ORGANIZATIONAL CHOICES IN FAMILY BUSINESS
Syllabus
Obiettivi Formativi
Il corso analizza i principi della gestione delle risorse umane, proponendone un'applicazione allo specifico caso delle aziende familiari. Il corso ha un duplice focus: da un lato, esso evidenzia le peculiarità delle aziende familiari in tema di gestione del personale; dall'altro, esso argomenta il ruolo del personale quale "risorsa critica" per il vantaggio competitivo delle aziende familiari. Il corso propone una lettura concettuale del fenomeno delle aziende familiari, analizzando le principali lenti concettuali proposte dalla letteratura scientifica. In aggiunta, esso analizza in dettaglio le principali pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane, evidenziando in che modo esse possono essere contestualizzate allo specifico caso delle aziende familiari.
CONOSCENZA E CAPACITÀ DI COMPRENSIONE:
A esito della partecipazione al corso, gli studenti avranno la capacità di definire i tratti distintivi delle aziende familiari e di specificarne le peculiarità sul profilo organizzativo e gestionale. In aggiunta, gli studenti avranno la possibilità di comprendere le dinamiche di gestione del personale nelle aziende familiari, acquisendo consapevolezza delle principali sfide che un direttore delle risorse umane dovrebbe affrontare al loro interno. Infine, gli studenti riusciranno a leggere in ottica integrata le pratiche di gestione del personale, riconoscendo il loro impatto sulle condizioni di economicità aziendale.
Gli studenti matureranno un'elevata capacità critica di analisi e comprensione delle interazioni e interdipendenze che esistono tra le variabili istituzionali, organizzative e gestionali che caratterizzano le aziende familiari e la gestione delle persone. Oltre a essere nelle condizioni di analizzare e diagnosticare l'efficacia delle pratiche di gestione del personale, gli studenti acquisiranno consapevolezza delle azioni necessarie a raggiungere una coerenza di fondo tra la gestione delle risorse umane e la direzione strategica dell'azienda. Infine, gli studenti saranno nelle condizioni di comprendere il binomio formalità/informalità nella gestione delle risorse umane in ambito familiare, sviscerandone le implicazioni sul buon andamento aziendale.
CAPACITÀ DI APPLICARE CONOSCENZA E COMPRENSIONE
Lo studente avrà la possibilità di identificare gli schemi concettuali più appropriati per leggere con appropriatezza ed efficacia le specifiche sfide che, sul profilo organizzativo e gestionale, caratterizzano le aziende familiari. In aggiunta, ragionando in ottica configurazionista e contingente, gli studenti matureranno la capacità di coniugare armonicamente le pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane nel contesto delle aziende familiari, guidando queste ultime verso il raggiungimento di condizioni di eccellenza operativa.
AUTONOMIA DI GIUDIZIO:
Grazie alla partecipazione al corso, gli studenti svilupperanno una marcata autonomia di giudizio nel valutare le implicazioni della gestione del personale sull'efficacia e sull'efficienza delle aziende familiari. Oltre a ponderare la coerenza tra le diverse pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane, gli studenti avranno la capacità di delineare percorsi di riconfigurazione dei sistemi strategici di gestione del personale, assumendo come traguardo di riferimento la sostenibilità organizzativa.
ABILITA' COMUNICATIVE:
A conclusione del corso, lo studente acquisirà il gergo tipico della gestione delle risorse umane, apprendendo le peculiarità che ne connotano l'applicazione all'ambito delle aziende familiari. Oltre a sviluppare elevate capacità di comunicazione orale, gli studenti saranno anche coinvolti nella redazione di report scritti, che saranno strumentali alla valorizzazione della loro capacità di esprimersi formalmente in tema di gestione del personale nelle aziende familiari.
CAPACITÀ DI APPRENDERE:
Adottando una visione strategica e sistemica d'azienda, gli studenti saranno incoraggiati a inquadrare l'organizzazione come un ecosistema, al cui interno è necessario creare una congiunzione armoniosa ed equilibrata tra il sistema tecnico e quello sociale. In tal senso, gli studenti saranno incentivati a trattare i temi di gestione del personale in ottica integrata, mirando al raggiungimento di una joint optimization tra istanze individuali ed esigenze organizzative.
Learning Objectives
The teaching addresses the issues related to people management, applying them to the specific case of family firms. Two aims characterize the course: first, it intends to emphasize the peculiarities of family firms in terms of human resource management; second, it argues the critical role of people as a source of competitive advantage for family firms. A conceptual overview of the scholarly debate about family firms introduces the course, which include an in-depth analysis of the most relevant theoretical lenses embraced to analyse such firms. The most relevant human resource management practices are investigated, shedding light on how they can be integrated to enhance the success of family firms.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Students will be able to define the distinctive traits of family firms, delving into their attributes from an organizational and a managerial perspective. Furthermore, students will be able to understand the dynamics of human resource management in the family firm setting, acknowledging the special challenges that a Human Resource Management should deal with to effectively contribute to organizational success. Lastly, the students will be encouraged to adopt an integrative perspective to read human resource management, understanding how they impact on efficiency and effectiveness. The students will develop a strong critical capability to analyse and acknowledge the relationships and interdependencies across the different institutional, organizational, and managerial variables that affect the functioning of family firms. This will enable them to assess and diagnose the effectiveness of human resource management practices and to achieve awareness of the actions needed to align people management with the strategic orientation of family firms. Students will be invited to reflect on the dualism between formality and informality, illuminating its implications on organizational performance.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Students will be proficient in pointing out the conceptual tools and approaches that fit the peculiar attributes of family firms and to achieve an adequate understanding of the special challenges that characterize people management within their organizational boundaries. Furthermore, the students will be stimulated to embrace a configurationist and contingent approach to elicit the approach and techniques required to harmonize human resource management practices and unleash the impact of people management on the performance of family firms. This will enable them to pursue organizational excellence in the family firm setting through human resource management.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
By participating to the course, the students will develop a strong autonomy in assessing and gauging the implications of human resource management practices on the efficiency and effectiveness of family firms. Alongside acknowledging how human resource management practices can be harmonized and integrated, students will be able to configure human resource management bundles that are completely fit with the strategic orientation of family firms, striving to contribute to organizational sustainability and viability.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
The students will master the jargon of human resource management, getting specific cues on how to contextualize it to the family firm setting. Alongside achieving proficiency on how to communicate and report issues related to people management in the family firm setting, students will develop oral and written communication expertise, that will empower them to get a full control on how to transfer information about human resource management when family firms are concerned.
LEARNING SKILLS:
Embracing a strategic and systemic view of the firm, the students will be prompted to understand the organization as an ecosystem, where a coexistence should be sought between formal and informal dynamics. From this standpoint, the students will be stimulated to deal with human resource management in family firms in an integrated and cohesive way, aiming at a joint optimization between the goals of organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Prerequisiti
Prerequisites
Programma
PRIMA PARTE: INTRODUZIONE AL CONCETTO DI AZIENDE FAMILIARI (2 ore per ciascuna sessione)
1) Verso una concettualizzazione delle aziende familiari
2) Le specificità delle aziende familiari su un profilo strategico, organizzativo e gestionale
3) Un quadro sintetico sulle principali teorie manageriali applicabili alle aziende familiari
4) La Socio-Emotional Wealth e le aziende familiari
5) La famiIiness nelle aziende familiari
6) Sostenibilità organizzativa e aziende familiari
SECONDA PARTE: LA GESTIONE DELLE RISORSE UMANE (2 ore per ciascuna sessione)
7) La gestione delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari: considerazioni introduttive
8) Il ciclo di gestione delle risorse umane
9) La pianificazione delle risorse umane
10) Il reclutamento
11) La selezione
12) La formazione
13) Lo sviluppo del personale
14) La valutazione delle prestazione: gli approcci basati sui risultati
15) La valutazione delle prestazione: gli approcci basati sui comportamenti
16) La retribuzione
17) la leadership
18) la cultura organizzativa
Program
FIRST SECTION: INTRODUCING FAMILY FIRMS (2 hours per session)
1) Towards a conceptualization of family firms
2) The strategic, structural, and management peculiarities of family firms
3) The most relevant theories about family firm management
4) Socio-Emotional Wealth
5) FamiIiness
6) Organizational sustainability in the family firm setting
SECOND SECTION: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES (2 hours for each session)
7) Managing people in family firms: an overview
8) The cycle of human resource management
9) Human resource planning
10) Recruitment
11) Selection
12) Training
13) Employee development
14) Performance management: result approaches
15) Performance management: behavioral approaches
16) Compensation
17) Leadership
18) Organizational culture
Testi Adottati
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Books
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Bibliografia
Poza, E. J. (2013). Family business. Cengage Learning.
Bibliography
Poza, E. J. (2013). Family business. Cengage Learning.
Modalità di svolgimento
Teaching methods
Regolamento Esame
Ai fini della valutazione, si utilizzerà lo schema che segue:
Non sufficiente (<18): Lo studente non è in grado di rispondere adeguatamente alle domande di esame. Si riscontra una limitata conoscenza delle lenti teoriche presenti all'interno del libro di testo. Lo studente non è in grado di giustificare le proprie argomentazioni con esempi pratici.
Sufficiente (18/22): Lo studente possiede le nozioni di base per fornire una risposta sufficiente alle domande di esame. Una conoscenza di base delle lenti teoriche presenti nel libro di testo ispira le risposte alle domande si esame. Il ricorso a esempi pratici e scarno e non adeguatamente argomentato.
