Human Resource Function in Educational Administration

9780130484048

0130484040

Every employee of an educational organization is influenced by the human resource function. This influence begins prior to employment through recruitment and selection processes and continues throughout the employment period of an individual. Whether or not this influence is positive depends on how well the human resource function is managed by those responsible for making important decisions about individuals as employees and about the overall operation of the human resource function in the educational setting. Some of the decisions involve old issues ever new, while other decisions involve new issues yet to be broached by many educational organizations. Within this edition, both types of issues are addressed. Issues that have been and continue to be a mainstay of the human resource function are examined from both traditional and novel perspectives. Emerging human resource issues are introduced, and best practices relating to these issues are examined. This edition, like the seventh edition, is organized into three parts. However, some of the chapters from the previous edition have been deleted, and other chapters have been combined. Most importantly, each chapter has been revised, and each chapter contains web links. The three parts of this edition reflect pre-employment considerations from a strategic planning perspective, core human resource functions common to every organization, and continuity of employment considerations pertaining to enhancing the employment life of individuals as employees. Considerable emphasis is placed on the readability of these parts from a student perspective. Part I introduces the human resource function and places the human resource function within the strategic planning context. Informational needs for linking human resource functions and strategic planning processes are examined from a policy perspective. In Part II, core human resource functions associated with recruitment and selection, induction, development, performance appraisal, and compensation are addressed from several perspectives. Emphasis is placed on policy decisions and administrative decisions relative to these different human resource functions, and current research is brought to bear on these topics. The focus of Part III is on the employment continuity process and benefits associated with continued employment. Attention is afforded to collective bargaining within the school setting, and the role of human resources as related to collective bargaining. What's New in This Edition In maintaining its signature orientation among competing textbooks, this eighth edition follows the general systems approach to the human resource function from a strategic management perspective as set forth in previous editions and expands current knowledge in this area from several viewpoints by drawing from emerging research, by expanding current knowledge about human resource practice, by addressing new systemic reform efforts confronting public school districts, and by linking recent Web-based information illustrating current practice of the human resource function in each chapter. Again, as with past editions, attention is devoted to the concerns of those administrators responsible for administering the human resource function in the educational setting and to those employees subjected to the human resource process in fulfilling job assignments. Both perspectives are addressed in this new edition by the following: Clarifying the role of strategic planning and identifying systemic reform efforts pertaining to competency-based testing and institutional report cards that impact the operation of the human resource function Illustrating the importance of mission statements for shaping the direction of human resource functions and supplying on-line working examples from exemplary public school districts Providing a mosaic depiction of the human resource components