Course 2006-2007 a.y.

Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to study the role of labour and human resources inside the firm. It is divided in two parts. The first part studies personnel economics, the microeconomic approach to personnel issues inside the firm, and shows how economic analysis can be successfully applied to the study of personnel issues. The key issues analysed are recruiting strategies, optimal wage policies, turnover policies and the role of promotion. The second part anaylses organisational behaviour and concentrates on the management of people in organisations. The course takes a managerial perspective to understand human behaviour in organisational settings and utilise human resources to drive the organisation to attain its goals.

Course Content Summary

Part I: Personnel economics (microeconomic approach to personnel issues)

• Trade-Offs at the hiring stage
• Recruiting policies and workers' selection
• Optimal wage policies
• Career and seniority incentives
• Training on the job
• Job creation and destruction

Part II: Organisational behaviour

• Managing human behavior in organisations: historical roots and current challenges 
• Human motivation in organizations 
• Performance and rewards 
• Job characteristics and job design 
• Goal setting and performance feedback in organisations 
• Managing teams 
• Leadership in organizations 
• Decision making in organisations

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

There will be a written exam covering both parts and a partial exam at the end of each part.

Textbooks

• P. GARIBALDI, Personnel Economics in Imperfect Labour Markets, Oxford University Press, 2006 .

• G. JOHNS, A.M. SAKS Organizational Behaviour: Understanding and Managing Life at Work, Prentice Hall, 2005 (6th ed.).

For further and continuously updated information consult the IEP web site or contact SID - Servizio Informazioni Didattica - Institute of Economics - via Gobbi, 5 - Room 313.