Mediocre (23/25): Lo studente spiega con sufficienza le nozioni che gli consentono di fornire risposta alle domande. Le basi teoriche discusse nel libro di testo sono adeguatamente usate per argomentare le proprie considerazioni. Si forniscono buoni spunti argomentativi attraverso esempi pratici espressi con un approccio descrittivo.
Buono (26/28): Lo studente argomenta in maniera convinta e approfondita le tematiche oggetto di esame. Il ricorso a lenti teoriche e concettuali per discutere criticamente le domande di esame è sufficiente. Si fa ricordo a esempi pratici per poter meglio argomentare le proprie considerazioni.
Eccellente (29/30): Lo studente è in grado di rispondere in maniera completa e approfondita alle domande di esame. Nel fornire riscontro alle domande, lo studente utilizza un'ampia gamma di strumenti e approcci concettuali. Lo studente è in grado di far ricorso a esempi pratici, che sono discussi criticamente per fornire una prospettiva a tutto tondo sulle domande oggetto di esame.
Agli studenti particolarmente meritevoli sarà conferita la lode.
Exam Rules
The following criteria will be used for assessing students' performance:
0 point: The student is unable to effectively discuss the main issues reported in the questions. Theoretical knowledge is not adequately exploited to articulate convincing propositions and arguments. No insights are provided drawing on examples which may enhance the understanding of the topics dealt with in the question.
Not sufficient (<18): The student provides fragmented notions which allows her/him to address some superficial issues touched by the questions. Theoretical knowledge is poorly exploited to articulate convincing propositions and arguments. Limited insights are provided drawing on examples which may enhance the understanding of the topics dealt with in the question.
Sufficient (18/22): The student provides some notions which allows her/him to address the key issues dealt with in the questions. Theoretical knowledge is adequately exploited to articulate convincing propositions and arguments. Some insights are provided drawing on examples which may enhance the understanding of the topics dealt with in the question.
Adequate (23/25): The student provides adequate notions which allows her/him to address most of the issues dealt with in the questions. Theoretical knowledge is effectively used to articulate convincing propositions and arguments. Good insights are argued drawing on examples which enhance the understanding of the topics dealt with in the question.
Good (26/28): The student completely addresses the issues contemplated in the question. The student is proficient in using theoretical knowledge to critically frame the answer and are able to draw insights from connecting different topics discussed in the textbook. Fitting insights are provided drawing on adequately developed practical examples.
Excellent (29/30): The student completely addresses the issues contemplated in the question. The student uses a wide array of conceptual tools to investigate the teaching topics. Practical examples are discussed in a critical way to provide multifaceted perspectives to comprehensively address the issues touched by the question.
The 'cum laude' honor will be conferred to top-level students.
Obiettivi Formativi
Il corso analizza i principi della gestione delle risorse umane e ne propone un’ applicazione al caso delle imprese familiari. Il corso presenta un duplice focus: da un lato, esso contestualizza le pratiche e i sistemi di gestione delle risorse umane alle aziende familiari; dall’altro, esso evidenzia come un'azienda familiare può far fronte a cambiamenti strategici e organizzativi sfruttando l'adozione di un insieme allineato di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane. Questioni e preoccupazioni specifiche del corso includono il rapporto delle aziende familiari con l'ambiente esterno, l'influenza delle strategie, della cultura e delle dimensioni aziendali sulla struttura dell'organizzazione e le strategie appropriate per una gestione ottimale delle persone. Il corso intende far comprendere allo studente il funzionamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari e introdurre i concetti di base per progettare, attuare e modificare la gestione delle risorse umane in questa particolare tipologia di azienda. Il corso supporta gli studenti a prendere coscienza dell'unicità delle aziende familiari e di come l'uso corretto delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane può aiutarle a sopravvivere.
RISULTATI DI APPRENDIMENTO ATTESI:
- Conoscere quali sono i caratteri che consentono di definire le imprese familiari;
- Comprendere quali sono le caratteristiche e le problematicità delle imprese familiari, soprattutto in relazione all'interdipendenza esistente tra famiglia, management e proprietà;
- Conoscere gli strumenti e le pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane e il loro impatto sulle performance d'impresa;
- Conoscere e comprendere la necessità di creare pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane coerenti con la strategia d'impresa;
- Conoscere e comprendere quali sono i motivi e le modalità di costituzione di bundles di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
- Conoscere e Comprendere le peculiarità delle imprese familiari in ambito di gestione delle risorse umane;
CONOSCENZA E CAPACITA' DI COMPRENSIONE:
- Individuare e spiegare le relazioni esistenti tra variabili organizzative, scelte strategiche e pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari;
- Analizzare, valutare e diagnosticare l'efficacia delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari;
- Spiegare come la progettazione di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane coerente con la strategia d'impresa possa portare a un vantaggio strategico;
- Individuare le principali pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane adottate nelle imprese familiari;
- Discutere in modo approfondito le questioni relative all'attuazione delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
- Spiegare le relazioni tra gestione delle risorse umane, leadership, progettazione organizzativa ed efficacia nelle imprese familiari.
APPLICARE CONOSCENZA E CAPACITÀ DI COMPRENSIONE
Attraverso le conoscenze e le capacità di comprensione acquisite lo studente deve essere in grado di sviluppare abilità/capacità per:
- trovare e accedere in modo autonomo alle informazioni sulle imprese familiari;
- definire le dinamiche organizzative e strategiche delle imprese familiari con particolare attenzione alle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
- valutare le condizioni di sopravvivenza e sviluppo delle imprese familiari attraverso l'analisi strategica e l'uso coerente delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
- individuare le variabili sulle quali agire per il miglioramento delle condizioni di equilibrio strategico-organizzativo attraverso la scelta appropriata di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
AUTONOMIA DI GIUDIZIO:
Sviluppare autonome riflessioni sulle diverse tematiche relative alle imprese familiari. Avere la capacità di integrare le conoscenze e gestire la complessità insite sia nelle caratteristiche delle imprese familiari sia nella gestione delle risorse umane. L'approccio del corso cerca di collegare agli aspetti strategici e culturali propri delle imprese familiari con gli aspetti manageriali e di performance relativi alla gestione delle risorse umane. Lo studente deve pertanto saper scegliere gli approcci e gli strumenti necessari per la comprensione della complessità delle imprese familiari e individuare le possibili soluzioni organizzative atte a migliorarne le prestazioni.
ABILITA' COMUNICATIVE:
- esprimersi, in forma scritta e orale, utilizzando un linguaggio tecnico proprio della gestione delle risorse umane e delle imprese familiari;
- capacità di analisi dei problemi relativi alla gestione delle risorse umane nel contesto delle imprese familiari;
- capacità relazionali;
- capacità di lavorare in gruppo, gestire lo stress e le situazioni conflittuali.
CAPACITÀ DI APPRENDERE:
- Sviluppare analisi delle variabili organizzative e delle dinamiche di gestione delle risorse umane, particolarmente utili per adempiere alle funzioni manageriali;
- Approfondire i temi relativi al comportamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari, che consenta loro di contribuire in modo efficace allo sviluppo dell'organizzazione in cui si troveranno a operare;
- costruire e sviluppare un metodo di studio e di ricerca idoneo a consentire l'approfondimento delle conoscenze maturate.
Learning Objectives
The aim of the "Economics of Business Groups" course, in line with the aim of the Master of Science in Economics and Management, is to prepare students to face and manage the complexity of small, medium and large business groups, to lead them towards the creation of sustainable value for stakeholders and the wider community in which these groups live and operate.
To this end, the course aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Acquire knowledge and understanding of the conditions of equilibrium (economic-financial, social and environmental in their mutual relations) and functioning of a group of companies considered as a whole and of the individual units that are part of it, with the aim of understanding the information value of the consolidated financial statements and the financial statements / separate of the individual economies (parent and controlled);
- Acquire knowledge of the elements that affect the centralization / decentralization of decision-making of the parent company and the decision-making autonomy of the subsidiaries, in order to be able to easily carry out the strategic diagnosis of a business group;
- Acquire knowledge of the legal legislation on groups, to understand its effect on the economy and the sustainability of the group and the individual production units operating in it.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Know what are the characteristics that allow family businesses to be defined;
- Understand what are the characteristics and problems of family businesses, especially in relation to the interdependence that exists between family, management and ownership;
- Know the tools and practices of human resource management and their impact on business performance;
- Know and understand the need to create human resource management practices consistent with business strategy;
- Know and understand what are the reasons and ways of establishing bundles of human resource management practices;
- Know and Understand the peculiarities of family businesses in the area of human resource management;
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
- Know what are the characters that allow to delimit the economic boundaries of the business group;
- Understand what are the boundaries of the business group, especially when the links between the holding company and the subsidiaries are not characterized by the presence of shareholdings;
- Know the tools for assessing the balance conditions (economic-financial, social and environmental) of the group through the analysis of the financial statements / consolidated and sustainability;
- Know and understand the conditions of equilibrium (economic-financial, social and environmental) of the group and its subsidiaries;
- Know and understand what are the reasons and methods of establishment of business groups;
- Understand the relationships between the conditions of equilibrium and economy of the subsidiaries and those of the wider group to which they belong;
- Know the legislation on business groups, with particular reference to the legal liability deriving from the management and coordination of the parent company (pursuant to art. 2497 of the Italian Civil Code);
- Understand how the legislation impacts on the economic choices of the business group.
APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Through the knowledge and understanding acquired the student must be able to develop skills / abilities for:
- find and independently access information on business groups, using corporate websites and those of other organizations (e.g. Borsa Italiana, Consob);
- define the most appropriate corporate structure for a group (e.g. legally separate the group's businesses, or keep them within a single legal structure?) considering the activity carried out by it and the geographical expansion (national, international, multi-domestic);
- evaluate the opportunity to focus on reading the financial statements of the individual units that make up the group or on the consolidated financial statements of the group;
- evaluate the conditions of survival and development (quantitative and qualitative) of the groups;
- identify the variables on which to act for the improvement of the equilibrium conditions (economic-financial, social and environmental) of the group considered as a whole, of the holding company and its subsidiaries;
- apply the ADE matrix (decision-making/economic autonomy) to relate the decision-making autonomy of the subsidiaries with their conditions of economic equilibrium.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
Develop autonomous reflections on various issues relating to corporate groups. Have the ability to integrate knowledge and manage complexity, as well as to make judgments based on limited or incomplete information, including reflection on the social and ethical responsibilities of corporate groups related to the application of their knowledge and their judgments. The course approach seeks to link economic aspects to social and environmental ones to foster a constructive attitude towards problems through the acquisition of skills and a problem-solving mentality. The student must therefore be able to choose the approaches and tools necessary for understanding the economy and sustainability of groups and develop the ability to collect and interpret data, as well as to use information sources.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
- express themselves, in written and oral form, using a technical language appropriate to the interlocutors and the reference context;
- ability to analyze problems, even complex ones;
- relational skills;
- ability to work in groups, manage stress and conflict situations.
LEARNING SKILLS:
- develop analyses on the issues of business groups;
- keep up to date on the evolution of the groups' legislation and on sustainability issues;
- deepen the issues related to the sustainability of the groups;
- build and develop a method of study and research suitable to allow the deepening of the knowledge gained.
Prerequisiti
Prerequisites
Programma
I) Introduzione ai concetti di gestione strategica e sistemica delle risorse umane (9 lezioni a cura del prof. Rocco Palumbo)
a) Come le pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane possono aiutare le organizzazione a sopravvivere e creare valore
b) le caratteristiche e l'uso delle fondamentali pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane
c) il ruolo della leadership per lo sviluppo e il miglioramento del commitment dei dipendenti
d) il ruolo, le responsabilità e i task dei direttori delle risorse umane
II) Introduzione alle peculiarità delle aziende familiari (3 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
a) La natura, l'importanza e le peculiarità delle imprese familiari
b) La gestione strategica delle imprese familiari
d) Innovazione e cambiamento nelle imprese familiari
3. Applicazione critica dei temi di gestione delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari (7 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
a) La gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari
b) Gli effetti della professionalizzazione nella gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari
c) Le configurazioni di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari
d) la performance e gli obiettivi delle configurazioni di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane nelle imprese familiari
Program
I) Introduction to systemic and strategic human resource management (9 lectures by prof. Rocco Palumbo):
a) How HRM practices can help organizations to survive and create value and the role of HR managers
b) The characteristics and the use of fundamentals HRM practices
c) The role of leadership for the purpose of employees’ development and commitment
d) the role, the responsabilities and the tasks of HR manager
II) Introduction to the peculiar traits of family firms (3 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini):
a) The nature, importance, and uniquenessof the family business
b) Strategic management in family business
d) Innovation and Change in family business
III) Critical application of human resources management practices in Family Firms (6 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini):
a) HRM in family firms
b) Investigating the effects of professionalization in HRM in family business
c) HRMP configurations in family firms
d) Performance and goals of HRMP configurations in family firms
Testi Adottati
Armstrong, M. (2021). Armstrong’s Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management. Improve business performance through strategic people management. Kogan Page, New York.
Per il secondo modulo (a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini):
Schuman, A. M., Sage-Hayward, W., & Ransburg, D. (2016). Human resources in the family business: maximizing the power of your people. Springer.
Books
Armstrong, M. (2021). Armstrong’s Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management. Improve business performance through strategic people management. Kogan Page, New York.
For the second module (by prof. Giulia Flamini): Schuman, A. M., Sage-Hayward, W., & Ransburg, D. (2016). Human resources in the family business: maximizing the power of your people. Springer.
Bibliografia
- Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017: ISBN: 9781783470709.
- Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
- Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta
- Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business edited by José Manuel Saiz-Álvarez and Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz. ISBN13:
9781522580126|ISBN10: 1522580123, EISBN13: 9781522580133, DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-8012-6.
- Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston.
Bibliography
- Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017: ISBN: 9781783470709.
- Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
- Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta
- Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business edited by José Manuel Saiz-Álvarez and Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz. ISBN13:
9781522580126|ISBN10: 1522580123, EISBN13: 9781522580133, DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-8012-6.
- Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston.
Modalità di svolgimento
Teaching methods
the professor that link theoretical aspects with practical ones
Regolamento Esame
del programma, la consequenzialità del ragionamento, la capacità analitica e la autonomia di giudizio.
Inoltre, vengono valutate la proprietà di linguaggio e la chiarezza espositiva, in aderenza con i descrittori di Dublino (1. Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding); 2. Capacità di applicare la conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding); 3. Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements); 4. Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills); 5: Abilità di comunicazione (communication skills).
Per la verifica dell'apprendimento è previsto il sostenimento di una prova orale. Il voto ottenuto all'appello successivo annulla il voto precedente. La prova orale consiste di 3 domande, dove viene chiesto allo studente di discutere e ragionare sui vari temi trattati durante il corso.
La prova di esame sarà valutata secondo i seguenti criteri:
Non idoneo: importanti carenze e/o inaccuratezze nella conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti; limitate capacità di analisi e sintesi, frequenti generalizzazioni e limitate capacità
critiche e di giudizio, gli argomenti sono esposti in modo non coerente e con linguaggio inappropriato;
18-20: conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti appena sufficiente con possibili generalizzazioni e imperfezioni; capacità di analisi sintesi e autonomia di giudizio sufficienti, gli argomenti sono esposti in modo frequentemente poco coerente e con un linguaggio poco appropriato/tecnico;
21-23: Conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti routinaria; Capacità di analisi e sintesi corrette con argomentazione logica sufficientemente coerente e linguaggio appropriato/tecnico
24-26: Discreta conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti; buone capacità di analisi e sintesi con argomentazioni espresse in modo rigoroso ma con un linguaggio non sempre appropriato/tecnico.
27-29: Conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti completa; notevoli capacità di analisi e sintesi. Buona autonomia di giudizio. Argomenti esposti in modo rigoroso e con linguaggio appropriato/tecnico
30-30L: Ottimo livello di conoscenza e comprensione approfondita degli argomenti. Ottime capacità di analisi, di sintesi e di autonomia di giudizio. Argomentazioni espresse in modo
originale e con linguaggio tecnico appropriato.
Exam Rules
Furthermore, language properties and clarity of presentation are evaluated, in compliance with the Dublin descriptors (1. Knowledge and understanding) 2. Ability to apply knowledge
and understanding; 3. Making judgments; 4. Learning skills; 5: Communication skills.
The exam is an oral exam. The mark obtained at the next exam date cancels the previous mark. The oral exam consists of 3 questions, where the student is asked to discuss and reason
on the various topics covered during the course.
The exam will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Not suitable: important deficiencies and / or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited capacity for analysis and synthesis, frequent generalizations and limited critical and judgment skills, the arguments are presented in an inconsistent way and with inappropriate language;
18-20: just sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topics with possible generalizations and imperfections; sufficient capacity for analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgment, the topics are frequently exposed in an inconsistent way and with inappropriate / technical language;
21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; Ability to correct analysis and synthesis with sufficiently coherent logical argument and appropriate / technical language
24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; good analysis and synthesis skills with rigorously expressed arguments but with a language that is not always appropriate / technical.
27-29: Complete knowledge and understanding of the topics; remarkable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Good autonomy of judgment. Topics exposed rigorously and with appropriate / technical language
30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and in-depth understanding of the topics. Excellent skills of analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgment. Arguments expressed in an original way and with appropriate technical language.
Updated A.Y. 2022-2023
OBIETTIVI FORMATIVI:
Il corso analizza i principi della gestione delle risorse umane e ne propone un’applicazione al caso delle aziende familiari. Il corso presenta un duplice focus: da un lato, esso contestualizza le pratiche e i sistemi di gestione delle risorse umane alle aziende familiari; dall’altro, esso evidenzia come un'azienda familiare può far fronte a cambiamenti strategici e organizzativi sfruttando l'adozione di un insieme allineato di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane. Questioni e preoccupazioni specifiche del corso includono il rapporto delle aziende familiari con l'ambiente esterno, l'influenza delle strategie, della cultura e delle dimensioni aziendali sulla struttura dell'organizzazione e le strategie appropriate per una gestione ottimale delle persone. Il corso intende far comprendere allo studente il funzionamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari e introdurre i concetti di base per progettare, attuare e modificare la gestione delle risorse umane in questa particolare tipologia di azienda. Il corso supporta gli studenti a prendere coscienza dell'unicità delle aziende familiari e di come l'uso corretto delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane può aiutarle a sopravvivere.
CONOSCENZA E CAPACITÀ DI COMPRENSIONE:
Una volta completato con successo il corso, gli studenti saranno in grado di:
1. Individuare e spiegare le varie variabili organizzative e di gestione delle risorse umane delle imprese familiari e delle loro relazioni;
2. Analizzare, valutare e diagnosticare l'efficacia dell'organizzazione, compresa la cultura organizzativa e il sistema di valori delle imprese familiari;
3. Sviluppare un framework concettuale per modificare gli elementi e le relazioni della struttura;
4. Spiegare come la gestione delle risorse umane e la progettazione dell'organizzazione possono portare a un vantaggio strategico;
5. Individuare le principali pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane adottate nelle aziende familiari;
6. Discutere in modo approfondito le questioni relative all'attuazione delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
7. Spiegare le relazioni tra gestione delle risorse umane, leadership, progettazione organizzativa ed efficacia nelle imprese familiari.
