BTH 1411 Bachelor Thesis - Human Resource Management
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APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015
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BTH 1411 Bachelor Thesis - Human Resource Management
Responsible for the course
Cathrine Filstad, Øyvind Martinsen
Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour
Term
According to study plan
ECTS Credits
15
Language of instruction
Norwegian
Introduction
The bachelor thesis will be combined with the course BST 1410 Human Resource Management 15 credits, representing a specialisation in the field of 30 credits.
Students taking a Bachelor degree in Marketing or Business Administration with this combination will have an inscription of specialisation on their final academic transcript/diploma.
Human resource Management (HRM) is a core subject in the study area of organisation and organisation culture. The subject will teach the student how organisations can gain advantages by exploiting skills, abilities and knowledge of their employees. The course also focuses on how organisations have the opportunity to facilitate learning, sharing of knowledge, motivation, optimising work condition and job satisfaction. Applying HRM theory in an organisation will create optimal conditions for profitability, productivity and prosperity in all types of businesses. Evidence-based HRM are one of the strongest success-factors in competing business markets, and thus provides expertise for future oriented managers, HR managers and HR employees.
Students will by writing a bachelor thesis in HRM get the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the subject HRM through a critical eye. A bachelor thesis offers the student both valuable depth knowledge on a special selected topic topic and hence, knowledge of various analysis methodology. This type of knowledge will be valuable for students considering a future as a HRM manager or other key HR functions.
Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge
- Students will through the bachelor thesis achieve depth knowledge within a limited area of HRM.
- Students will through the bachelor thesis acquire knowledge in theoretical, creative and quantitative report methodology.
Acquired skills
- Students must throughout the bachelor thesis demonstrate proficiency in the relevant assessment methodology
- Students must throughout the bachelor thesis demonstrate proficiency in the choice of method selected regardless of identified research question.
Reflections
- Students must clearly demonstrate a profound understanding by systematically study HRM practices within the field. The students must also demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of evidence-based knowledge in HRM.
Prerequisites
Completed BST1410 Human Resource Management
Compulsory reading
Books:
Grenness, Tor. 2012. Hvordan kan du vite om noe er sant? : veiviser i forsknings- og utrednigsarbeid for studenter, ledere, konsulenter og journalister. 2. utg. Cappelen Damm akademisk
Gripsrud, Geir, Ulf Henning Olsson og Ragnhild Silkoset. 2010. Metode og dataanalyse : beslutningsstøtte for bedrifter ved bruk av JMP. 2. utg. Høyskoleforlaget
Recommended reading
Books:
Kvale, Steinar og Svend Brinkmann. 2009. Det kvalitative forskningsintervju. 2. utg. Gyldendal Akademisk
Other:
Anbefalt pensum til de ulike fordypningsområdene er spesifisert under tileggsinformasjon nederst i kursbeksrivelsen.
Course outline
Students will primarily work in groups of three, two as a secondary option and individually by application only. Students undertaking a bachelor thesis in HRM will choose one out of five specialisation areas. These are:
1. Competence: Learning/training/career planning
2. Work/stress/health
3. Management (leadership)
4. Motivation and job satisfaction
5. Recruitment and selection
Students are required to choose one specialisation topic only for their bachelor thesis. On special occasions, students may seek guidance from teachers in other disciplines. Students will be provided with readings from each specialisation area on approx. 400 pages respectively, in addition to research methodology literature on approx. 400 pages. The students are also required to demonstrate ability to find individual literature related to their topic of choice on approx. 400 pages. Each thesis group will be offered up to three hours of supervision. Additional lectures will be given, depending on the number of students participating on the sessions. These lectures will more or less focus on:
Introduction
- General information related to the bachelor thesis
- Brief review of the five specialisation topics
- Information from the library
- Individual literature and information search
- Choice of topic and group formation
Data collection
Relationship between research question and methodology
- Preparing for data collection (theoretical, qualitative and quantitative)
- Methodological requirements for measure observation, interview, case studies and undertaking theoretical and summary activities.
- Planning a survey/observation basis
Implementation of analysis
- Qualitative and Quantitative analysis
Computer-based tools
Software for quantitative or qualitative analysis that might be relevant
Learning process and workload
Students are expected to be personal responsible for the workload that is required related to a bachelor thesis. It is expected that students are well prepared prior to assigned lectures, as this will form basis for in-class discussion and supervision.
Students must complete a registration from clearly identifying specialisation topic. A supervisor will be assigned when this process has been completed. The course is conducted over one semester only and includes both lectures and individual supervision. Students are encouraged to check guidelines for writing a bachelor thesis.
Each thesis group is offered up to 3 hours of individual supervision. Lectures are mandatory. Students who do not participate in lectures and/or do not submit documentation of absence will be taken in for a hearing.
A first-hand proposal submission of the thesis topic is mandatory. The supervisor must approve the proposal submission. The proposal should not exceed four to five pages and must clearly describe the topic of choice, central theory, methodology and additional literature.
Recommended time use:
| Activity | Time use (hrs): |
| Participation in introductory lecture | 2 |
| Participation in information session by the library | 2 |
| Lecture preparation | 40 |
| Preparing and conducting sub-submissions related to thesis | 40 |
| Lecture participation | 15 |
| Bachelor thesis | 298 |
| Individual supervision | 3 |
| Total recommended use of hours | 400 |
Examination
The course is completed with the submission of a master thesis. The evaluation of the thesis counts for 100 % of the overall grade. The bachelor thesis can be written individually or in groups of three. A group submission is strongly recommended.
Examination code(s)
BTH 14111 Bachelor Thesis in Human Resource Management, the exam counts for 100 % of the final grade in the course BTH 1411, 15 credits.
Examination support materials
All aids permitted.
Re-sit examination
Re-sit at the next ordinary exam.
Additional information
Recommended reading related to each specialisation topic:
1. Kompetanseutvikling: Læring/opplæring/karriere planlegging
- Krogh, Georg von, Kazuo Ichijo, Ikujiro Nonaka. (2000). Enabling knowledge creation : how to unlcok the mystery of tacit knowledge and release the power of innovation. Oxford University Press ( - kapittel 2 gir 232 sider)
- Filstad, Cathrine. (2010). Organisasjonslæring : fra kunnskap til kompetanse. Fagbokforl. Kapittel 3, 4, 6, 8 og 10 (totalt 115 sider)
- Selvvalgt pensum ca. 400 sider.
2. Arbeidsmiljø/stress/helse
- Einarsen, Ståle og Anders Skogstad (red). (2011). Det gode arbeidsmiljø. 2 utg. Fagbokforlaget
- Selvvalgt pensum ca. 400 sider.
3. Ledelse
- Northouse,Peter Guy. (2013). Leadership : theory and practice. 6th ed. Sage
- Selvvalgt pensum ca. 400 sider.
4. Motivasjon og jobbtilfredshet
- Latham, Gary P. (2012). Work motivation : history, theory, research, and practice. 2nd ed. Sage
- Selvvalgt pensum ca. 400 sider.
5. Rekruttering og seleksjon
- Edenborough, Robert. (2005). Assessment methods in recruitment, selection & performance : a manager's guide to psychometric testing, interviews and assessment centres. Kogan Page.
- Selvvalgt pensum ca. 400 sider.