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Gavin Walton
- July 22, 2024
Welcome, future HR gurus! Ready to spice up your study.com Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management final exam? Fortunately, you are in the right place, the right time to find the service you need. This class is actually an introduction to the skill of enhancing the delivery of people in an organization to meet an organizational objective. In as much as it will be fun to browse through the book and take the principles as mere advice; it is more like your directory to being the HR hero every company wants. This course ranges from employment laws down to the basic principles of motivating employees.
But hey, don’t worry! Don’t let it shake you. It does not sound as difficult as it really is. Being attuned to the Social Web means you are active in this journey with a treasure hunt of concepts, strategies, ideas, insights, and examples on workplace diversity, strategic human resource management, and much more, fun-filled and exciting. By the way, as a new HR professional, when the end of the course comes you’ll have all the necessary items to deal with any HR issue. Well then, hold on to your seats, and let me explain why this is the class of the future and frankly downright critical for your Human Resources career path!
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What to Expect from Business 306 Class📖
Diving into study.com Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management is like going through a treasure hunt of HR knowledge. All the topics in this course are systematically laid down from the basic to advanced level to help prepare you for the final examination as well as for your successful career in strategic Human resource management.
First of all, you will discover the central subjects of Human Resource Management (HRM). This involves the definition of the tasks for the HRM where they act as personnel agents in staffing and development, compensational administration, safety, and relations with employees. You will understand how HRM ensures that the strategies of an organization reinforce the objectives of development and organizational growth.
Last, there is the more proactive umbrella term of strategic human resource management. This means that by the time they are finishing up their course with us, they will have learned how to not only resume but even prevent and plan for HR issues. It really is important for this section to occur as it outlines how HR can be chief in the success of an organization, rather than a backup to the ‘real’ business.
Employment laws and employee rights are some of the most engaging topics among all of them. It is not about learning laws word by word but about understanding how these rules affect the activities of human resources. Those areas, Concerning the Civil Rights Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, etc. are going to be tested. So, by ensuring you study these laws to the core, it means that not only shall you excel in the exams but also stand as a more competent human resource management practitioner.
To sum up, one should prepare for discussions concerning the organization’s structure, relations between different employees and teams, wages, hiring and advertising practices, bonuses and penalties, as well as key performance indicators and metrics.
Each of these areas is important for the exam and for your future life and work as a professional. So always remember, the better you are acquainted with these nurtures, the better you are ready for them. But wait, do not forget to keep the process enjoyable to some extent because after all, HR is all about people.
Week-by-Week Study Plan to Ace Business 306 Exam 📝
Break down your study journey into a weekly plan so that you will be ready for the study.com Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management final exam. Below is the schedule that can guide a student through the week so that s/he does not lose focus and can benefit from the material to the greatest extent.
Week 1: Get Acquainted with the Basics
- Tasks: Watch all video lessons in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.
- Focus Areas: Understand the fundamental concepts of HRM, including the objectives and responsibilities. Delve into the various theories of HRM.
- Resources: Introduction to HRM, HRM Theory Overview
Week 2: Dive into Employment Laws and Employee Rights
- Tasks: Study Chapters 3 and 4 thoroughly.
- Focus Areas: Learn about key employment laws like the Civil Rights Act and FLSA. Understand the importance of Equal Employment Opportunity.
- Resources: Understanding Employment Laws, EEO Regulations
Week 3: Focus on Workplace Diversity and Recruitment
- Tasks: Review Chapters 5 and 6.
- Focus Areas: Grasp the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Learn the best practices for recruiting and selecting employees.
- Resources: Workplace Diversity, Recruitment Strategies
Week 4: Compensation and Benefits
- Tasks: Go through Chapter 7.
- Focus Areas: Understand different types of employee compensation and benefits, including incentive compensation plans.
- Resources: Employee Compensation, Benefits Overview
Week 5: Collective Bargaining and Unions
- Tasks: Study Chapter 8 in detail.
- Focus Areas: Learn about collective bargaining processes, union laws, and the benefits and pitfalls of unions.
