Unit 2 Human Resource Management
In this unit, students explore how businesses recruit, organize, develop and lead their arguably most important resource—their people. In unit 2, students also learn what motivates individuals to perform well at work. Given the pace of change in modern business, the unit looks at how structural changes and changes in the business environment or in key people impact on human resource management. Ethical considerations and cross-cultural understanding are particularly relevant for unit 2, and especially in examining global corporations that have a multinational workforce and diverse stakeholder groups.
Although cultural issues are addressed throughout this unit, HL students also examine organizational (corporate) culture as well as industrial/employee relations. This gives them more tools to analyse the relationship between different stakeholder groups as well as the role of individuals in a business.
While unit 2 focuses primarily on “people issues”, these also form part of the discussions in other units of the course. For example: in unit 1, social and demographic changes are discussed as drivers of strategy; in unit 4, customers are in focus; while in unit 5, innovation is examined.
As the unit deals with the interactions between humans and their environments, students have an opportunity to reflect critically and creatively on many TOK considerations. Students may ask how knowledge is generated individually and collectively within an organization, how it is internally and externally validated, and how it may or may not be questioned. Similarly, topics such as persuasion (essential for leadership and collective bargaining) and the consequences of actions and decisions (for instance, in relation to recruiting or dismissing staff) can be examined. In terms of the IB learner profile, it may be interesting to study to what extent the characteristics of the profile are present (and valued) in business contexts.
Although cultural issues are addressed throughout this unit, HL students also examine organizational (corporate) culture as well as industrial/employee relations. This gives them more tools to analyse the relationship between different stakeholder groups as well as the role of individuals in a business.
While unit 2 focuses primarily on “people issues”, these also form part of the discussions in other units of the course. For example: in unit 1, social and demographic changes are discussed as drivers of strategy; in unit 4, customers are in focus; while in unit 5, innovation is examined.
As the unit deals with the interactions between humans and their environments, students have an opportunity to reflect critically and creatively on many TOK considerations. Students may ask how knowledge is generated individually and collectively within an organization, how it is internally and externally validated, and how it may or may not be questioned. Similarly, topics such as persuasion (essential for leadership and collective bargaining) and the consequences of actions and decisions (for instance, in relation to recruiting or dismissing staff) can be examined. In terms of the IB learner profile, it may be interesting to study to what extent the characteristics of the profile are present (and valued) in business contexts.
Conceptual Understandings:
- People play a major role in driving organizational change
- Creative employees could be essential for business success
- Ethical human resource systems may positively affect employee performance
- Sustainable human behavior can bring positive change in a business
Questions to consider:
- The pace of change in modern business is high and what is important to know is not static. How do individuals and organizations cope with change and new demands?
- “Knowledge is power.” If this saying is true, how does it affect different stakeholders’ ability to contribute to business decision-making?
- In large businesses, many stakeholders are far from the centre of decision-making. What challenges does an organizational or a geographical distance create for understanding the concerns of individual and stakeholder groups?
- Each individual and stakeholder group in a business has its own interests. Does this mean that a genuine shared strategy is impossible?
- How can a good leader use the different ways of knowing for effective communication and interaction with employees?
- Can individual motivation only emerge internally or can it be created externally? Is there such a thing as collective motivation?
- What types of knowledge, skills and attitudes might future business leaders and employees need?