CAPACITÀ DI APPLICARE CONOSCENZA E COMPRENSIONE:
L'obiettivo del corso è fornire teorie e strumenti che facilitino l’acquisizione e lo sviluppo di competenze per l'analisi delle dinamiche organizzative delle aziende familiari con particolare attenzione alle risorse umane. In particolare, il corso fornirà agli studenti la la capacità di analizzare, elaborare e risolvere complessi problemi organizzativi, sia attraverso la discussione delle migliori pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane sia attraverso la discussione di casi studio.
AUTONOMIA DI GIUDIZIO:
Entro la fine del corso gli studenti avranno compreso come:
- Lo studio delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari può aiutare a migliorare le prestazioni organizzative;
- Modelli, teorie e concetti riguardanti le teorie organizzative e la gestione delle risorse umane possono essere utilizzati per promuovere l'efficacia di individui e organizzazioni nel contesto delle aziende familiari.
In aggiunta, lo studente acquisirà:
- Competenze per l'analisi delle variabili organizzative e delle dinamiche di gestione delle risorse umane, particolarmente utili per adempiere alle funzioni manageriali;
- Una "rappresentazione" più ricca e complessa del comportamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari, che consenta loro di contribuire in modo efficace allo sviluppo dell'organizzazione in cui si troveranno a operare.
ABILITÀ COMUNICATIVE:
Durante la discussione di casi studio in classe, agli studenti verrà chiesto di illustrare brevemente la presentazione del loro gruppo in MS Power-Point (per un massimo di 15 diapositive). Ogni discussione di caso prevede che un gruppo di studenti presenti il proprio lavoro, argomentando le peculiarità e le specificità dei temi oggetto di analisi.
CAPACITÀ DI APPRENDIMENTO:
Durante la discussione di casi studio, gli studenti saranno chiamati a:
1. Prendere una posizione specifica su determinati aspetti e / o punti toccati all’interno del caso e argomentare la propria posizione;
2. Porre domande strumentali a un approfondimento critico dei temi analizzati;
3. Collaborare per mantenere aperta e viva la discussione;
4. Guidare e coinvolgere altri studenti nella discussione;
5. Integrare la discussione con teorie, contenuti e concetti già toccati in altri casi.
Il corso è strutturato in 3 diverse sezioni:
1. Introduzione ai concetti di gestione strategica e sistemica delle risorse umane (9 lezioni a cura del prof. Rocco Palumbo)
2. Introduzione alle peculiarità delle aziende familiari (2 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
3. Applicazione critica dei temi di gestione delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari (7 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
Updated A.Y. 2022-2023
Human Resource Management Strategy in Family Business
(Prof.ssa Giulia Flamini & Prof. Rocco Palumbo)
Course positioning
Human Resource Management Strategy in Family Business is a course included in the Business Administration curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Economics.
Prerequisites for the course
None. However, a basic understanding of Organization Theory and Organizational Behaviors topics is recommended.
Course description and learning objectives
Human resources management (HRM) as systems of practices are adopted to manage people in organizations and influence employees' competencies, behaviors, and performances.
In the last 25 years, HRM studies moved from the assumption that the HR function has an administrative role exclusively to the awareness that HRM has a central and strategic role in achieving a viable competitive advantage.
Increasing attention toward HRM systems increased when Huselid (1995) proved a significant relationship between the sophistication of HRM practices and the market value per employee, opening a new bulk of studies dedicated to further investigating relationships between HRM and performances.
Research places a particular emphasis on the impact of various and different combinations of HRM practices (e.g., workforce planning, training and development, recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, career planning management, compensation, internal communication, and job design), which are expected to affect individual and organizational performances significantly. Under this assumption, an organization should consistently configure its whole HRM system to ensure long-term survival.
Such considerations are valid for any organization, and thus family firms are not an exception. Family businesses show distinct core competencies that result in unique sources of competitive advantages. For many family firms, the dynamics and complexity of the contingency dimensions have increased. Therefore, effective responsiveness to the required strategic and organizational changes is a key concern. Family firms could survive thanks to particular cognitive interpretations of the fit between their strategies, organization variables, and contingent dimensions. Under this assumption, family firms should consistently configure their whole HRM system to ensure long-term survival. HRM practices in family firms affect employee outcomes, consequently influencing organizational outcomes, thereby affecting firm outcomes.
The course covers the principles of Human Resource Management and their effects on family firms. The focus of the course is how a family firm can cope with strategic and organizational changes by leveraging the adoption of an aligned bundle of HRM practices. Teaching activities will have a twofold concern: on the one hand, attention will be paid to unraveling the main issues related to human resource management; on the other hand, it will discuss how a family firm can cope with strategic and organizational changes by leveraging an aligned bundle of HRM practices.
Specific attention will be paid to the relationship of family firms with the external environment and the influence of the organization's strategies, culture, and size on the organization's design and strategy for managing people.
The course is structured in 3 different sections:
- Introduction to systemic and strategic human resource management (9 lectures by prof. Rocco Palumbo);
- Introduction to the peculiar traits of family firms (2 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini);
- Critical application of Human Resources Management in Family Firms (7 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini).
The course will make the student understand the organizational functioning of family firms and familiarize with the basic concepts to design, implement, and change the human resource management of a family business. Lastly, yet importantly, the course helps students become aware of family firms' uniqueness and how a fitting arrangement of HRM practices can boost their ability to survive their environment.
The goal of the course is to provide theories and tools and develop skills for the analysis of family business dynamics with a particular focus on HRM. This will enable us to develop the ability and expertise to analyze, elaborate and solve complex organizational problems. Alongside conventional teaching methods, the discussion of best HRM practices and case studies will advance individual and collective learning experiences.
By the end of the course, attending students will have understood how:
- The arrangement of proper human resource management practices in a family business can improve organizational performance and viability;
- Models, theories, and concepts concerning organizational dynamics and human resource management systems can be applied to promote the effectiveness of individuals and groups in family firms.
Furthermore, the students will be encouraged to develop:
- Tailored skills for the analysis of both organizational variables and human resource management practices, which are particularly relevant for "to-be" managers of family firms;
- A richer and more complex "representation" of organizational behaviors in a family business; this will allow students to contribute to organizational development and excellence effectively.
Teaching Methods
Lectures are characterized by the transfer of knowledge and the strong interaction within the classroom; analyses of situations, problems, and business cases facilitate learning participants.
Regular attending students are strongly recommended to participate in all the lectures and all the business cases' preparations and presentations.
The course uses readings, lectures, cases, individual and team assignments, and class discussions to meet its goals. Case assignments provide an essential foundation for class discussion and must be completed before each session. The class schedule lists the due dates for cases and other assignments at the end of the syllabus. Lectures highlight key points from the readings and provide additional information to supplement the lessons. Cases offer you the opportunity to apply what you have learned to real-world issues and scenarios. Because each of you brings unique perspectives and experiences to the class, participation in class discussions and activities is essential to your learning and other class members. You will also be matched with a BAE Teaching Assistant to further enrich your learning.
Required Textbook
- Schuman, A. M., Sage-Hayward, W., & Ransburg, D. (2016). Human resources in the family business: maximizing the power of your people. Springer.
- Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Additional Textbooks
- Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017: ISBN: 9781783470709.
Other learning sources
- Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta
- Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business edited by José Manuel Saiz-Álvarez and Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz. ISBN13: 9781522580126|ISBN10: 1522580123, EISBN13: 9781522580133, DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-8012-6.
- Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston.
We will post the slides on the course website after each lecture.
The slides do not represent support for effective and successful preparation for the course exam. They represent only help to facilitate the transfer of the knowledge to students during the lectures.
Case Discussions
Regular attending students are expected to be fully engaged in the entire learning process. This means that regular attending students are expected to:
- prepare the assigned readings of the cases before each class;
- prepare as a group work a PowerPoint presentation on the case, based on the specific assignment;
- come to class ready to participate and discuss to enhance the individual's learning and the class.
On the course's website, students can find the relative case assignment for each case. Please read the questions carefully before the session and use them for preparing the PowerPoint presentation.
Each student will be involved in the class discussion on the cases and tie the assigned reading for the session. The objective is to bring all class members into the discussion. The cases are designed to integrate the concepts from the case into the context of the course. The preparation and the discussion of the cases do not exclude the study of the theoretical concepts useful for the discussion of the cases themselves and the passing of the course exam.
With the cases' discussions in CLASSROOM, each student will develop:
- The ability to set the parameters for the problem (key concepts from the case).
- A depth of knowledge about the case subject (understanding of material, good response to the observations of others).
- The ability to tie in the case with other course concepts.
- The ability to get others involved in the discussion.
To discuss the cases effectively, students should:
- Be prepared with facts and specific quotes from the case.
- Be prepared to comment, ask a question, or make a reflection about the case.
During the discussion, students should:
- Take a position on a question or a point.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Help keep the discussion moving and on track.
- Help draw others into the discussion.
- Integrate theories and content from other cases.
During the discussion, students should not:
- Be unprepared and show your lack of knowledge.
- Monopolize the discussion.
- Make irrelevant comments.
- Be insensitive to others' desire to speak or to their opinions.
All the regular attending students are kindly invited to build up workgroups (MINIMUM 3 PERSONS – MAXIMUM 5 PERSONS). Each workgroup should prepare a PowerPoint presentation for each case. The names of the students belonging to the group should be reported into the first slide.
