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Public Human Resource Management
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Public Human Resource Management
Strategies and Practices in the 21st Century



October 2014 | 440 pages | CQ Press
Public Human Resource Management: Strategies and Practices in the 21st Century offers a novel take on public human resource management (PHRM) by providing practical guidance for practitioners operating in a drastically reformed HR environment. A comprehensive introduction to contemporary public HR management, this text incorporates analysis of the impact of the private sector-oriented reforms over the last few decades that have aimed to bring greater efficiency and productivity to the public sector. Reviewing foundational topics like recruitment and retention, pay and benefits, equal employment opportunity, and performance appraisal in light of five key reforms (decentralization, deregulation, declassification, privatization, and performance-based pay), author R. Paul Battaglio assesses how the traditional practice of public HR has changed—and not necessarily for the better. New material on human resource information systems, managing motivation in the public sector, and public HR management education is included — a topic rarely found in contemporary PHRM texts. Public Human Resource Management is an essential guide to public HR management and navigating the challenges and opportunities posed in the changing landscape of HR reform. 
 
Part I: Foundations
 
Chapter 1: Introduction: Public Human Resource Management in the 21st Century
Public HRM Reform: An Overview

 
Implications for Public HRM

 
Organization of the Book

 
References

 
 
Chapter 2: Evolution of the Public Service in the United States
Government by Gentlemen: The Guardian Period (1789-1829)

 
Government by the Common Man: The Spoils Period (1829-1883)

 
Government by the Good: The First Reform Period (1883-1906)

 
Government by the Efficient: The Scientific Management Period (1906-1937)

 
Government by Individuals: The Behavioralism Period (1937-1964)

 
Government by Equality: The Civil Rights Period (1964-1978)

 
Government by Reform: The Managerialist Period (1978-present)

 
Assessing the Impact of PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
Chapter 3: Employment Law in the Public Sector
The Legal Landscape of PHRM

 
Codified Law in the United States and PHRM

 
The Constitutional Rights of Public Employees

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Employee Privacy and Nonprofit Organizations: The Age of Social Media

 
Public Employees and Constitutional Torts

 
The Legal Environment of PHRM in an Era of Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Appendix: Important Public Sector Employment Law Cases

 
Case 3.1: Freedom of Speech and Public Employment Law

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 4: Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Diversity Planning
Representative Bureaucracy as Administrative Theory

 
The Civil Rights Movement

 
Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Diversity

 
Does Diversity Matter?

 
Additional EEO Concerns

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Diversity, Sexual Orientation, and NPOs

 
Equal Employment, Diversity, and PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 4.1: The Courts and PHRM Reform – The Jefferson County, Alabama, Personnel Board

 
Exercise

 
 
Part II: Functions
 
Chapter 5: Recruitment and Selection
The Legal Climate Regulating Selection and Hiring Practices

 
Recruitment for Public Service

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Recruiting Online Volunteers

 
Selection Procedures

 
Assessing Reliability and Validity of Selection Procedures

 
Employee Recruitment and Selection in an Era of PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 5.1: Decentralization, Declassification, and Efficiency: Recruitment and Selection Reform in the State of New York Civil Service

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 6: Pay and Benefits
Laws Affecting Compensation Policy and Practice in the Public Sector

 
Job Analysis: The Foundation of Public Sector Compensation

 
Objectives, Strategies, and Structures of Public Sector Compensation

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Executive Pay in Nonprofit Organizations: A Comparison

 
Alternative Compensation Systems

 
Performance Appraisal in an Era of PHRM Reform

 
Contemporary Benefits in the Public Sector

 
Pay and Benefits in an Era of PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 6.1: Rhode Island’s Bid for Performance-Based Compensation Reform

 
Exercises

 
 
Chapter 7: Performance Appraisal
Performance Appraisal: Purpose and Process

 
Criteria Used in Performance Appraisals

 
The Question of Reliability and Validity

 
Methods for Appraising Employee Performance in the Public Sector

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Poor Performers in NPOs

 
Alternative Appraisal Methods

 
Avoiding Rater Error and Bias

 
Performance Appraisal in an Era of PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Appendix: Performance Appraisal Report Example

 
Case 7.1: The Mouse that Roared

 
Exercises

 
 
Chapter 8: Managing Motivation in the Public Service
Defining Public Service Motivation

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Do Public Employees Volunteer?

