OMBA 6971 - Strategic Human Resource Management
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A02, CRN 43760,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Kimberly Pleva
Email: kmpleva@ysu.edu
Course Description
6971. Strategic Human Resource Management. In today's dynamic and competitive environment, human resources are not simply an expense, but a source of competitive advantage and value creation. For this reason, Human Resources has become a critical strategic partner responsible for attracting, retaining, and managing an organization’s most valuable assets – its people. In this course, participants will examine human resource management from a strategic perspective, enabling them to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies. The course is suitable for any manager who want to enhance their understanding of strategic human resource management, as well as human resources professionals who want to update their knowledge of best practices in the field. Prereq.: graduate standing, admission to the OMBA Program or permission from the MBA Program. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Human Resource Management, Gaining a Competitive Advantage | Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart & Wright | 9781266018169 |
| Required | Strategic Human Resource Management: An International Perspective | Rees & Smith | 9781529755947 |
- Each week on Sunday at 11:59PM a learning module will be released on Blackboard covering one large topic. The module will contain items to support the week’s learning such as readings, videos, and assignments.
- Each module should be reviewed thoroughly before starting any work. Start by reviewing the “Welcome” page. This covers all the details for that module including assignments.
- After reading the objectives, read all the readings for the week. This will contain key content to aid in completing any work (including discussion boards). THEN, start your work for the week.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/19 | McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapters 1 & 2 Van Vulpen, Erik. Strategic Human Resource Management 101: Your Essential Guide, AIHR Haan, Katherine. Strategic Human Resource Management, Forbes. |
Aligning HR Practices with Organizational Goals and Values | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board 1 due Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz 1 due Sunday 11:59PM COURSE OBJECTIVES QUIZ: Due Sunday 11:59PM |
| 10/26 | McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapter 5 Tucker, Elissa. How to Modernize Workforce Planning, SHRM Organ, Christine. Workforce Planning: Definition & Best Practices, Forbes Melhorn, Stephanie. Understanding America’s Labor Shortage: The Most Impacted Industries, US Chamber of Commerce Caronaro, Giulia. America's Labor Shortage is Most Severe in These 13 States, Newsweek |
Workforce Design – Assessing Current and Future Needs | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59PM |
| 11/2 | McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapters 7, 9 & 12 Fuller, Joseph. Five Companies Where Employees Move Up the Ladder Fast, Harvard Business Perry, Elizabeth. Employee Development is Key to Your Company’s Success, BetterUp |
Best Practices for Training, Developing and Rewarding Talent | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59PM |
| 11/9 | McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapter 14 Orechwa, Walter. Employee Relations Best Practices to Stay Union-Free, LinkedIn Gibson, Hise. Your Best Employees are Burning Out: A Framework for Retaining Talent, Harvard Business Schwarz, Lisa. What is Employee Turnover & Why It Matters for Your Business, Netsuite Employee Retention Strategy: Amazon's Pay to Quit, HRO Findijs, Alex. Amazon's Response to Labor Shortage/High Turnover, Ws |
Employee Relations and Engagement | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM Quiz: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59PM |
| 11/16 | McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapter 3 Why Ethical Transparent HR Decision Making Is Crucial to Team Success, Forbes. Pretorius, Annelise, Decision-Making in HR: How to Take the Right Approach Heimlich, N. 10 common pitfalls in employment law: A federal and multistate compliance guide. Reuters Legal News Thompson, S. HR Non compliance Penalties in 2025. SixFifty. Harrison, Steve. What Is the HR Leader's Role in Compliance and Ethics?, SHRM Burr, Matthew. Ethical Decision-Making and the HR Profession, SHRM |
Legal & Ethical Foundations of Strategic HR | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59 PM |
| 11/23 | Sage Textbook Chapter 4 McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapter 16 White, Jeff. HR Analytics: Definition, Best Practices & Examples, Forbes Van Vulpen, Erik. "What is HR Analytics?", AIHR |
Metrics, Analytics, and Data-driven Decision Making | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59PM |
| 11/30 | Sage Textbook Chapters 6 & 13 McGraw-Hill Textbook Chapter 15 Price, Joey. Five Areas Impacting the Future of HR, Forbes Levanon, Gad. Remote Work: The Biggest Legacy Of Covid-19 , Forbes Nine Out Of 10 Companies Will Require Employees To Return To The Office, Forbes Cerullo, Megan. These Major Employers are Making Workers Return to the Office, CBS News |
The Future of Strategic HR | ASSIGNMENT: Discussion Board DUE Sunday 11:59PM QUIZ: Quiz DUE Sunday 11:59PM |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.