The structure of the presentation should follow the following outline:
- One or more introductory slides aimed at describing/reporting the story, the characters, and all the necessary elements to define the case's context and boundaries clearly.
- One slide mentions the assignment's questions and underlining the learning goals of the case.
- One or more slides reporting the answers to each question of the assignment.
- One or more slides reporting the final remarks on the case.
- One closing slide about the lessons learned after the group discussion of the case.
How to prepare the PowerPoint presentation of the case?
Introduction – a short presentation of the case and a short description of the problems and situations discussed.
Diagnosis – Problem setting of the context and the situation. Description of the main facts and elements connected with the concepts and models of the course. What went wrong and which actions/situations, instead, were right? Which elements could be considered for the diagnosis?
Solution – Students should provide a possible answer to questions/problems related to the case and a viable and clear indication of how to approach the situation and solve it. The entire proposal should represent a consistent action plan regarding behaviors and expected results.
Conclusions – Conclusions should not be longer than 300-500 words and should describe how the situation and the problem characterized the case, how Organizational Behavior schemata might help to solve the case, and what the proposed solution might generate in terms of organizational consequences.
Lessons learned – At the end of the presentation, elements/suggestions/advice that we "take home" from the case discussion should be identified and reported.
NOTE: During the case discussion, students should explicitly address the context and the different situations with concepts related to organizational choices in family firms and with models and theories of this course.
Case Discussions' Class Participation
The best way to learn, especially about organizational choices in family firms, is to participate in your education actively. In this class, "participation" is defined as quality contributions to class discussion and exercises. There are four prerequisites for successful participation:
- Be here on time and prepared. If you're not here, you can't contribute much to class discussion. If you need to miss class for a predictable reason (e.g., job interview, athletic competition), please notify us at least 24 hours in advance so that we can make arrangements for any in-class exercises and so that you can obtain the materials distributed during the class. Of course, we realize that in some cases, unforeseeable emergencies arise. Although we will not directly penalize you for non-attendance, be aware that multiple absences will indirectly hurt you by preventing you from participating in class, thereby lowering your participation grade. To contribute to class discussion, you must come to class having carefully prepared all assignments (i.e., readings, cases, exercises).
- Be brave. Everyone in this class is smart, interesting, and has unique life experiences to share. You will get the most out of this course if you ask questions, voice opinions, and express your thoughts to one another. If you feel uncomfortable talking in class, please email me or set up an appointment to talk with me early in the semester. We will do everything to accommodate your circumstances, but we can only do so if they are brought to our attention.
- Be courteous. Successful participation includes treating your classmates respectfully and professionally. Listen carefully to the comments and questions that your classmates voice. You may learn something new from their perspectives, and you will be able to avoid simply repeating something that another classmate has said earlier in the discussion. Also, it is perfectly acceptable for you to voice disagreement with an opinion provided by another student. The open debate often leads to the most thoughtful and informative class discussions. However, please express your disagreement in a kind and considerate manner.
- Be engaged. This class is "unplugged." Once class starts, all electronics (e.g., computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.) should be turned off and put away. If you need to use a device because of a language or disability issue, you need to secure permission at the beginning of the class. The misuse of an electronic device (e.g., surfing the web or texting) will adversely affect your grade.
To facilitate the visioning of its PowerPoint presentation in the classroom, each workgroup should take a personal computer with PowerPoint installed and an available VGA connection.
By 8 pm of the day before the case discussion, all regular attending students should send the case presentation prepared to the course's Instructors.
Policy for Late Assignments
As in the business world, work must be received on time to receive full credit. You are always welcome to hand in an assignment before its due date if you know that you will be busy as the due date approaches. If you think that you will not complete an assignment by the stated due date, please speak with us in advance to make alternative arrangements. Our policy on late assignments will depend on the specific circumstances surrounding the problem and thus may differ from student to student. Providing advance notice about a late assignment will minimize the penalty you receive on that assignment but does not guarantee that there will be no penalty for turning the assignment in late.
Scheduling of lectures
Students are advised to check the course schedule on the course website and register themselves in the course newsletter to access all related communications.
Exams
The exam is an oral test, and it includes some questions directly connected to the course textbooks. You may be asked to discuss the models and the theories presented during the course. You will be asked to interpret some real incidents and focus your attention on specific theoretical issues.
Emails, Office Hours & Feedbacks
The course teachers make office hours by appointment to be agreed via email.
- ssa Giulia Flamini, (Department of Management and Law)
Email: giulia.flamini@uniroma2.it
- Rocco Palumbo, (Department of Management and Law)
Email: rocco.palumbo@uniroma2.it
We are committed to responding to emails within a day. If you do not receive an answer within this period, please send the email again.
Attendance
Active attendance and constant participation in the classroom are suggested. Formal classroom monitoring rules for attendance will be introduced.
NOTE: Attendance to the first class session is mandatory. Important information about the course and the instructor's expectations are given during the first session. If you will have to be absent for one session, please contact your instructor to ensure that absence from a particular session is acceptable.
Class Schedule
|
Lecture |
Topic |
Subtopic |
Suggesting Reading |
|
Introduction to systemic and strategic human resource management |
|||
|
1 |
Introduction to Human Resource Management |
In this lecture, we analyze how HRM practices can help organizations survive and create value. After an introduction of the role and activity of the HRM Department, we will discuss: • How HRM can help the organization to be competitive and how today's challenges influence HRM • The role of HRM in the formulation of organizational strategy and how to integrate the functions of HRM with the formulation of competitive strategies The importance of specific competencies for the HRM managers |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 1 1-53 |
|
2 |
HRM practices (1) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Discuss how to align a company's strategic direction with its human resource planning • Determine the labor demand for workers in various job categories • Discuss the advantage and disadvantages of various ways of eliminating a labor surplus and avoiding a labor shortage • Describe the recruitment policies that organizations adopt to make job vacancies more attractive • List the sources from which job applicants can be drawn, their relative advantages and disadvantages, ad the methods for evaluating them
|
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
3 |
HRM practices (2) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Establish the basic scientific properties of personnel selection methods, including reliability, validity, and generalizability • Discuss how the characteristic of a job, an organization, or an applicant affect the utility of any test • List the common methods used in selecting human resources • Discuss how training, informal learning, and knowledge management can contribute to continuous learning companies' business strategy • Conduct a needs assessment • Evaluate employees' readiness for training • Design a training session to maximize learning |
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
4 |
HRM practices (3) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Choose appropriate evaluation design and training outcomes based on the training objectives and evaluation purpose • Identify the major parts of an effective performance management process • Identify the five criteria for effective performance management systems • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different sources of performance information |
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
5 |
HRM practices (4) |
During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: employee development, compensation, benefit, internal communications. In particular, we: • Explain how employee development contributes to strategies related to employee retention, development of intellectual capital, and business growth • Discuss the steps in the development planning process • Discuss current trends in using formal education for development • Relate how assessment of personal type, work behaviors, and job performance can be used for employee development • List the main decision areas and concepts in employee compensation • Describe the major administrative tools used to manage employee compensation • Discuss how pay influences individual employees and describe three theories that explain the effect of compensation on individuals. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
6 |
HRM practices (5) |
During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: employee development, compensation, benefit, internal communications. In particular, we: • Describe the fundamental pay programs for recognizing employees' contributions to the organization's success • Discuss issues related to performance-based pay for executives • Explain the major provisions of employee benefits programs • Explain the importance of effectively communicating |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
7 |
Leadership |
During the lecture, we will delve into a topic essential to augment employees' contribution to organizational performances, emphasizing the importance of leadership for employees' development and commitment. In particular, we will analyze: • The style of leadership; • The implication of leadership styles on individual and collective behaviors; • The side effects of leadership. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
8 |
Organizational power and conflict management |
During the lecture, we will analyze conflicting dynamics within the organization and topics related to power management. More specifically, we will focus on: • The definition of power; • The understanding of triggers of conflicts; • The HRM practices which can be implemented to fix conflicts. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
9 |
HRM practices and Firm performances • Financial performances • Organizational performances Mutual gain approach |
During this lecture, first, we describe the different distribution and presence of HRM practices in family firms. We evaluate the impact of human resource management practices on the organizations and even on the family business. Afterward, scholars developed a considerable bulk of studies to promote the test of positive relationships between HRM and performance. In particular, we will analyze why HRMP are important for all types of organizations from a firm perspective and even from employees' outlook. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage Chapter 10 |
|
Introduction to the peculiar traits of family firms |
|||
|
10 |
The nature, importance, and uniqueness of the family business |
The goal of the lecture is to explore the nature of the family business. We begin with a series of formal definitions of a family business. Then we explore introductory concepts for describing and analyzing family firms and their importance in the global economy. In particular, we will explore: · Definitions of the family business · The distinction between family and non-family firms · Definition of the family business by type of family involvement, The theory of Circle models of family influence |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. |
