1. In Class Exam (20%)
The examination will test students’ knowledge and understanding of the approaches to studying employment relations systems (discussed in weeks 1-2), as well as the ER systems in ‘liberal market economies’ (LMEs) (discussed in week 5), and ER systems in ‘coordinated market economies’ (weeks 6&7). It will also test students’ knowledge and understanding of how ‘globalisation’ shapes national ER systems (week 3) and the various forces that have sought to moderate globalisation (week 4). The exam will be comprised of 5 short answer questions, be of 1 hour and 30 minutes’ duration, and will be held in class during the Week 9 lecture time.
2. Comparative analysis of employment relations systems (20%)
Individual assessment 1,500 words (optional appendix up to 200 words).
The comparative analysis report is due on 18 May, 5pm (Week 7).
Students will compare and contrast two country cases, each selected from the ER systems of one of the three types of capitalism covered in this course: liberal market economies (including Australia), coordinated market economies, and Asian economies.
The electronic file must be uploaded through Turnitin in Moodle.
3. Case written report (30%): Group assessment
3,000 words (optional appendix up to 500 words)
Several contemporary real-world cases with implications for employment relations in today’s workplace have been chosen for your analysis. They will be described in more detail on Moodle.
This is a group assessment to be carried out in study teams of 2-4 students. Study team membership must be finalized by Week 2, as ‘seminar wrap-ups’ (see below) will begin in week 3.
Doing research of your own beyond the class material provided, your study team’s task is to provide the following:
A brief history and context of the case through which you show the significance of this case.
• What is the current state of the case? Who are the actors affected by the case and how are their interests represented, if at all?
• What are the prognostics for the future? If you were a neutral consultant on this case, what solutions or policy recommendations would you recommend in order to safeguard both economic productivity and workers’ voice and welfare?
• Refer to theories and concepts learned in class in order to justify your prescription.
Examples of the type of background research expected from students are: published research, mainstream media sources, and government, union, and company sources of information. Web-based sources whose legitimacy is not readily verifiable (e.g. private blogs) are not recommended. You may discuss the case with other teams working on your topic; however, each team must submit its own work.
The case report is due by 5pm on Friday, 8 June. An electronic file must be uploaded through Turnitin in Moodle.
4. Group Leadership of one Seminar 'wrap-up' (20%).
Once in the session, between weeks 2 and 12, your study team will be asked to lead 20-25 minutes of the tutorial.
More information will be available on Moodle, in particular the questions referred to below as ‘part one’ and ‘part two’.
You will ‘wrap up’ the questions in part one, providing brief answers building on them. This part of your answer should summarise the key points of the lecture and reading material.
In addition, students should answer the ‘stretch’ questions of part 2. In this part, you have considerable options for creativity. First, you should provide a reasoned and thoughtful answer. This could be bolstered with some audio-visual material from YouTube or elsewhere that itself can be the subject of discussion. Note there may be no one ‘correct’ answer to the ‘part 2’ questions.
Prior to the presentation, you will upload any relevant materials – especially your facilitation plan, or power point overheads – to Moodle.
Everyone in the study group will get the same mark for the seminar leadership exercise.
5. Participation – 10%
Preparation for, and active participation in, your lectures and seminars is a vital component of the learning in this subject and as such students who prepare and participate in the classroom will be rewarded. Participation may involve small group discussion (typically around case study or similar material) and/or short informal presentations to the class, answering questions, and/or participation in class discussion, debates and other exercises.
Participation marks are based on the degree to which students make an informed contribution to class and small group discussion. Simply attending tutorials without getting involved in class discussion is of little value to you or your classmates and will result in a minimal participation mark.
To be eligible for the Participation mark students must attend a minimum of nine (9) tutorials. Students must ensure their attendance is taken. If students have a valid reason to be absent, documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) must be presented to the tutor in the next tutorial.