- Resources: Collective Bargaining, Understanding Unions
Week 6: Employee Training and Motivation
- Tasks: Review Chapters 9 and 10.
- Focus Areas: Explore effective training programs and motivational theories that can enhance employee performance.
- Resources: Employee Training, Motivation Theories
Week 7: Performance Management
- Tasks: Focus on Chapter 11.
- Focus Areas: Understand performance management systems, including appraisals, feedback methods, and employee development plans.
- Resources: Performance Management, Appraisal Systems
Week 8: Employee Value and HR Metrics
- Tasks: Study Chapters 12, 13, and 14.
- Focus Areas: Learn how employee value can create a competitive advantage and familiarize yourself with key HR metrics and their importance.
- Resources: Employee Value, HR Metrics
Week 9: Review and Practice Tests
- Tasks: Review all chapters and take practice tests.
- Focus Areas: Identify weak areas and focus on those. Take practice quizzes to test your knowledge.
- Resources: Practice Test, Study Guide
Week 10: Final Preparations
- Tasks: Do a comprehensive review and take the final practice exam.
- Focus Areas: Ensure you have covered all topics thoroughly. Use your study notes and practice test results to guide your final review.
- Resources: Final Review, Practice Exam
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Free External Resources to Study📂
While study.com includes all the materials needed for the Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management course, it is guaranteed that sometimes one could use all the help that they can get. Below are some more resources that you can access for free. These would be of great benefit when topping up for some knowledge that you found hard to grasp in class.
YouTube Channels and Videos:
CrashCourse: Business Soft Skills – This channel offers a series of videos on human resources, employee management, and organizational behavior.
HR Basics by GreggU – A channel dedicated to explaining HR fundamentals in a simple and engaging way.
Quizlet Flashcards and Study Sets:
HRM Terms and Definitions – A great set of flashcards to help you remember key terms and concepts.
- Quizlet HRM Flashcards
Employment Law Flashcards – Use these to drill down on specific laws and regulations covered in Chapter 3.
- Quizlet Employment Law Flashcards
OpenCourseware:
MIT OpenCourseWare – Organizational Processes – This course provides in-depth knowledge of organizational processes and human resource management.
- MIT OpenCourseWare – Organizational Processes
Articles and Blogs:
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) – A treasure trove of articles, tools, and templates.
- SHRM HR Topics
HR Bartender – A fun and informative blog on various HR topics.
Podcasts:
HR Happy Hour – This podcast covers a wide range of HR topics and trends, making it a great resource for contemporary HR issues.
These resources should provide you with additional insights and ways to reinforce your understanding of the course material. Use them wisely, and don’t hesitate to dive deeper into topics that you find challenging.
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Key Topics to Focus On 🔑
When doing subjects for the study.com Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management final exam, it is important to assemble the elements that will probably be emphasized during the test. Below are four fundamental topics, analysis, comparison, and examples of the topics have been provided to enhance understanding and knowledge retention.
1. Human Resource Management (HRM) vs. Personnel Management
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Aspect
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Human Resource Management (HRM)
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Personnel Management
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Approach
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Strategic and integrated
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Administrative and operational
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Focus
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Employees as valuable resources
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Employees as costs to be managed
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Employee Development
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Emphasizes training, development, and growth
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Focuses on hiring, firing, and basic administration
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Integration with Goals
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Aligned with organizational strategies
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Often disconnected from overall goals
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Example:
- HRM: Google uses HRM to ensure their employees are constantly developing their skills, aligning with the company’s innovative goals.
- Personnel Management: In contrast, traditional factories might have used personnel management to simply hire and manage day-to-day worker issues without a strategic focus.
2. Soft HRM vs. Hard HRM
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Aspect
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Soft HRM
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Hard HRM
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Employee View
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Treats employees as valued assets
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Views employees as resources to be controlled
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Focus
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Employee welfare, motivation, and development
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Efficiency, cost control, and workforce flexibility
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Management Style
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Participative and inclusive
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Authoritarian and top-down
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Example:
- Soft HRM: A tech company offering flexible work hours and comprehensive wellness programs.
- Hard HRM: A fast-food chain optimizing staff schedules to reduce labor costs and increase efficiency.
