MG480      Half Unit
Foundations of Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

The course examines central issues pertinent to the theory and practice of Human Resource Management (HRM). It introduces students to a range of theoretical perspectives which underpin organisations' HRM practice. It also reviews challenges involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of both overall HRM strategy and specific practice areas. In this respect the course reviews HR practices in the areas of recruitment and selection, job redesign, compensation, employee voice and conflict, engagement, retention and attrition, performance management and appraisal, and strategic HRM — all through a lens that considers long-term organisational effectiveness and sustainability.

15 hours of seminars and 15 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the AT.

Students are expected to read widely in the appropriate journals; a detailed reading list will be provided at the start of the course. 

For students who have not formally studied Human Resource Management previously and/or would like an introduction to course fundamentals, the following textbook is recommended:

• Torrington, et al. (2017). Human Resource Management. 10th edition.

For students who already have an understanding of Human Resource Management foundations, the following textbook is recommended as it encompasses more than a fundamental text: 

• Boxall, P.; Purcell, J.; & Wright, P. (2008): The Oxford Handbook of Human Resource Management, Oxford University Press.

Additional textbooks of interest include: 

• Boxall, P, and Purcell, J. (2016) Strategy and human resource management. 4th ed. Palgrave.
• Marsden, D (1999) A theory of employment systems, Oxford University Press.

Course participation (10%)

Essay (90%)

For detailed assessment information, including all deadlines and timings, please see the relevant course Moodle page. Assessment timings will be available at the start of each term.