 
PSM and Public Human Resource Management

 
Motivation and PHRM Reform

 
References

 
Case 8.1: "Radical” Civil Service Reform in Georgia

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 9: Labor Relations in the Public Sector
Unions and Labor-Management Relations

 
Setting the Stage: Rise of Private Sector Labor Unions

 
Unionism in the Public Sector

 
Frameworks for Labor-Management Relations

 
Developing a Framework for Collective Bargaining

 
Labor Management Relations in a PHRM Reform Environment

 
Nonprofit in Focus: Labor Relations, Collective Bargaining, and NPOs

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 9.1: Labor Unions and Civil Service Reform: Florida and Service First

 
Exercise

 
 
Part III: The Future
 
Chapter 10: Privatizing Human Resource Functions in the Public Sector
Privatization of Public HR Management

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Outsourcing Volunteer Management

 
The Legal Environment of PHRM Outsourcing

 
Managing Privatization

 
Pitfalls to PHRM Privatization

 
Conclusion: Incorporating Public Value into Privatization

 
References

 
Case 10.1: Privatizing State Services in Louisiana

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 11: Human Resource Information Systems
History of HRIS

 
HRIS Applications

 
Types of HRIS

 
HRIS Software

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Volunteer Management Software

 
HRIS Applications in the Public Sector

 
Legal Considerations Related to HRIS

 
HRIS and PHRM Reforms

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 11.1: Edward Snowden and the Safeguarding of Information

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 12: Strategic Public Human Resource Management
Human Capital Management

 
Thinking Strategically about Human Resource Management in the Public Sector

 
Strategic Human Resource Management and Workforce Planning

 
Practical Steps toward Strategic Public Human Resource Management

 
Nonprofits in Focus: Strategic Planning in the Nonprofit Sector

 
SHRM in an Era of PHRM Reform

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
Case 12.1: Louisiana and Vision 2020

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 13: Public Human Resource Management Education
The Traditional Core of Public HRM

 
HRM Reform: Factors Influencing Vocation

 
Implications for Public HRM Education

 
Evaluating Private Sector Models of HRM Education: Graduate Programs in HRM

 
Status and Future of PHRM Education

 
Training and Development

 
Conclusion: Proposals for Change

 
References

 
Case 13.1: Assessing Future Knowledge and Skill Sets in a PHRM Reform Environment

 
Exercise

 
 
Chapter 14: Conclusion: Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges of PHRM Reform

 
Opportunities: The Future of PHRM

 
Final Thoughts

 
References

 

“I am impressed by the selection of the materials covered in the text. The inclusion of HRIS is a very welcome addition to the HR content. As far as I am aware, this is the first textbook to include a substantive discussion of HRIS among the topics covered. HRIS has been previously confined to stand-alone handbooks, trade books, scholarly books and numerous journal articles. The book is also strong on public service applications and perhaps the most up-to-date volume on reforms in the profession.  No other book I am aware of provides a concise analysis of the impact of PHRM reforms relevant for the 21st century learner. Dr. Battaglio is one of the field’s leading minds and he has written a most integrated book on 21st-century human resource management directions and reforms. His work seamlessly integrates HRM reforms within the overall architecture of the larger field of public administration.”

Eric Otenyo
Northern Arizona University

Public Human Resource Management is very thorough and covers all of the important areas in preparing a 21st-century public administrator.  I am very impressed with the case studies and tables within the book.  They are very relevant to issues that are important to public administration practitioners.  The text is definitely different than other books on the market because it covers new and exciting topics such as HR Information Systems and Privatization.  In the past, I have found myself looking for several different resources and compiling them but this book has included those items, such as strategic planning and management and diversity and social equity.  I am really excited about using this text.”

Veronica Womack
Georgia College & State University

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 8

Chapter 11


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