3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in the Workplace
Maslow’s hierarchy is often applied to understand employee motivation. Here’s how each level translates to workplace needs:
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Level
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Workplace Application
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Physiological Needs
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Basic salary to afford food and shelter
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Safety Needs
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Job security, safe working conditions, and benefits
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Social Needs
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Teamwork, a sense of belonging, and supportive relationships
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Esteem Needs
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Recognition, promotions, and responsibilities
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Self-Actualization
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Opportunities for personal growth, creativity, and reaching one’s full potential through challenging projects
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Example:
- An employee might start by needing a stable salary (Physiological), but eventually seek career advancement and recognition (Esteem) and fulfilling work that allows personal growth (Self-Actualization).
4. Performance Management Process
Performance management is crucial for ensuring employees align with organizational goals. The process includes:
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Step
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Description
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|---|---|
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Planning
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Setting clear expectations, objectives, and goals
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Monitoring
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Continuously observing and providing feedback on performance
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Developing
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Offering training and development opportunities
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Rating
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Evaluating employee performance based on predefined criteria
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Rewarding
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Providing incentives and recognition for good performance
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Example:
- A retail store manager regularly meets with employees to set sales targets (Planning), provides feedback during shifts (Monitoring), offers sales training workshops (Developing), reviews performance at the end of the quarter (Rating), and rewards top performers with bonuses (Rewarding).
These tables and examples should help you grasp these critical concepts and understand how they apply in real-world scenarios. Mastering these topics will give you a solid foundation for the exam.
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FAQ❓
Q: What is the structure of the course?
- A: The course consists of 14 chapters and each of them is devoted to peculiarities of the strategic human resources management. Every chapter comprises video lessons, quizzes, and key concepts that a reader might need to know and understand within the subject area. The final proctored exam will cover all these concepts to ensure that you have effectively grasped them.
Q: In this course for the final examination what are the most important areas that I should concentrate on?
A: Some of the core areas that have been covered in the present literature are:
- Differences between Human Resource Management (HRM) and Personnel Management
- Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Employment laws and employee rights
- Employee motivation theories (e.g., Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s two-factor theory)
- Performance management processes
- Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- Recruitment and selection methods
Q: How should I prepare for the quizzes?
- A: To add, every chapter has quizzes which you can take three attempts for as many times as you want. In the lessons, you are to study the concepts that are critical to the subjects under study and utilize the quizzes to challenge yourself. If possible, you should be able to attain not less than eighty percent on every quiz to be certain you comprehend what you have been learning.
Q: What is the form in which the final proctored examination will be administered?
- A: The last test that will be taken is synoptic, and all the chapters from the course will be included. You will gain 1 point for each percent you get on the test or exam, which will denote the percent grade you obtain. For instance, if you obtain a percentage mark of 90, this is translated to 90 total points contributing to the final grade.
Q: I am wondering if I am not well content with the score that I got on the final exam, can I take it again?
- A: Yes, you can retake the exam after waiting for 3 days and you can make a total of two attempts at the exam. Remember to try using the study guide as well as the other resources in order to prepare and be ready for the exam again.
Q: What can I bring into the exam room during the actual exam, is there any item that is allowed for use?
- A: The only additional item that you are permitted to have is the piece of white notebook paper upon which you can write using your pen or pencil. Nevertheless, notes, textbooks, calculators, or any other gadgets with the exception of the software employed in the test are prohibited.
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Conclusion📄
The study.com Business 306: Strategic Human Resources Management course is designed to be an interesting and insightful study of the topic of HRM. This course provides you with crucial information through significant topics such as strategic human resource management, employment laws, diversity in the workplace, and employee motivation and theories. Bear in mind that there is a week-by-week study schedule, that you can explore additional sources for enhanced comprehension, and that the concentration should be on the primary concepts for the best performance.
If only you can remain focused, study hard, and apply all the strategies for succeeding that are described in this guide, you are sure to succeed in the final proctored exam. Good luck to all and always bear in mind that the skills and knowledge that you gain in this course are your valuable tool in your field of specialization. Happy studying!