|
11 |
Strategic management in a family business |
We will present the potential sources of competitive advantages and disadvantages, which will be important for the strategic positioning of the family firm. More specifically, we will explore how family businesses' particular goals impact the strategic decision. After we examine different approaches to explain the source of competitive advantages and disadvantages for family firms: · Typical strengths and weaknesses of family firms · Socioemotional Wealth · Agency perspective · Resource-based perspective · Organizational identity perspective · Institutional perspective · Paradox perspective |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. Chapter 6 116-194 |
|
12 |
Innovation and change in a family business • Family business life cycle • Family first, business first • Professionalization & Managerialization |
We will present how change and adaptation are essential prerequisites for prospering and surviving in today's dynamic marketplace. As with any other type of firm, handling change is critical for a family business. However, in light of their focus on tradition and their longer-term business outlook, family firms find dealing with change particularly challenging and pressing. • Family Firm life cycle • Family Succession • Change management in family firms • Meanings of "Professionalization" and the practical implications in a family business Meanings of "Managerialization" and the practical implications in a family business |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. Chapter 8 312-361 |
|
Critical application of Human Resources Management in Family Firms |
|||
|
12 |
HRM in family firms |
During this lecture, we explore the field and evolution of research on Human Resources Management (HRM) in family firms since this topic has become crucial for their survival and success. Specifically, we investigate: • what international research know about the HRM topics in family firms • Which are the trends • Family employees • Non-family employees · The relation between family employees and non-family employees |
Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta |
|
HRM IN FAMILY FIRMS |
|||
|
13 |
Investigating the effects of professionalization in HRM in a family business |
In this lecture, we explore the role of formal and informal HRMP in a family business and how family or non-family HRM professionals could add a particular meaning and power to HRMP. We investigate: · Formal HRMP · Informal HRMP · Family HR manager · Non-family HR manager · Stewardship culture · Professional culture |
|
|
14 |
HRMP configurations in family firms
The Administrative configuration |
This lecture explores how the HR function may perform a strategic role in family firms. We analyze how the strategic role of the HR function implies a shift from a deterministic and mechanical approach to the study of organizations to a more psychological and organic one. We analyze how a family firm should coherently shape its own HRM system to warrant long-term survival. We explore the possible advantage of adopting different practices in family firms. To exploit the roles of complementarity, congruence, and synergy, we describe the firm's HRMP choice from a configurational perspective. After we will describe the first possible configuration: the Administrative configuration. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. |
|
15 |
The Shared configuration and The Professional configuration |
We will present the second possible configuration during this lecture: The Shared configuration. Family firms that demonstrate dynamic and complex environmental dimensions search for organizational identity and affective commitment, where the personal relationships collaborative behaviors became the core objective of HRM. After, we will present the third configuration: The Professional configuration. Family firms are in a relatively stable and complex environment and need to manage people through rules, complex procedures, articulated plans, aiming at the highest standardization of processes and efficiency. The professional configuration provides professionalization in functions/divisions and tries to incorporate and develop managerial skills. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business |
|
16 |
The Integrated configuration |
This lecture will present the fourth configuration: The Integrated configuration. In a complex and highly dynamic environmental dimension, family firms have to emphasize both efficiency and effectiveness in direct response to business needs. Family firms search for organizational identity and affective commitment, creating an integrated environment where they manage the personal relationships of individuals' working together, showing collaborative behaviors, and the functions or the divisions of the organizational structure. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business |
|
17 |
Family Business case |
FIBRA CASE |
Yedder, M. B. (2018). Human resource management in family business succession: victim or saviour?. Journal of enterprising culture, 26(04), 401-421. |
|
18 |
Performance and goals of HRMP configurations in family firms |
During this lecture, we will explore, first, the configurational perspective. WE WILL lend a systemic viewpoint from which to project HRMP composition. We will claim that the positive performance evolves from a bundle of interrelated HR practices, forming an internally consistent whole. After, we will explore the organizational value of different configurations of HRMP in the family. Moving from coordination theory, the lecture proposes and investigates the four HRMP configurations and analyses their functional goals in achieving organizational performances. In particular, we will answer the following questions: · How do family firms configure their HRMP? · Which organizational goals do they combine? · Which organizational performances do they achieve? |
Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston |
Updated A.Y. 2021-2022
OBIETTIVI FORMATIVI:
Il corso analizza i principi della gestione delle risorse umane e ne propone un’applicazione al caso delle aziende familiari. Il corso presenta un duplice focus: da un lato, esso contestualizza le pratiche e i sistemi di gestione delle risorse umane alle aziende familiari; dall’altro, esso evidenzia come un'azienda familiare può far fronte a cambiamenti strategici e organizzativi sfruttando l'adozione di un insieme allineato di pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane. Questioni e preoccupazioni specifiche del corso includono il rapporto delle aziende familiari con l'ambiente esterno, l'influenza delle strategie, della cultura e delle dimensioni aziendali sulla struttura dell'organizzazione e le strategie appropriate per una gestione ottimale delle persone. Il corso intende far comprendere allo studente il funzionamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari e introdurre i concetti di base per progettare, attuare e modificare la gestione delle risorse umane in questa particolare tipologia di azienda. Il corso supporta gli studenti a prendere coscienza dell'unicità delle aziende familiari e di come l'uso corretto delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane può aiutarle a sopravvivere.
CONOSCENZA E CAPACITÀ DI COMPRENSIONE:
Una volta completato con successo il corso, gli studenti saranno in grado di:
1. Individuare e spiegare le varie variabili organizzative e di gestione delle risorse umane delle imprese familiari e delle loro relazioni;
2. Analizzare, valutare e diagnosticare l'efficacia dell'organizzazione, compresa la cultura organizzativa e il sistema di valori delle imprese familiari;
3. Sviluppare un framework concettuale per modificare gli elementi e le relazioni della struttura;
4. Spiegare come la gestione delle risorse umane e la progettazione dell'organizzazione possono portare a un vantaggio strategico;
5. Individuare le principali pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane adottate nelle aziende familiari;
6. Discutere in modo approfondito le questioni relative all'attuazione delle pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane;
7. Spiegare le relazioni tra gestione delle risorse umane, leadership, progettazione organizzativa ed efficacia nelle imprese familiari.
CAPACITÀ DI APPLICARE CONOSCENZA E COMPRENSIONE:
L'obiettivo del corso è fornire teorie e strumenti che facilitino l’acquisizione e lo sviluppo di competenze per l'analisi delle dinamiche organizzative delle aziende familiari con particolare attenzione alle risorse umane. In particolare, il corso fornirà agli studenti la la capacità di analizzare, elaborare e risolvere complessi problemi organizzativi, sia attraverso la discussione delle migliori pratiche di gestione delle risorse umane sia attraverso la discussione di casi studio.
AUTONOMIA DI GIUDIZIO:
Entro la fine del corso gli studenti avranno compreso come:
- Lo studio delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari può aiutare a migliorare le prestazioni organizzative;
- Modelli, teorie e concetti riguardanti le teorie organizzative e la gestione delle risorse umane possono essere utilizzati per promuovere l'efficacia di individui e organizzazioni nel contesto delle aziende familiari.
In aggiunta, lo studente acquisirà:
- Competenze per l'analisi delle variabili organizzative e delle dinamiche di gestione delle risorse umane, particolarmente utili per adempiere alle funzioni manageriali;
- Una "rappresentazione" più ricca e complessa del comportamento organizzativo delle aziende familiari, che consenta loro di contribuire in modo efficace allo sviluppo dell'organizzazione in cui si troveranno a operare.
ABILITÀ COMUNICATIVE:
Durante la discussione di casi studio in classe, agli studenti verrà chiesto di illustrare brevemente la presentazione del loro gruppo in MS Power-Point (per un massimo di 15 diapositive). Ogni discussione di caso prevede che un gruppo di studenti presenti il proprio lavoro, argomentando le peculiarità e le specificità dei temi oggetto di analisi.
CAPACITÀ DI APPRENDIMENTO:
Durante la discussione di casi studio, gli studenti saranno chiamati a:
1. Prendere una posizione specifica su determinati aspetti e / o punti toccati all’interno del caso e argomentare la propria posizione;
2. Porre domande strumentali a un approfondimento critico dei temi analizzati;
3. Collaborare per mantenere aperta e viva la discussione;
4. Guidare e coinvolgere altri studenti nella discussione;
5. Integrare la discussione con teorie, contenuti e concetti già toccati in altri casi.
Il corso è strutturato in 3 diverse sezioni:
1. Introduzione ai concetti di gestione strategica e sistemica delle risorse umane (9 lezioni a cura del prof. Rocco Palumbo)
2. Introduzione alle peculiarità delle aziende familiari (2 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
3. Applicazione critica dei temi di gestione delle risorse umane nelle aziende familiari (7 lezioni a cura della prof.ssa Giulia Flamini)
Updated A.Y. 2021-2022
Human Resource Management Strategy in Family Business
(Prof.ssa Giulia Flamini & Prof. Rocco Palumbo)
Course positioning
Human Resource Management Strategy in Family Business is a course included in the Business Administration curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Economics.
Prerequisites for the course
None. However, a basic understanding of Organization Theory and Organizational Behaviors topics is recommended.
Course description and learning objectives
Human resources management (HRM) as systems of practices are adopted to manage people in organizations and influence employees' competencies, behaviors, and performances.
In the last 25 years, HRM studies moved from the assumption that the HR function has an administrative role exclusively to the awareness that HRM has a central and strategic role in achieving a viable competitive advantage.
Increasing attention toward HRM systems increased when Huselid (1995) proved a significant relationship between the sophistication of HRM practices and the market value per employee, opening a new bulk of studies dedicated to further investigating relationships between HRM and performances.
Research places a particular emphasis on the impact of various and different combinations of HRM practices (e.g., workforce planning, training and development, recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, career planning management, compensation, internal communication, and job design), which are expected to affect individual and organizational performances significantly. Under this assumption, an organization should consistently configure its whole HRM system to ensure long-term survival.
