Human Resource Management

Do you feel strongly about how people are managed within organisations? You may want to consider the topic of Human Resource Management for your dissertation. Below are some examples:

Example human resource management dissertation topic 1:

Harnessing the entrepreneur in middle management – a story of employee retention

The retention of middle managers is an on-going dilemma within business. This dissertation looks at the phenomenon with regard to two independent department stores: Jarrolds of Norwich and Fenwicks of Newcastle. Using HR theories as well as those of business and management in general this dissertation looks at the dilemmas faced within medium sized firms at retaining middle management and how there is a difficulty in giving them sufficient room to grow in their existing jobs without making them ‘too attractive’ to rival firms who wish to head-hunt. A dissertation that combines primary and secondary research, it gives a unique insight into life within not only two of the country’s most beloved regional department stores but also provides a number of recommendations that could be applied to the sector as a whole across the country.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• King, A.W., Fowler, S.W. and Zeithaml, C.P. (2001) ‘Managing organizational competencies for competitive advantage: The middle-management edge’, The Academy of Management Executives, Vol. 15, (2), pp. 95-106.
• Turnbull, P. and Wass, V. (1998), ‘Marxist management: Sophisticated human relations in a high street retail store’, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 29, pp. 98-111.