Northern Arizona University College of Social and...

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Northern Arizona University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Politics and

International Affairs

POS 642 Human Resource Administration Spring/Fall Semester (----------)

Castro SBS Seminar Room 213

Office Hours:

Contact: E-mail:

Class Assistant: E-mail:

Catalogue Description: POS 642-Human Resource Administration (3 credits)

In-depth analysis of the administration of human resources in public and not -for -profit

organizations. Personnel processes from recruitment to retirement and administration of

human resources for increased efficiency and effectiveness in public sector output.

Course Purpose and Information

The primary purpose is to understand the current context and practice of human resource

administration (HRA) in the public sector. We shall use the terms Human Resource

Administration and Human Resource Management (HRM) interchangeably. The reason

is simple; According to Nicholas Henry, “the traditional field of personnel administration

has expanded its intellectual boundaries and now is called “human resources

management.” HRM is the administration of and policymaking for people and positions

in the public sector. Like other parts of government, HRM is undergoing rapid changes

and we shall focus on some of the most current issues.

Because this is a 600 graduate –level course, expect to read at least a hundred pages per

week. The course is designed to provide an in-depth analysis of human resource issues.

There will be numerous class activities including case studies, discussions, debates, and

written work. Most of the cases and examples will focus on public sector bureaucracies.

This course is one of the core classes in the Master of Public Administration and

Certificate in Public Management Programs. The class also serves the needs of doctoral –

level degree program students.

Course Student Learning Outcomes

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• To help students acquire an in-depth knowledge of the development of public

personnel policies in a democracy like the United States

• To become familiar with basic tools, competencies, and techniques used in

HRA/HRM

• To discuss the most significant changes and challenges facing public sector HRM

• To analyze value conflicts in human resource management, especially as

manifested in court rulings

• To provide a foundation that will allow students to deal successfully with

personnel concepts in other classes and careers

Required Textbooks

Berman, E.M., Bowman, J.S., West, J.P. & Van Watt, M.R. (2016). Human Resource

Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems. 5th Edition. Los

Angeles: Sage.

Thompson, F.J. (2003), Classics of Personnel Policy, 3 rd Edition. Belmont, CA;

Wadsworth.

Naff, K.C. (2001). To Look Like America: Dismantling Barriers for Women and

Minorities in Government, Boulder, Co.: Westview.

Other reading materials and cases are available in Blackboard Learn Content Pages.

The required texts may be ordered through the NAU bookstore,

http://www.nau.edu/bookstore and or through other online vendors.

Assignments/ Assessment of Course Learning Outcomes/Methods of Assessment and

Timelines for Assessment

All learners must complete the tasks and assignments below.

Class Participation and Structured Debates

a) Each student is expected to read, and is responsible for, all the materials assigned.

Assignments should be read prior to coming to class. As a general note, class attendance

is required and expected. Weekly meetings will consist of lecture, discussion, and

analysis of assigned materials. Blackboard (Bb) Learn discussion boards will available

for additional reviews and comments on reading materials. The quality of class

participation will be the determining factor when a student’s final average falls on the

margin of two letter grades.

b) Class discussion and participation are central features of this course. Students are

expected to contribute to discussions by expressing opinions, asking questions, and

challenging each other in a respectful manner. All students will prepare and present

arguments on selected cases available in BbLearn. A two –to-four-page summary of each

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student’s argument must be given to the instructor immediately prior to oral

presentations. The written summary and oral arguments will be evaluated in terms of

their thoroughness and accuracy regarding the case. The summary must integrate

materials from the course reading to show linkages between theory and practice of

Human Resource Administration. The instructor wants to know not only how you would

have handled the case(s) at issue but also your understanding of the underlying HR

literature and principles. Above all, students must be engaged in informed and spirited

discussion of the issues debated.

c) Student discussion leader: Each week a student or group of students will be selected to

be discussion leaders and to provide a brief overview of the issues raised in the assigned

reading. Discussion leaders are facilitators and have wide discretion as what they can do.