Such considerations are valid for any organization, and thus family firms are not an exception. Family businesses show distinct core competencies that result in unique sources of competitive advantages. For many family firms, the dynamics and complexity of the contingency dimensions have increased. Therefore, effective responsiveness to the required strategic and organizational changes is a key concern. Family firms could survive thanks to particular cognitive interpretations of the fit between their strategies, organization variables, and contingent dimensions. Under this assumption, family firms should consistently configure their whole HRM system to ensure long-term survival. HRM practices in family firms affect employee outcomes, consequently influencing organizational outcomes, thereby affecting firm outcomes.
The course covers the principles of Human Resource Management and their effects on family firms. The focus of the course is how a family firm can cope with strategic and organizational changes by leveraging the adoption of an aligned bundle of HRM practices. Teaching activities will have a twofold concern: on the one hand, attention will be paid to unraveling the main issues related to human resource management; on the other hand, it will discuss how a family firm can cope with strategic and organizational changes by leveraging an aligned bundle of HRM practices.
Specific attention will be paid to the relationship of family firms with the external environment and the influence of the organization's strategies, culture, and size on the organization's design and strategy for managing people.
The course is structured in 3 different sections:
- Introduction to systemic and strategic human resource management (9 lectures by prof. Rocco Palumbo);
- Introduction to the peculiar traits of family firms (2 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini);
- Critical application of Human Resources Management in Family Firms (7 lectures by prof. Giulia Flamini).
The course will make the student understand the organizational functioning of family firms and familiarize with the basic concepts to design, implement, and change the human resource management of a family business. Lastly, yet importantly, the course helps students become aware of family firms' uniqueness and how a fitting arrangement of HRM practices can boost their ability to survive their environment.
The goal of the course is to provide theories and tools and develop skills for the analysis of family business dynamics with a particular focus on HRM. This will enable us to develop the ability and expertise to analyze, elaborate and solve complex organizational problems. Alongside conventional teaching methods, the discussion of best HRM practices and case studies will advance individual and collective learning experiences.
By the end of the course, attending students will have understood how:
- The arrangement of proper human resource management practices in a family business can improve organizational performance and viability;
- Models, theories, and concepts concerning organizational dynamics and human resource management systems can be applied to promote the effectiveness of individuals and groups in family firms.
Furthermore, the students will be encouraged to develop:
- Tailored skills for the analysis of both organizational variables and human resource management practices, which are particularly relevant for "to-be" managers of family firms;
- A richer and more complex "representation" of organizational behaviors in a family business; this will allow students to contribute to organizational development and excellence effectively.
Teaching Methods
Lectures are characterized by the transfer of knowledge and the strong interaction within the classroom; analyses of situations, problems, and business cases facilitate learning participants.
Regular attending students are strongly recommended to participate in all the lectures and all the business cases' preparations and presentations.
The course uses readings, lectures, cases, individual and team assignments, and class discussions to meet its goals. Case assignments provide an essential foundation for class discussion and must be completed before each session. The class schedule lists the due dates for cases and other assignments at the end of the syllabus. Lectures highlight key points from the readings and provide additional information to supplement the lessons. Cases offer you the opportunity to apply what you have learned to real-world issues and scenarios. Because each of you brings unique perspectives and experiences to the class, participation in class discussions and activities is essential to your learning and other class members. You will also be matched with a BAE Teaching Assistant to further enrich your learning.
Required Textbook
- Schuman, A. M., Sage-Hayward, W., & Ransburg, D. (2016). Human resources in the family business: maximizing the power of your people. Springer.
- Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Additional Textbooks
- Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017: ISBN: 9781783470709.
Other learning sources
- Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta
- Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business edited by José Manuel Saiz-Álvarez and Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz. ISBN13: 9781522580126|ISBN10: 1522580123, EISBN13: 9781522580133, DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-8012-6.
- Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston.
We will post the slides on the course website after each lecture.
The slides do not represent support for effective and successful preparation for the course exam. They represent only help to facilitate the transfer of the knowledge to students during the lectures.
Case Discussions
Regular attending students are expected to be fully engaged in the entire learning process. This means that regular attending students are expected to:
- prepare the assigned readings of the cases before each class;
- prepare as a group work a PowerPoint presentation on the case, based on the specific assignment;
- come to class ready to participate and discuss to enhance the individual's learning and the class.
On the course's website, students can find the relative case assignment for each case. Please read the questions carefully before the session and use them for preparing the PowerPoint presentation.
Each student will be involved in the class discussion on the cases and tie the assigned reading for the session. The objective is to bring all class members into the discussion. The cases are designed to integrate the concepts from the case into the context of the course. The preparation and the discussion of the cases do not exclude the study of the theoretical concepts useful for the discussion of the cases themselves and the passing of the course exam.
With the cases' discussions in CLASSROOM, each student will develop:
- The ability to set the parameters for the problem (key concepts from the case).
- A depth of knowledge about the case subject (understanding of material, good response to the observations of others).
- The ability to tie in the case with other course concepts.
- The ability to get others involved in the discussion.
To discuss the cases effectively, students should:
- Be prepared with facts and specific quotes from the case.
- Be prepared to comment, ask a question, or make a reflection about the case.
During the discussion, students should:
- Take a position on a question or a point.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Help keep the discussion moving and on track.
- Help draw others into the discussion.
- Integrate theories and content from other cases.
During the discussion, students should not:
- Be unprepared and show your lack of knowledge.
- Monopolize the discussion.
- Make irrelevant comments.
- Be insensitive to others' desire to speak or to their opinions.
All the regular attending students are kindly invited to build up workgroups (MINIMUM 3 PERSONS – MAXIMUM 5 PERSONS). Each workgroup should prepare a PowerPoint presentation for each case. The names of the students belonging to the group should be reported into the first slide.
The structure of the presentation should follow the following outline:
- One or more introductory slides aimed at describing/reporting the story, the characters, and all the necessary elements to define the case's context and boundaries clearly.
- One slide mentions the assignment's questions and underlining the learning goals of the case.
- One or more slides reporting the answers to each question of the assignment.
- One or more slides reporting the final remarks on the case.
- One closing slide about the lessons learned after the group discussion of the case.
How to prepare the PowerPoint presentation of the case?
Introduction – a short presentation of the case and a short description of the problems and situations discussed.
Diagnosis – Problem setting of the context and the situation. Description of the main facts and elements connected with the concepts and models of the course. What went wrong and which actions/situations, instead, were right? Which elements could be considered for the diagnosis?
Solution – Students should provide a possible answer to questions/problems related to the case and a viable and clear indication of how to approach the situation and solve it. The entire proposal should represent a consistent action plan regarding behaviors and expected results.
Conclusions – Conclusions should not be longer than 300-500 words and should describe how the situation and the problem characterized the case, how Organizational Behavior schemata might help to solve the case, and what the proposed solution might generate in terms of organizational consequences.
Lessons learned – At the end of the presentation, elements/suggestions/advice that we "take home" from the case discussion should be identified and reported.
NOTE: During the case discussion, students should explicitly address the context and the different situations with concepts related to organizational choices in family firms and with models and theories of this course.
Case Discussions' Class Participation
The best way to learn, especially about organizational choices in family firms, is to participate in your education actively. In this class, "participation" is defined as quality contributions to class discussion and exercises. There are four prerequisites for successful participation:
- Be here on time and prepared. If you're not here, you can't contribute much to class discussion. If you need to miss class for a predictable reason (e.g., job interview, athletic competition), please notify us at least 24 hours in advance so that we can make arrangements for any in-class exercises and so that you can obtain the materials distributed during the class. Of course, we realize that in some cases, unforeseeable emergencies arise. Although we will not directly penalize you for non-attendance, be aware that multiple absences will indirectly hurt you by preventing you from participating in class, thereby lowering your participation grade. To contribute to class discussion, you must come to class having carefully prepared all assignments (i.e., readings, cases, exercises).
- Be brave. Everyone in this class is smart, interesting, and has unique life experiences to share. You will get the most out of this course if you ask questions, voice opinions, and express your thoughts to one another. If you feel uncomfortable talking in class, please email me or set up an appointment to talk with me early in the semester. We will do everything to accommodate your circumstances, but we can only do so if they are brought to our attention.
- Be courteous. Successful participation includes treating your classmates respectfully and professionally. Listen carefully to the comments and questions that your classmates voice. You may learn something new from their perspectives, and you will be able to avoid simply repeating something that another classmate has said earlier in the discussion. Also, it is perfectly acceptable for you to voice disagreement with an opinion provided by another student. The open debate often leads to the most thoughtful and informative class discussions. However, please express your disagreement in a kind and considerate manner.
- Be engaged. This class is "unplugged." Once class starts, all electronics (e.g., computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.) should be turned off and put away. If you need to use a device because of a language or disability issue, you need to secure permission at the beginning of the class. The misuse of an electronic device (e.g., surfing the web or texting) will adversely affect your grade.
To facilitate the visioning of its PowerPoint presentation in the classroom, each workgroup should take a personal computer with PowerPoint installed and an available VGA connection.
By 8 pm of the day before the case discussion, all regular attending students should send the case presentation prepared to the course's Instructors.
Policy for Late Assignments
As in the business world, work must be received on time to receive full credit. You are always welcome to hand in an assignment before its due date if you know that you will be busy as the due date approaches. If you think that you will not complete an assignment by the stated due date, please speak with us in advance to make alternative arrangements. Our policy on late assignments will depend on the specific circumstances surrounding the problem and thus may differ from student to student. Providing advance notice about a late assignment will minimize the penalty you receive on that assignment but does not guarantee that there will be no penalty for turning the assignment in late.
Scheduling of lectures
Students are advised to check the course schedule on the course website and register themselves in the course newsletter to access all related communications.
Exams
The exam is an oral test, and it includes some questions directly connected to the course textbooks. You may be asked to discuss the models and the theories presented during the course. You will be asked to interpret some real incidents and focus your attention on specific theoretical issues.
