Managing Human Resources in Education Sector: Case Studies

This document consists of five articles that explore the management of human resources in the education sector. The articles cover topics such as the impact of HR political skill, alignment of ageing workforce, knowledge management, changing educational policies and more. The articles provide insights into the changes that have occurred in the HRM processes used by HR executives within the educational industry of Australia. The articles are peer-reviewed and published in reputed journals. Desklib offers access to solved assignments, essays, dissertations and more on these topics.

Running head: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES: A CASE STUDY OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 1
Full Reference
Sheehan, C., De Cieri, H., Cooper, B. K., & Brooks, R. (2016). The impact of HR political skill
in the HRM and organisational performance relationship. Australian Journal of
Management, 41(1), 161-181. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0312896214546055
Outline of Research Objective and Research Question
The major research objectives formulated by Sheehan et al. (2016) in this article are
listed below-
1. To understand the effect of HR political skill on the relationship between high
involvement work practices and organizational performance
2. To analyze the manner in which HR executives can use their political skill
advantageously within strategic decision-making processes in order to affect
organizational performance
3. To evaluate the manner in which the HRM processes used in the education industry has
undergone transformation over the years
The major research questions formulated by Sheehan et al. (2016) in this article are listed
below-
1. What is the effect of HR political skill on the relationship between high involvement
work practices and organizational performance?

2MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
2. How can HR executives use their political skill advantageously within strategic decision-
making processes in order to affect organizational performance?
3. In what ways the HRM processes used in the education industry has undergone
transformation over the years?
Outline of the Method
Sheehan et al. (2016) for the collection of the required primary data needed for the
completion of the article conducted survey with around 180 HR executives related to the
educational institutions of the nation of Australia. Furthermore, the method of quantitative data
analysis was used for the analysis of the primary data collected from the respondents.
Discussion of the Findings
The authors found that “the political skill of the HR executive strengthens the positive
relationship between high involvement work practices and perceived organizational
performance”. Furthermore, Sheehan et al. (2016) also found that the HR processes used by the
contemporary HR executives within the educational industry of Australia had undergone
significant in conjunction with the changing needs of the educational professionals and also the
dynamicity of the educational industry itself. More importantly, the changes which had
undergone in the HRM processes used by the educational institutions had improved the nature of
the benefits or the perks which are available to the educational professionals in the present times.
Summary of the Conclusions
The authors in the article derive the conclusion that the changes which had undergone in
the HRM processes used by the HR executives within the educational industry of Australia are
“important both in reinforcing the impact of human resource management (HRM) and the

3MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
opportunity for HR to be part of strategic decisions”. This in turn had made the role played by
the HR executives within the educational institutions of the nation of Australia an indispensable
one.
Indication of how this will be relevant for Essay 3
This article highlights the key changes which had undergone within the framework of the
HRM processes used by the HR executives within the different educational institutions of
Australia. Moreover, the article also offers insightful information regarding the entire process of
HRM used by the HR executives within framework of the contemporary educational industry of
Australia. Furthermore, the article is a peer-reviewed one and was published in “Australian
Journal of Management” in 2016. It is on the score of these aspects that I have selected this
article as a useful resource for Essay 3.

4MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 2
Full Reference
Earl, C., Taylor, P., & Cannizzo, F. (2017). “Regardless of Age”: Australian University
Managers’ Attitudes and Practices Towards Older Academics. Work, Aging and
Retirement, 4(3), 300-313. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wax024
Outline of Research Objective and Research Question
The major research objectives formulated by Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) in this article
are listed below-
1. To understand the factors which affect the alignment of the ageing workforce of the
Australian educational professionals with the overall objectives of the educational
institutions
2. To evaluate the impact of the alignment of the ageing workforce of the Australian
educational professionals with the overall objectives of the educational institutions
3. To recommend ways through which the HR professionals related to the Australian
educational institutions can align their ageing workforce with the overall objectives of the
institution
The major research questions formulated by Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) in this article
are listed below-

5MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
1. What are the factors which affect the alignment of the ageing workforce of the Australian
educational professionals with the overall objectives of the educational institutions?
2. What is the impact of the alignment of the ageing workforce of the Australian educational
professionals with the overall objectives of the educational institutions?
3. What are the ways through which the HR professionals related to the Australian
educational institutions can align their ageing workforce with the overall objectives of the
institution?
Outline of the Method
Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) for the collection of the required data needed for the
completion of this article took the help of semi-structured interviews and thus interviews were
conducted with 22 HR professionals related to the different educational institutions of the nation
of Australia. Furthermore, for the analysis of this data the method of primary qualitative data
analysis was used.
Discussion of the Findings
Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) from the analysis of the data collected for the article
found that “the alignment of the ageing workforce with the overall strategic goals of the
educational institutions is likely to help them to attain the objectives or the goals that they have
formulated in an effective manner”. This is important from the perspective of the quality of
education which is being offered by the educational institutions and also the amount of capital
that they would have to spend for the recruitment as well as the training of the new academic
professionals. Furthermore, Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) also found that this objective can
be effectively attained by the HR professionals related to the educational institutions through the
effective usage of the process of strategic human resource management (SHRM).

6MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Summary of the Conclusions
Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo (2017) derived the conclusion that by strategically aligning the
ageing academic professionals with the overall objectives or the goals of the educational
professionals the HR professionals would be able to “effectively improve the quality of
education which is being offered by them”. Furthermore, this would also help the educational
institutions to attain or achieve the overall goals or objectives that they have outlined for
themselves. More importantly, the authors have suggested that the educational institutions rather
than recruiting young academic professionals would find it more beneficial to take the help of
the process of SHRM for the improvement of the quality of education imparted by the academic
professionals.
Indication of how this will be relevant for Essay 3
Earl, Taylor and Cannizzo’s article published in 2017 in the journal “Work, Aging and
Retirement” offers insightful information regarding the process of SHRM which had become an
integral one within the domain of the HRM practices used by the HR professionals. It is on the
basis of this aspect that I have selected the concerned article for my Essay 3.

7MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 3
Full Reference
Veer Ramjeawon, P., & Rowley, J. (2017). Knowledge management in higher education
institutions: enablers and barriers in Mauritius. The Learning Organization, 24(5), 366-
377. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/TLO-03-
2017-0030/full/html
Outline of Research Objective and Research Question
The major research objectives formulated by Veer Ramjeawon and Rowley (2017) in this
article are listed below-
1. To understand the role played by the HR professionals in helping the academic
professionals to transfer knowledge
2. To analyze the role played by the HR professionals in providing the skill sets which help
the academic professionals in the adequate transfer of knowledge
3. To evaluate the relation between the role played by the HR professionals and industrial
relations in the performance of the job roles of the academic professionals
The major research questions formulated by Veer Ramjeawon and Rowley (2017) in this
article are listed below-
1. What is the role played by the HR professionals in helping the academic professionals to
transfer knowledge?

8MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
2. What is the role played by the HR professionals in providing the skill sets which help the
academic professionals in the transfer of knowledge?
3. What is the relation between the role played by the HR professionals and industrial
relations in the performance of the job roles of the academic professionals?
Outline of the Method
Veer Ramjeawon and Rowley (2017) took the help of secondary data which were
collected from peer-reviewed articles, newspaper articles and others for the collection of the data
which was needed for the completion of the article. Furthermore, for the analysis of the
secondary data which was collected the qualitative data analysis or more precisely thematic
analysis was used.
Discussion of the Findings
Veer Ramjeawon and Rowley (2017) found that the changing “industrial relations had
made it imperative for the HR professionals to undertake different kinds of initiatives so as to
help the academic professionals to effectively transfer adequate knowledge to the students”. In
this relation, it needs to be said that the authors found that the HR professionals need to offer the
right kind of training as well as mentoring to the academic professionals so as to encourage them
to effectively transfer knowledge. As a matter of fact, the authors found that the HR
professionals by introducing the academic professionals to “broader sets of values, skills and
resources not accessible within the educational institutions” can help them to acquire the skill
sets that are likely to help them in the process of knowledge transfer.

9MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Summary of the Conclusions
Veer Ramjeawon and Rowley (2017) conclude the article by stating that the HR
professionals are going to play a vital role in helping the academic professionals to contribute
effectively towards the effective transfer of knowledge in the educational institutions. This can
be done by the HR professionals by offering the academic professionals with the required skill
sets which in turn would facilitate that contribute that they need to make towards the
development of knowledge economies.
Indication of how this will be relevant for Essay 3
The article highlights the manner in which the ever-changing industrial relations have
impacted the work of the HR professionals within the framework of the educational industry of
Australia. Furthermore, this is a peer-reviewed article published in the reputed journal “The
Learning Organization” in 2017. It is on the score of these aspects that I have selected this article
as a source for my Essay 3.

10MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 4
Full Reference
Ulrich, D., & Dulebohn, J. H. (2015). Are we there yet? What's next for HR?. Human Resource
Management Review, 25(2), 188-204. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.004
Outline of Research Objective and Research Question
The major research objectives formulated by Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) in this article are
listed below-
1. To understand the manner in which the changes in educational policies have impacted
the HR planning done by the HR professionals in the educational industry
2. To evaluate the relation between the changing educational policies and HR planning
undertaken by the HR professionals in the educational sector
3. To recommend ways through the HR professionals can integrate the changing
educational policies into the HR planning process undertaken by them in the
educational sector
The major research questions formulated by Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) in this article are
listed below-
1. In what manner the changes in educational policies have impacted the HR planning done
by the HR professionals in the educational industry?

11MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
2. What is the relation between the changing educational policies and HR planning
undertaken by the HR professionals in the educational sector?
3. What are the ways through the HR professionals can integrate the changing educational
policies into the HR planning process undertaken by them in the educational sector?
Outline of the Method
Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) took the help of the secondary collection process for the
completion of this article and thereby collected the required data or information needed for the
completion of this article from different peer-reviewed articles, credible webpages, newspaper
articles and others. Furthermore, the analysis of the secondary data collected for the completion
of the article was done through the usage of thematic analysis or qualitative data analysis
method.
Discussion of the Findings
Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) through the analysis of the secondary data found that “the
changes in the educational policies had necessitated a change within the process of HR planning
used by the HR professionals”. For example, unlike the earlier times the HR professionals are
required to ensure the fact particular job roles are being allocated to the academic professionals
having the required educational qualifications. Furthermore, as per the changes in the educational
policies the HR professionals are required to plan the roasters, work-pressure and others of the
academic professionals in an adequate manner so as to maintain the standard or the quality of
education as mandated by the educational policies.

12MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Summary of the Conclusions
Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) conclude the article by stating that the different changes in
the educational policies have made the process of HR planning performed by the HR
professionals much more systematic unlike the earlier. Furthermore, by effectively planning the
job roles of the different academic professionals the HR professionals have contributed
positively towards the improvement of the quality or the nature of the education which is being
offered to the students of the educational institutions.
Indication of how this will be relevant for Essay 3
The article of Ulrich and Dulebohn (2015) is a credible as well as peer-reviewed article
and was published in the reputed journal “Human Resource Management Review”. The article
highlights important information regarding the manner in which HR planning is being done by
the HR professionals and also the impact of the changes in educational policies within the
framework of the same. It is on the score of these aspects that the article had been selected for
Essay 3.

13MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 5
Full Reference
De Freitas, S. I., Morgan, J., & Gibson, D. (2015). Will MOOCs transform learning and teaching
in higher education? Engagement and course retention in online learning
provision. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(3), 455-471. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjet.12268
Outline of Research Objective and Research Question
The major research objectives formulated by De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) in this
article are listed below-
1. To understand the manner in which the HR professionals can help the academic
professionals acquire the skills sets that will enable them to enhance student engagement
in the online learning programs
2. To analyze the manner in which the HR professionals can equip the academic
professionals to offer the best quality digital education
3. To evaluate the relation between training offered by the HR professionals and the quality
of the education offered by the academic professionals
The major research questions formulated by De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) in this
article are listed below-
1. What are the ways through which the HR professionals can help the academic
professionals acquire the skills sets that will enable them to enhance student engagement
in the online learning programs?

14MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
2. In what ways can the HR professionals can equip the academic professionals to offer the
best quality digital education?
3. What is the relation between training offered by the HR professionals and the quality of
the education offered by the academic professionals?
Outline of the Method
De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) for the completion of this article took the help of
secondary data which was obtained from the different newspaper articles, peer-reviewed articles,
credible webpages and others. Furthermore, for the analysis of the secondary data the method of
thematic analysis was followed.
Discussion of the Findings
De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) through the analysis of the secondary data
collected for the completion of the article found that “the HR professionals need to offer the
academic professionals different kinds of training programs which should be especially designed
to enhance the technical expertise of the professionals”. This is likely to help the academic
professionals to offer high quality education to the online students and also to enhance the level
of engagement among the students. More importantly, De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015)
also found that the training programs offered by the HR professionals should also incorporate
different communication strategies, teaching strategies and others so as to help the academic
professionals in the best possible manner.
Summary of the Conclusions
De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) conclude the article by stating that the training
programs offered by the HR professionals play an important role in helping the academic

15MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
professionals to acquire digital teaching skills. Furthermore, the HR professionals during the
training programs need to ensure the fact that along with technological expertise are also being
able to learn new teaching strategies, communication strategies and others.
Indication of how this will be relevant for Essay 3
De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson (2015) in this article have offered insightful information
regarding the manner in which the HR professionals can help the academic professionals to
acquire the skill sets that are likely to help them to adjust to the key changes within the
educational industry. Furthermore, this is a peer-reviewed article published in the journal
“British Journal of Educational Technology” in 2015. It is on the score of these aspects that this
source had been selected for Essay 3.

16MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
References
De Freitas, S. I., Morgan, J., & Gibson, D. (2015). Will MOOCs transform learning and teaching
in higher education? Engagement and course retention in online learning
provision. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(3), 455-471. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjet.12268
Earl, C., Taylor, P., & Cannizzo, F. (2017). “Regardless of Age”: Australian University
Managers’ Attitudes and Practices Towards Older Academics. Work, Aging and
Retirement, 4(3), 300-313. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wax024
Sheehan, C., De Cieri, H., Cooper, B. K., & Brooks, R. (2016). The impact of HR political skill
in the HRM and organisational performance relationship. Australian Journal of
Management, 41(1), 161-181. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0312896214546055
Ulrich, D., & Dulebohn, J. H. (2015). Are we there yet? What's next for HR?. Human Resource
Management Review, 25(2), 188-204. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.004
Veer Ramjeawon, P., & Rowley, J. (2017). Knowledge management in higher education
institutions: enablers and barriers in Mauritius. The Learning Organization, 24(5), 366-
377. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/TLO-03-
2017-0030/full/html