At the minimum, discussion leaders must come to class with an outline of the key issues

discussed in the selected weekly readings. The outline, which should contain a set of

discussion questions, should be made available to all participants in a handout or

electronic form, preferably through BbLearn.

Discussion leaders should also be free to provide power point presentations, if they like.

Discussion leaders must be prepared to field questions and also participate effectively in

class deliberations. A list of discussion leaders will be posted before the end of the first

week of class.

Research Paper

Students must identify a research question related to public or nonprofit human resource

administration/management that interests them and to conduct research to answer the

question. The paper must be at least 25 double-space pages long, including references.

Please use size 12 fonts. All papers should be referenced in Harvard or APA Style

format. All papers should provide a background literature survey with a statement on the

significance of the question or issue. A one-page paper proposal outlining the topic

selected by the student explaining its significance is due on ------------------.

Students should refer to Perdue University’s Writing Center for techniques of writing.

You may follow their link at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The final paper must be

submitted to the professor by ---------------------.

Bibliographic Essay

Because this is an advanced level course, students are required to have a higher level of

in-depth knowledge of the literature is a specific human resource administration issue or

topic. Therefore, each student is required to submit a bibliographic essay with at least ----

----------------references from peer reviewed journals, published papers, internet

resources, or books. Students need to be as precise as they can get and select topics on

which they can readily find reading materials. Topics that students may find interesting

include: employee evaluations, violence in the workplace, training needs assessments,

aging federal workforce, retirement benefits and employee motivation, and employee

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selection techniques. Each student should send the instructor a topic area that they wish

to explore in detail. Selecting a topic area and a list of relevant articles/books should be

the first step. This should be done before --------------------------.

A bibliographic essay is a narrative discussion, a review, of the literature of a topic. It is

the equivalent of a conversation in which someone not only advises you about "what's out

there" but shapes that raw material into a coherent survey of the materials available. Like

all bibliographies, the bibliographic essay enumerates sources and, like an annotated

bibliography, it describes and analyses them; it goes beyond performing these functions,

however, to comparing, contrasting, and evaluating the relationships among works. A

bibliographic essay thus draws a picture of the literature of a topic, and in so doing,

unlike a list and like an essay, it tends to take a position and establish an interpretive

point of view.

To compile a bibliographic essay, begin by asking two related questions:

• Who is writing? That is, who is writing what and publishing or purveying it where

and to whom?

• What are they writing about and how are they writing about it? Elaborate this

question by asking further questions including the author assumptions, issues,

points of contention, and conclusions.

To make-work easier for you, it makes sense to select a topic area during the first two

weeks. You may find good leads by looking at the reference lists at the end of each

chapter in the assigned course textbook. Please consider choosing a topic /subject matter

that is not in the same area of interest as your research paper project. All bibliographic

essays should be submitted in the “assignments’ area of Blackboard Learn by midnight. --

-------------------------.

Final Exam

There will be a final take-home comprehensive examination. The finals must be

submitted in Blackboard Learn during the exam week and before --------------------. Last

day of instruction is ----------------------.

The exams are an individual examination, so students should work alone rather than in

groups. The format for the final examination will allow students to demonstrate their

knowledge and comprehension of human resource administration and their ability to

apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate personnel issues in public organizations.

Grading Policies

Final grades for the course will be based on:

(1) Class Participation and Structured Debates 30%

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(i.e. Written brief 10%, Oral arguments 5%, Discussion leader and attendance 15%)

(2) Research Paper 25%

(3) Bibliographic Essay 25%

(4) Performance on final exam 20%

Late penalties will be assessed at the discretion of instructor for any work that is not

completed by the deadline indicated in the syllabus. Grades of incomplete are not

automatic and are limited to extremely extenuating circumstances, and only with the prior

approval of the instructor.

