| CODE | MRT5304 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Human Resources and Relationships: Work in an Ethical Perspective | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Moral Theology | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will focus on work and the ethical decision-making related to a number of issues and challenges that arise in Human Resource management. It will therefore start with a discussion of the meaning of work and how to design this is a human and just way. Since work involves human relationships, the second part of the study unit will analyse human relationships in the workplace and the need for good human resource management. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to discuss a number of topics related to human resource management, including the meaning and value of work; humane work and job design; just wages (fair remuneration / ‘living wage’); organizing work ethically; the dignity of human work and its practical implications; injustice in the workplace, including inter alia, exploitative labour; sexual harassment; sweatshops, forced labour, child labour; non-discrimination in employment and occupation; freedom of association, collective bargaining, striking; job satisfaction and dissatisfaction; whistle-blowing; working together for the common good; human development and virtues. The study-unit aims to do this while creating a community of active learners and facilitating a collaborative approach to learning. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - explain particular issues such as the dignity of human work, the relation between work and capital, the right to work, work-family balance, the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, and the importance of participation, and the insights of the psychology of work; - discuss the meaning of work, economics and society in a globalised world, with particular attention to perspectives offered by Catholic Social Teaching; - recognise different ethical issues which could arise in personnel; - describe the moral and legal responsibilities of people working in these areas; - recognise the rights of people affected by decisions in these areas; - explain the nature of business as a human activity and its relation to other spheres of human life. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - respond critically to particular issues such as work-family balance, the discernment of situations using the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity and highlighting the importance of participation; - propose styles of management in different business circumstances that could lead to a higher level of respect for employees while maintaining a good level of business efficiency; - deal ethically with issues that might arise in human resource management; - propose courses of action that consider the ethical implications of the issue of gifts in a business context and the question of conflict of interest; - apply the notions of the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, and the concept of participation, to business situations involving working conditions, decision-taking procedures, and work-family balance; - debate within a community of engaged learners, articulating and defending one's position - engage critically with the different opinion of others. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Baum Gregory, The Priority of Labor: A Commentary on Laborem Exercens: Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II (New York: Paulist Press, 1982). - Kennedy Robert G., Dignity of Work: John Paul II Speaks to Managers and Workers (University Press of America, 1994.). - Massaro Thomas, Living Justice : Catholic Social Teaching in Action (Sheed and Ward, 2000). - Obrien David J. and Thomas A. Shannon (ed.), Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage (Orbis Books, 1995). Supplementary Readings: - Coleman J. A. (ed.), One Hundred Years of Catholic Social Thought, Orbis Books, 1991. - Curran Charles E., Catholic Social Teaching 1891- Present: A Historical, Theological and Ethical Analysis, Georgetown University Press, 2002. - Curran Charles E., Richard A. Mc Cormick eds, Official Catholic Social Teaching, Readings in Moral Theology No. 5, Paulist Press, 1986. - Dwyer Judith, ed., The New Dictionary of Catholic Social Thought, The Liturgical Press, 1994. - Goodwin Barbara, Ethics at Work, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dortrecht 2001. - Himes Kenneth R. and Lisa Sowle Cahill, Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations, Georgetown University Press, Washington DC, 2006. - Holland Joe, Modern Catholic Social Teaching: the Popes Confront the Industrial Age, Paulist Press, New Jersey 2003. - Houck John W., Oliver F. Williams, Catholic social teaching and the United States economy, Notre Dame, 1984. - Kammer Fred, Doing Faith in Justice: An Introduction to Catholic Social Thought, Paulist Press, 1991. - Stewart Herman W., Durable Goods, A Covenantal Ethic for Management and Employees, Notre Dame, 1998. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Ind Study & Ind Online Learning | ||||||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Carlo Calleja Vincent Cassar David Cortis Corinne Fenech Anthony Micallef Raymond Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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