Emails, Office Hours & Feedbacks
The course teachers make office hours by appointment to be agreed via email.
- ssa Giulia Flamini, (Department of Management and Law)
Email: giulia.flamini@uniroma2.it
- Rocco Palumbo, (Department of Management and Law)
Email: rocco.palumbo@uniroma2.it
We are committed to responding to emails within a day. If you do not receive an answer within this period, please send the email again.
Attendance
Active attendance and constant participation in the classroom are suggested. Formal classroom monitoring rules for attendance will be introduced.
NOTE: Attendance to the first class session is mandatory. Important information about the course and the instructor's expectations are given during the first session. If you will have to be absent for one session, please contact your instructor to ensure that absence from a particular session is acceptable.
Class Schedule
|
Lecture |
Topic |
Subtopic |
Suggesting Reading |
|
Introduction to systemic and strategic human resource management |
|||
|
1 |
Introduction to Human Resource Management |
In this lecture, we analyze how HRM practices can help organizations survive and create value. After an introduction of the role and activity of the HRM Department, we will discuss: • How HRM can help the organization to be competitive and how today's challenges influence HRM • The role of HRM in the formulation of organizational strategy and how to integrate the functions of HRM with the formulation of competitive strategies The importance of specific competencies for the HRM managers |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 1 1-53 |
|
2 |
HRM practices (1) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Discuss how to align a company's strategic direction with its human resource planning • Determine the labor demand for workers in various job categories • Discuss the advantage and disadvantages of various ways of eliminating a labor surplus and avoiding a labor shortage • Describe the recruitment policies that organizations adopt to make job vacancies more attractive • List the sources from which job applicants can be drawn, their relative advantages and disadvantages, ad the methods for evaluating them
|
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
3 |
HRM practices (2) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Establish the basic scientific properties of personnel selection methods, including reliability, validity, and generalizability • Discuss how the characteristic of a job, an organization, or an applicant affect the utility of any test • List the common methods used in selecting human resources • Discuss how training, informal learning, and knowledge management can contribute to continuous learning companies' business strategy • Conduct a needs assessment • Evaluate employees' readiness for training • Design a training session to maximize learning |
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
4 |
HRM practices (3) |
This lecture introduces basic concepts of HRM practices. During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: planning and recruitment, selection and placement, training, and performance management. In particular, we: • Choose appropriate evaluation design and training outcomes based on the training objectives and evaluation purpose • Identify the major parts of an effective performance management process • Identify the five criteria for effective performance management systems • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different sources of performance information |
Noe et al. (2019). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 5-6-7-8. |
|
5 |
HRM practices (4) |
During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: employee development, compensation, benefit, internal communications. In particular, we: • Explain how employee development contributes to strategies related to employee retention, development of intellectual capital, and business growth • Discuss the steps in the development planning process • Discuss current trends in using formal education for development • Relate how assessment of personal type, work behaviors, and job performance can be used for employee development • List the main decision areas and concepts in employee compensation • Describe the major administrative tools used to manage employee compensation • Discuss how pay influences individual employees and describe three theories that explain the effect of compensation on individuals. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
6 |
HRM practices (5) |
During the lecture, we present and describe the basic characteristics of four particular HRM practices: employee development, compensation, benefit, internal communications. In particular, we: • Describe the fundamental pay programs for recognizing employees' contributions to the organization's success • Discuss issues related to performance-based pay for executives • Explain the major provisions of employee benefits programs • Explain the importance of effectively communicating |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
7 |
Leadership |
During the lecture, we will delve into a topic essential to augment employees' contribution to organizational performances, emphasizing the importance of leadership for employees' development and commitment. In particular, we will analyze: • The style of leadership; • The implication of leadership styles on individual and collective behaviors; • The side effects of leadership. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
8 |
Organizational power and conflict management |
During the lecture, we will analyze conflicting dynamics within the organization and topics related to power management. More specifically, we will focus on: • The definition of power; • The understanding of triggers of conflicts; • The HRM practices which can be implemented to fix conflicts. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Chapter 9-11-12 |
|
9 |
HRM practices and Firm performances • Financial performances • Organizational performances Mutual gain approach |
During this lecture, first, we describe the different distribution and presence of HRM practices in family firms. We evaluate the impact of human resource management practices on the organizations and even on the family business. Afterward, scholars developed a considerable bulk of studies to promote the test of positive relationships between HRM and performance. In particular, we will analyze why HRMP are important for all types of organizations from a firm perspective and even from employees' outlook. |
Noe et al. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage Chapter 10 |
|
Introduction to the peculiar traits of family firms |
|||
|
10 |
The nature, importance, and uniqueness of the family business |
The goal of the lecture is to explore the nature of the family business. We begin with a series of formal definitions of a family business. Then we explore introductory concepts for describing and analyzing family firms and their importance in the global economy. In particular, we will explore: · Definitions of the family business · The distinction between family and non-family firms · Definition of the family business by type of family involvement, The theory of Circle models of family influence |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. |
|
11 |
Strategic management in a family business |
We will present the potential sources of competitive advantages and disadvantages, which will be important for the strategic positioning of the family firm. More specifically, we will explore how family businesses' particular goals impact the strategic decision. After we examine different approaches to explain the source of competitive advantages and disadvantages for family firms: · Typical strengths and weaknesses of family firms · Socioemotional Wealth · Agency perspective · Resource-based perspective · Organizational identity perspective · Institutional perspective · Paradox perspective |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. Chapter 6 116-194 |
|
12 |
Innovation and change in a family business • Family business life cycle • Family first, business first • Professionalization & Managerialization |
We will present how change and adaptation are essential prerequisites for prospering and surviving in today's dynamic marketplace. As with any other type of firm, handling change is critical for a family business. However, in light of their focus on tradition and their longer-term business outlook, family firms find dealing with change particularly challenging and pressing. • Family Firm life cycle • Family Succession • Change management in family firms • Meanings of "Professionalization" and the practical implications in a family business Meanings of "Managerialization" and the practical implications in a family business |
Zellweger, T. Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice. Chapter 8 312-361 |
|
Critical application of Human Resources Management in Family Firms |
|||
|
12 |
HRM in family firms |
During this lecture, we explore the field and evolution of research on Human Resources Management (HRM) in family firms since this topic has become crucial for their survival and success. Specifically, we investigate: • what international research know about the HRM topics in family firms • Which are the trends • Family employees • Non-family employees · The relation between family employees and non-family employees |
Flamini G., & Gnan, L. (2017). A forty years' literature review on HRM in family businesses: re-shaping the research agenda. 77th Annual Meeting of Academy of Management in Atlanta |
|
HRM IN FAMILY FIRMS |
|||
|
13 |
Investigating the effects of professionalization in HRM in a family business |
In this lecture, we explore the role of formal and informal HRMP in a family business and how family or non-family HRM professionals could add a particular meaning and power to HRMP. We investigate: · Formal HRMP · Informal HRMP · Family HR manager · Non-family HR manager · Stewardship culture · Professional culture |
|
|
14 |
HRMP configurations in family firms
The Administrative configuration |
This lecture explores how the HR function may perform a strategic role in family firms. We analyze how the strategic role of the HR function implies a shift from a deterministic and mechanical approach to the study of organizations to a more psychological and organic one. We analyze how a family firm should coherently shape its own HRM system to warrant long-term survival. We explore the possible advantage of adopting different practices in family firms. To exploit the roles of complementarity, congruence, and synergy, we describe the firm's HRMP choice from a configurational perspective. After we will describe the first possible configuration: the Administrative configuration. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. |
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The Shared configuration and The Professional configuration |
We will present the second possible configuration during this lecture: The Shared configuration. Family firms that demonstrate dynamic and complex environmental dimensions search for organizational identity and affective commitment, where the personal relationships collaborative behaviors became the core objective of HRM. After, we will present the third configuration: The Professional configuration. Family firms are in a relatively stable and complex environment and need to manage people through rules, complex procedures, articulated plans, aiming at the highest standardization of processes and efficiency. The professional configuration provides professionalization in functions/divisions and tries to incorporate and develop managerial skills. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business |
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The Integrated configuration |
This lecture will present the fourth configuration: The Integrated configuration. In a complex and highly dynamic environmental dimension, family firms have to emphasize both efficiency and effectiveness in direct response to business needs. Family firms search for organizational identity and affective commitment, creating an integrated environment where they manage the personal relationships of individuals' working together, showing collaborative behaviors, and the functions or the divisions of the organizational structure. |
Giulia Flamini & Luca Gnan (2019). The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms: A Configurational Model. Chapter 15 in Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Competitive Strategy in Family Business |
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Family Business case |
FIBRA CASE |
Yedder, M. B. (2018). Human resource management in family business succession: victim or saviour?. Journal of enterprising culture, 26(04), 401-421. |
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Performance and goals of HRMP configurations in family firms |
During this lecture, we will explore, first, the configurational perspective. WE WILL lend a systemic viewpoint from which to project HRMP composition. We will claim that the positive performance evolves from a bundle of interrelated HR practices, forming an internally consistent whole. After, we will explore the organizational value of different configurations of HRMP in the family. Moving from coordination theory, the lecture proposes and investigates the four HRMP configurations and analyses their functional goals in achieving organizational performances. In particular, we will answer the following questions: · How do family firms configure their HRMP? · Which organizational goals do they combine? · Which organizational performances do they achieve? |
Flamini, G., Gnan, L. (2019). Configurations of HRM practices in family firms: goals and organizational performances. 79th Academy of Management (AOM) in Boston |