If you would like to have any of your written materials returned to you at the end of the

semester, please provide the instructor with a large, self-addressed and stamped envelope

that indicates where you would like the materials sent.

Student Handbook

Public administration and public service demands the highest ethical standards among its

practitioners including students of HRM. Plagiarism, cheating, falsifying information

and other unethical activities will not be tolerated. Such actions will result in a failing

grade for the assignment or the course, depending on the severity of the infraction. It is

helpful to review University, College and Departmental Policies. University policies are

available on the registrar’s website at: http://home.nau.edu/registrar/

Students should also review policies prescribed in the Student Handbook available at:

http://home.nau.edu/studentlife/handbook/appendix_g.asp

Course Outline and Schedule

Note: From time to time, there may be some changes to this schedule due to weather or

other circumstances. The availability of guests, videos, or other materials may require

changes, which will be communicated to you as much in advance as possible. Please

check your Blackboard Learn email regularly for notes on changes, and feedback on your

work.

Week 1: Introduction to the class

This session will be a review of course requirements and general discussion of the field

of public human resource administration.

Week 2: Historical Foundations and the Public Service Heritage of Human

Resource Management

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Angeles: Sage. Ch. 1

Van Riper, P.P. (2003). Americanizing a Foreign Invention: The Pendleton Act of 1883.

In Thompson, F.J. (ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 11-26). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth.

U.S. Congress. (2003). The Pendleton Act. In Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics of

Personnel Policy, (pp.26-32). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Goodnow, F.J. (2003). Merit Systems and Politics,” pp. 31-34 in Frank J. Thompson,

Classics of Personnel Policy, (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2003)

Mosher, F.C. (2003). Merit, Morality, and Democracy. In Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics

of Personnel Policy, (pp. 34-46). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Case: “Trapped in a dysfunctional family,” Harvard University Case Studies in Public

Policy and Management.

Week 3: Human Resource Administration in a Changing Work Environment

Ban, C. (2003). The Personnel Office: Friend or Foe? In Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics

of Personnel Policy, (pp. 135-157). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Light, P.C. (2003). The Illusion of Smallness. In Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics of

Personnel Policy, (pp. 157-178). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

U.S. Supreme Court. (2003). The Supreme Court and Private Contractors: Extracts from

O'Hare Truck Service v. City of Northlake and Board of County Commrs. V. Umbehr. In

Thompson, F.J. (ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 178-199). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth.

Condrey, S.E & Battaglio, R. P, Jr. (2007). A Return to Spoils? Revisiting Radical Civil

Service Reform in the United States. Public Administration Review, 6, 424-36.

Fernandez, S., Rainey, H.G. & Lowman, C.E. (2006). Privatization and Its Implications

for Human Resources Management. In Public Personnel Management: Current

Concerns, Future Challenges, 4th e., edited by Norma M. Riccucci. (pp.204-24). New

York: Longman.

Case: “The Problem of Tom,” Harvard University Case Studies in Public Policy and

Management.

Week 4: Human Resource Planning, Recruitment and Selection

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Angeles: Sage. Chs. 3 & 4

Brown, M.M. & Brown, R.G. (1998). Strategic Planning for Human Resource Managers.

In Condrey, S.E. (ed.), Handbook of Human Resource Management in Government,

(pp.410-431). San Francisco, CA.: Sage.

Llorens, J. J., & Kellough. E.J. (2007). A Revolution in Public Personnel

Administration: The Growth of Web-Based Recruitment and Selection Processes in the

Federal Service. Public Personnel Management. 36, 207-21.

O’Leary, B.S., Lindholm, M.L., Whitford, R.A. & Freeman, S.E. (2002). Selecting the

Best and Brightest: Leveraging Human Capital, Human Resource Management, 41 (3),

325-340

Case: “Deer Valley Hires a New Coach,” Cases in Public Human Resource

Management by Zane Reeves. pp. 1-3

Week 5: Position Management and Job Analysis




Shafritz, J.M. (2003). Position Classification: A Behavioral Analysis for the Public

Service. In Thompson, F.J. (ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 100-120). Belmont,

CA: Wadsworth.

