compensation. Some students will know that $120,000 CAD does not go very far in
Hong Kong! Then, ask students to imagine taking the same manager and having him
or her work in Mexico for two years. Ask them how far they think that $120,000 CAD
would get a person in Mexico! Reinforce the need to have a strategy for dealing with
these issues, as perceptions of fairness serve as a bedrock of effective HRM.
Think-Pair-Share: Use Discussion Question 2 as a basis for a think-pair-share:
Suppose your boss asked you to summarize the major people-related concerns in
opening an office in China. What issues would be on your list? See the recommended
response in Answers to End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions.
ISSUE 2: Setting and Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Goals
Corporate social responsibility (CSR), or the responsibility of the firm to act in the best
interests of the people and the communities affected by its activities, has become important
both domestically and abroad to help the bottom line with job selection, HR leadership, and
good corporate citizenship.
Making Explicit Real-World Links: Introduce CSR as “the responsibility of the
firm to act in the best interests of the people and the communities affected by its
activities.” Sources of information about companies and their programs to promote
corporate social responsibility can be found on the news service at csrwire.com.
Introduce this challenge by copying pictures from websites of organizations’ career
sites showing that they are committed to CSR. Ask students why organizations would
do this, and generate a discussion about the benefits of engaging in CSR from both the
employee and employer perspectives.
Debate: Put students into groups of two. Assign one student the position “CSR has no
business in business,” and assign the other student the position “CSR must be a
priority for all businesses.” Given that this is the first lecture, it might be wise to ask
the con-CSR group to meet with each other, and the pro-CSR group to meet with each
other. This way, students can share ideas before the debate. After about five minutes,
Copyright © 2020 by Nelson Education Ltd.| 1-6
ask students whether their partner made any good points. Jot them on the board and
take up with the class.
Think-Pair-Share: Use Discussion Question 3 as a basis for a think-pair-share: Name
a company you hope to work for someday. What is its track record in terms of
corporate social responsibility and sustainability? Are these factors important to
you? Why or why not? See the recommended response in Answers to End-of-Chapter
Discussion Questions. If you have access to the Internet in the classroom, you can
look up some of the organizations online to see if they have CSR agendas.
ISSUE 3: Advancing HRM with Technology
Collaborative software allows workers to interface and share information with one another
electronically (e.g., wikis, Google Docs, online chat, web and video conferencing).
From Touch Labour to Knowledge Workers
Advancements in technology have changed the business world—cloud computing and social
media are prime examples. Technology requires knowledge workers rather than touch
workers. Knowledge workers are workers whose responsibilities extend beyond the physical
execution of work to include planning, decision making, and problem solving.
Knowledge-based training includes massive open online courses (MOOCs) and virtual
learning. Games such as Second Life may also have a role in learning.
Class Discussion: Ask students whether they use any of the aforementioned
collaborative software when working in groups for their courses in university. Many
students will have used at least one type of collaborative software. Ask students about
the benefits and drawbacks of using such software for group projects. Then ask them
to compare their answers with what they believe occurs in the workplace.
Class Discussion: From Touch Labour to Knowledge Workers. Discuss with students
their experience with jobs that have moved from “touch labour” to “knowledge
workers,” or workers whose responsibilities extend beyond the physical execution of
work to include planning, decision making, and problem solving. Ask them what
kinds of skills these new jobs require. It may be the case that current employees can
be retrained to assume new roles and responsibilities. Other times, new employees
have to be hired. Discuss whether, as employees, they would prefer to learn via
regular training, just-in-time learning, or virtual learning environments. You can also
produce a copy of Highlights in HRM 1.1, The Future of Work, which outlines a