Reflections of a teacher (?)Reflections of a teacher (?)conceptual and pedagogical conceptual and pedagogical

challenges in teaching OB/HRchallenges in teaching OB/HR

Prof. Bholanath DuttaProf. Bholanath Dutta

Agenda for the sessionAgenda for the session

►Challenges in teaching OB/HRM in MBA Challenges in teaching OB/HRM in MBA programsprograms

►Conceptual limitationsConceptual limitations►Pedagogical limitationsPedagogical limitations►Alternate methods and formsAlternate methods and forms► Integration and realignmentIntegration and realignment►““being a learning self”– redefining the being a learning self”– redefining the

role of being a facilitatorrole of being a facilitator

Challenges in the MBA Challenges in the MBA program program

►Young graduates – not aware of Young graduates – not aware of organizational realitiesorganizational realities

►Expect tools and techniques – to take Expect tools and techniques – to take awayaway

►Believe that “hard subjects” like finance Believe that “hard subjects” like finance and marketing are more important than and marketing are more important than “soft subjects”—peripheral subjects“soft subjects”—peripheral subjects

►OB/HR seen as a “feminine discipline”OB/HR seen as a “feminine discipline”

Challenges in teaching OB/HRMChallenges in teaching OB/HRM

►Reality more complex and integrated– Reality more complex and integrated– classification of OB/OT/HRM not classification of OB/OT/HRM not representation of realityrepresentation of reality

►Roots being different --- OB comes Roots being different --- OB comes dominantly from psychology or social dominantly from psychology or social psychology; OT coming from sociology psychology; OT coming from sociology and anthropology or management and anthropology or management science,science,

HRM – atheoretical HRM – atheoretical

Changing organizational Changing organizational contextscontexts

►Dominant logic : rational, resource Dominant logic : rational, resource dependence not normativedependence not normative

►Espoused values about people to Espoused values about people to reality – divergence highreality – divergence high

►Organizational cynicism among Organizational cynicism among practitioners high about HRpractitioners high about HR

► Increasing pre-occupation with the Increasing pre-occupation with the short term – market drivenshort term – market driven

Conceptual challengesConceptual challenges

► Assumptions about human nature – nurture vs. Assumptions about human nature – nurture vs. nature –our biasnature –our bias

► Levels of analysis – micro, meso and macroLevels of analysis – micro, meso and macro►Universality vs Specificity in human behaviourUniversality vs Specificity in human behaviour► Interaction effect of variables – what is Interaction effect of variables – what is

dependent, independent? dependent, independent? Eg does motivation lead to job satisfaction or does Eg does motivation lead to job satisfaction or does

satisfaction lead to motivation?satisfaction lead to motivation? Does leader create culture or culture select leaders?Does leader create culture or culture select leaders?

Pedagogical challengesPedagogical challenges

►Content: OB syllabus is organized Content: OB syllabus is organized around research areas (leadership, around research areas (leadership, power, motivation, communication) power, motivation, communication) whereas HRM syllabi is organized whereas HRM syllabi is organized around functional activities (training, around functional activities (training, performance management, performance management, employment laws)employment laws)

►Textbooks: often need to be Textbooks: often need to be customized with readingscustomized with readings

Pedagogical challengesPedagogical challenges

►Objective of the course vs Objective of the course vs methodology methodology Create awarenessCreate awareness Build understandingBuild understanding Enable analysisEnable analysis Foster applicationFoster application Encourage synthesisEncourage synthesis Apply judgment Apply judgment Arrive at a decisionArrive at a decision

What does business expect from What does business expect from HR professionals? HR professionals?

► Mastery over a body of knowledgeMastery over a body of knowledge► Critical thinking skills – HR is always gray, Critical thinking skills – HR is always gray,

therefore the need to find alternate solutionstherefore the need to find alternate solutions► Understand business and the organizational Understand business and the organizational

strategiesstrategies► Building relationships and developing peopleBuilding relationships and developing people► Project management, when you have Project management, when you have

outsourced the functionoutsourced the function► Consulting skills Consulting skills

Stimulating and retaining Stimulating and retaining attentionattention

►Align with student interests – career, Align with student interests – career, identity, perceptions, motivation – identity, perceptions, motivation – recognize the constellation of logics in recognize the constellation of logics in an youngster’s worldan youngster’s world

►Use strategy, marketing or finance Use strategy, marketing or finance cases to teach OB/HRcases to teach OB/HR

►Organize courses around Organize courses around problems/challenges -- problems/challenges --

Alternate methods and formsAlternate methods and forms

►Group activities – projects, assignments Group activities – projects, assignments

(need to process this information as we (need to process this information as we go along)go along)

► Interview an HR executive or a line Interview an HR executive or a line manager with a reporting authoritymanager with a reporting authority

►Use of games, simulations and videosUse of games, simulations and videos►Use of exercises, tools, cases, Use of exercises, tools, cases, ►Learning dairy – what did I learn?Learning dairy – what did I learn?

Continued…Continued…

►Use of movies “twelve angry men”, Use of movies “twelve angry men”, “Erin Brokovich”, Matrix, The “Erin Brokovich”, Matrix, The corporation, lagaan, modern times, My corporation, lagaan, modern times, My fair lady, Gandhifair lady, Gandhi

►Use of autobiographies, Gandhi, Lenin, Use of autobiographies, Gandhi, Lenin, Newton, Plato, Socrates, Hitler, George Newton, Plato, Socrates, Hitler, George Washington, LincolnWashington, Lincoln

►Use of innovative newspaper items Use of innovative newspaper items

Challenges in discovering selfChallenges in discovering self

►Never offer the same course with the Never offer the same course with the same structure the next year. You will same structure the next year. You will become complacentbecome complacent

►What is working well, don’t tinker. It What is working well, don’t tinker. It can’t get any bettercan’t get any better

►Challenge yourself conceptually????Challenge yourself conceptually????►Be willing to accept that you could be Be willing to accept that you could be

wrong and that there could be many wrong and that there could be many rights…..rights…..

An old model An old model

ODOD HRMHRM

OBOB OTOT

applied

theoretical

micro macro

Conceptualizing leadershipConceptualizing leadership

►As a traitAs a trait►As a styleAs a style►As a contingency behaviourAs a contingency behaviour►As an influence processAs an influence process►As followershipAs followership►As decision making processAs decision making process►Change agentChange agent►Psychodynamics Psychodynamics

Seeing organizationsSeeing organizations

►Rational logical systemsRational logical systems►MachineMachine►Bureaucracy and rulesBureaucracy and rules►ChaosChaos►Power playPower play►Organic Organic ►Networks Networks

THE ENDTHE END