Penner, M. (1983). How Job-Based Classification Systems Promote Organizational

Ineffectiveness, Public Personnel Management, 12, (3), 268-276

Schneider, B. & Konz, A.M. (1989). Strategic Job Analysis, Human Resource

Management, 28, (1), 51-63.

Sayre, W.S. (1948). The Triumph of Technique over Purpose. Public Administration

Review, (2), 134-137.

Case: “Can Personnel Be Fixed,” Governing, Congressional Quarterly Press

Week 6: Compensation and Pay for Performance




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Roberts, G.E. (2003). Municipal Government Part –Time Employee Benefits Practices,

Public Personnel Management, 32, (3), 435-450

Risher, H.W. (1994). The Emerging Model for Salary Management in the Private Sector:

Is it Relevant to Government? Public Personnel Management, 23, (1), 649-665

Llorens, J. J. (2008). Uncovering the Determinants of Competitive State Government

Wages. Review of Public Personnel Administration. 28, 308-26.

Case: “Paying the Tucson Police.”

Week 6: Performance Appraisals




Bowman, J. S. (1994). At Last, An Alternative to Performance Appraisal: Total Quality

Management, Public Administration Review, 54, (2), 129-136.

Nalbandian, J. (1981). Performance Appraisal: If Only People Were Not Involved. Public

Administration Review, 41 (3), 392-395.

Smith, M. (1979). Documenting Employee Performance, Supervisory Management,

September, 31-35

Beck-Dudley, C.L. & McEvoy, G.M. (1991). Performance Appraisals and Discrimination

Suits: Do Courts Pay Attention to Validity? Employee Responsibilities and Rights

Journal, 4, (2), 149-163.

Case: “To Protect and To Serve,” pp. 103-106. Zane Reeves.

Week 8: Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)

Battaglio, P.R. Jr. (2014). Human Resource Information Systems. (pp. 309-331). In

Battaglio, P. Public Human Resource Management: Strategies and practices in the 21st

Century. Los Angeles: C Q Press.

Haines, V.Y. & Petit, A. (1997). Conditions for successful human resources information

systems. Human Resource Management, 36 (2), 261-275.

West, J.P. & Berman, E.M. (2001). From traditional to virtual HR. Is the transition

occurring in local government? Review of Public Personnel Administration. 21, (1), 38-

64.

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Troshani, I., Jerram, C., & Hill, S.R. (2011). Exploring the public sector adoption of

HRIS. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 111, (3), 470-488.

Ball, K.S. (2001). The use of human resource information systems: A survey. Personnel

Review, 30, (6), 677-693.

Week 9: Human Resources Training and Development



Angeles: Sage. Ch. 9.

Swanson, R. & Holton, E.F.III, (2009). Theory of Human Resource Development. In

Swanson, R. & Holton, E. (eds.). Foundations of Human Resource Development, (pp. 93-

111). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

Dixon, N.M. (1990). Meeting training’s goals without reaction forms. Personnel Journal,

66 (8), 108-115

Case: “Fearless Freddy Fuego,” pp. 107-113. Zane Reeves.

Week 10: Discipline and Termination

Dresang, D.L. (2009). Discipline and Dismissal, (pp. 257-278). In Dresang, D. Personnel

Management in Government Agencies and Nonprofit Organizations. New York:

Longman.

