topics related to Organisation Studies. He completed his PHD at the University of Leicester.
Futurelearn facilitator
Who developed the course?
The Open University
As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
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