Franklin, A.L. (2006). Organization Culture as an Explanation for Employee Discipline

Practices, Review of Public Personnel Administration, 26 (1), 52-73

King, K.N. & Wilcox, D.E. (2003). Employee –Proposed Discipline: How well is it

Working? Public Personnel Management, 32, (2), 197-211

Brewer, G.A. & Selden, S.C. (1998). Whistle Blowers in the Federal Service: New

Evidence of the Public Service Ethic, Journal of Public Administration Research and

Theory, 8, (3), 413-439

Cases: “Grief and the Grievance Process,” Governing, Congressional Quarterly Press

Week 11: Labor –Management Relations and Unions in the Public Sector



Angeles: Sage. Chs. 11 & 12

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White, L.D. (2003). Strikes in the Public Sector. In Thompson, F.J. (ed.). Classics of


Methe, D.T. & Perry, J.L. (2003). The Impact of Collective Bargaining on Local

Government Service: A Review of Research. In Thompson, F.J. (ed.). Classics of


U.S. Department of Labor. (2003). Working Together for Public Service. In Thompson,

F.J. (ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 432-463). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Week 12: Employee Health and Safety Workplace Trends




Samuels, S.U. (1993). To Furnish a Workplace Free from Recognized Hazards: OSHA,

State Occupational Safety and Health Agencies, and Fetal Protection Policies,

Politics and the Life Sciences, 12, (2), 243-254

Walsh, C.D. (1982). Employee Assistance Programs, The Milbank Memorial Fund

Quarterly. Health and Society, 60, (3), 492-517.

Andersson, L. M. & Pearson, C.M. (1999). Tit for Tat? The Spiraling Effect of Incivility

in the Workplace, The Academy of Management Review, 24, (3), 452-471

Week 13: Employee Constitutional Rights and Diversity Management



Angeles: Sage. Ch. 2.

Naff, K.C. (2001). To Look Like America: Dismantling Barriers for Women and

Minorities in Government, Boulder, Co.: Westview.

Case: “Too Many Christmas Carols in the Winter Festival.” pp. 157-161. Zane Reeves.

Week 14: Diversity Through Workplace and Work Restructuring

Koenig, H. (1998). The Americans With Disabilities Act: Who Isn’t Covered? Public

Administration Review, 63, (2), 165-176

Rainey, G.W. Jr., & Wolf, L. (1981). Flextime: Short-Term Benefits; Long –Term …?

Public Administration Review, 41, (1), 52-63

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Chadwin, M.L., Rogers, S.E., & Kim, P.S. (1995). Dealing with them: Preparing state

and local officials for cross-cultural challenges. Public Administration Review, 55, (6),

517-521

Soni, V. (2000). A Twenty –First-Century Reception for Diversity in the Public Sector: A

Case Study. Public Administration Review, 60, (5), 395-408

Salzstein, A.L., Ting, Y. & Salzstein, G.H. (2001). Work-Family Balance and Job

Satisfaction: The Impact of Family Friendly Policies on Attitudes of Federal Government

Employees. Public Administration Review, 61, (4), 452-467

Case: “The Flex –Time Conundrum,” Governing, Congressional Quarterly Press

Week 15: Future Policy Concerns and Presentations

National Commission on the State and Local Public Service (The Winter Commission).

(2003). Hard Truths/ Tough Choices: An Agenda for State and Local Reform. In

Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 479-497). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth.

National Performance Review. (2003). From Red Tape to Results: Creating a

Government That Works Better and Costs Less. In Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics of


Ingraham, P.W., Selden, S.C., & Moynihan, D.P. (2003). People and Performance:

Challenges for the Future Public Service-the Report from the Wye River Conference. In

Thompson, F.J. ( ed.). Classics of Personnel Policy, (pp. 521-532). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth.

Beecher, D.D. (2003). The Next Wave of Civil Service Reform, Public Personnel

Management, 32, (4), 457-474

Kellough E.J. & Selden, S.C. (2003). The Reinvention of Public Personnel

Administration: An Analysis of the Diffusion of Personnel Management Reforms in the

States. Public Administration Review, 63, (2), 165-176.

Week 16: Presentations and End of Semester Activities

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NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY POLICY STATEMENTS

SAFE ENVIRONMENT POLICY

NAU’s Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy seeks to prohibit discrimination

and promote the safety of all individuals within the university. The goal of this policy is

to prevent the occurrence of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national

origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status and to prevent sexual

harassment, sexual assault or retaliation by anyone at this university.

You may obtain a copy of this policy from the college dean’s office or from the NAU’s

Affirmative Action website http://home.nau.edu/diversity/. If you have concerns about

this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental chair, dean’s office, the

Office of Student Life (928-523-5181), or NAU’s Office of Affirmative Action (928-523-

3312).

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting

Disability Resources (DR) at 523-8773 (voice) or 523-6906 (TTY), [email protected] (e-

mail)or 928-523-8747 (fax).Students needing academic accommodations are required to

register with DR and provide required disability related documentation. Although you

may request an accommodation at any time, in order for DR to best meet your individual

needs, you are urged to register and submit necessary documentation (www.nau.edu/dr) 8

weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. DR is strongly committed

to the needs of student with disabilities and the promotion of Universal Design. Concerns

or questions related to the accessibility of programs and facilities at NAU may be brought

to the attention of DR or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (523-

3312).

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD

Any study involving observation of or interaction with human subjects that originates at

NAU—including a course project, report, or research paper—must be reviewed and

approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the protection of human subjects in

research and research-related activities.

The IRB meets monthly. Proposals must be submitted for review at least fifteen working

days before the monthly meeting. You should consult with your course instructor early

in the course to ascertain if your project needs to be reviewed by the IRB and/or to secure

information or appropriate forms and procedures for the IRB review. Your instructor and

department chair or college dean must sign the application for approval by the IRB. The

IRB categorizes projects into three levels depending on the nature of the project: exempt

from further review, expedited review, or full board review. If the IRB certifies that a

project is exempt from further review, you need not resubmit the project for continuing

IRB review as long as there are no modifications in the exempted procedures.

A copy of the IRB Policy and Procedures Manual is available in each department’s

administrative office and each college dean’s office or on their website:

http://home.nau.edu/diversity/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.nau.edu/dr

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http://www.research.nau.edu/vpr/IRB/index.htm. If you have questions, contact the IRB

Coordinator in the Office of the Vice President for Research at 928-523-8288 or 523-

4340.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The university takes an extremely serious view of violations of academic integrity. As

members of the academic community, NAU’s administration, faculty, staff and students

are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty and are committed to maintaining

the academic integrity essential to the education process. Inherent in this commitment is

the belief that academic dishonesty in all forms violates the basic principles of integrity

and impedes learning. Students are therefore responsible for conducting themselves in an

academically honest manner.

Individual students and faculty members are responsible for identifying instances of

academic dishonesty. Faculty members then recommend penalties to the department

chair or college dean in keeping with the severity of the violation. The complete policy

on academic integrity is in Appendix G of NAU’s Student Handbook

http://www4.nau.edu/stulife/handbookdishonesty.htm.

ACADEMIC CONTACT HOUR POLICY

The Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-206,

Academic Credit) states: “an hour of work is the equivalent of 50 minutes of class

time…at least 15 contact hours of recitation, lecture, discussion, testing or evaluation,

seminar, or colloquium as well as a minimum of 30 hours of student homework is

required for each unit of credit.”

The reasonable interpretation of this policy is that for every credit hour, a student should

expect, on average, to do a minimum of two additional hours of work per week; e.g.,

preparation, homework, studying.

SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS

If an instructor believes it is appropriate, the syllabus should communicate to students

that some course content may be considered sensitive by some students.

“University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it

necessarily involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative

representations. In the course of college studies, students can expect to encounter—and

critically appraise—materials that may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar

understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are encouraged to discuss these matters with

faculty.”

http://www.research.nau.edu/vpr/IRB/index.htm

http://www4.nau.edu/stulife/handbookdishonesty.htm

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