Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Teaching Ethics in Human Resource Management Education : A Study in Sri Lanka


Affiliations
1 Senior Professor and Chair of Human Resource Management, Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The objectives of this paper were to argue richly for the need to learn the topic of ethics in the human resource management (HRM) education, to identify specific topics of ethics to be taught in the HRM education curriculum from the relevant literature, to evaluate and describe the intensity of ethics integration into the HRM curricula of the bachelor’s degrees and full professional qualifications in HRM being offered by universities and professional institutes in Sri Lanka, and to present some suggestions towards improving the effectiveness of teaching ethics in HRM education. This study, being exploratory and descriptive, was carried out by using a desk research based on relevant existent literature, a descriptive analysis of detailed contents of learning materials, an objective evaluation, and a case study analysis. Seven categories of arguments supported to establish the case for learning ethics in HRM education. Five main dimensions of the topic of ethics to be taught were identified. The findings of the evaluation revealed that there is a serious need of ethics integration into the HRM education. The case analysis of the practice of the university which was rated as the highest revealed some useful specific practices for enhancing the effectiveness of teaching ethics in HRM education.

Keywords

Intensity of Ethics Integration, Human Resource Management, HRM Education, Teaching Ethics.

JEL Classification Codes : A2, M12, M53.

Paper Submission Date : March 15, 2020; Paper Sent Back for Revision : August 29, 2020; Paper Acceptance Date : October 22, 2020.

User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management. London : Kogan Page.

  • Bohlander, G., & Snell, S. (2017). Principles of human resource management. Mason: Cengage Learning.

  • Budhananda, S. (2005). How to build character. Kolkata : Advaita Ashrama.

  • Certo, S.C., & Certo, S.T. (2008). Modern management. New Jersey : PHI Learning.

  • Daft, R.L. (2014). New era of management. Andover : South-Western, Cengage Learning.

  • Deckop, J. R. (ed.) (2006). Human resource management ethics. Greenwich : Information Age Publishing.

  • DeNisi, A.S., & Griffin, W. (2008). Human resource management. Mason : South-Western Cengage Learning.

  • Dess, G.G., Lumpkin, G.T., & Eisner, A.B. (2008). Strategic management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

  • Dessler, G. (2013). Human resource management. Boston : Pearson.

  • Drumwright, M., Prentice, R., & Biasucci, C. (2015). Behavioral ethics and teaching ethical decision making. Journal of Innovative Education, 13 (3), 431 – 458. doi/abs/10.1111/dsji.12071

  • Fisher, C.D., Schoenfeldt, L.F., & Shaw, J.B. (2006). Human resource management. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company.

  • George, J.M., & Jones, G.R. (2005). Understanding and managing organizational behavior. New Jersey : Pearson Prentice Hall.

  • Glanzer, P.L., & Ream, T.C. (2007). Has teacher education missed out on the “ethics boom” ? A comparative study of ethics requirements and courses in professional majors of Christian colleges and universities. Christian Higher Education, 6(4), 271–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/15363750701268277

  • Gray, R., Bebbington, J., & McPhail, K. (1994). Teaching ethics in accounting and the ethics of accounting teaching : Educating for immorality and a possible case for social and environmental accounting. Accounting Education, 3(1), 51–75. doi:10.1080/09639289400000005

  • Griffin, R.W. (1997). Management, A.I.T.B.S. Delhi : Publishers & Distributors (Indian Edition).

  • Gupta, R., & Sukumaran, A. (2013). Ethics and morality in finance. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 6 (2), 15–22. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2013/v6i2/59968

  • Huselid, M.A. (1995). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance. Academy of Management Journal, 38 (3), 635–672. doi:10.2307/256741

  • Jackson, S.E, Schuler, S., & Werner, S. (2012). Managing human resources. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning.

  • Joshi, A., Sunny, N., & Vashisht, S. (2017). Recent trends in HRM: A qualitative analysis using AHP. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 10(10), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2017/v10i10/118814

  • Kumar, S. S. (2014). Cosy auditor-management relationship and corporate frauds in India. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 7(3), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2014/v7i3/59288

  • Macmillan, S., & Macmillan, E.M. (n.d.). Character and values education in schools. Retrieved from www.cepnz.co.nz/faq.html

  • Martell, K. (2005). Assessing student learning : Are business schools making the grade ? Journal of Education for Business, 82(4), 189–195. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEB.82.4.189-195

  • Mathur, S.R., & Corley, K.M. (2014). Bringing ethics into the classroom : Making a case for frameworks, multiple perspectives and narrative sharing. International Education Studies, 7(9), 136–147. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ies.v7n9p136

  • Myrna, L. G. (2010). Ethics in human resource management. Alexandria : Society for Human Resource Management.

  • Naimi, L. (2007). Strategies for teaching research ethics in business, management and organizational studies. The Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 5(1), 29 –36.

  • Oddo, A.R. (1997). A framework for teaching business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(3), 293–297. doi:10.1023/A:1017951729585

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2007). Individual character. Sri Lankan Journal of Human Resource Management, 1 (1), 1–13.

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2009). Human resource management. Colombo: Dept of HRM, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2015). Organizational behaviour : The human side of work. Colombo : Department of HRM, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2019a.). A study of bachelor’s degrees in human resource management in three Sri Lankan leading universities. Universal Journal of Educational Management, 7(11), 2361–2371. doi:10.13189/ujer.2019.071114

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2019b.). Sustainable human resource management: Expanding horizons of HRM. Colombo : Department of HRM, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2020). Influence of lecturers’ competence on students’ satisfaction of lecturing: Evidence for mediating role of lecturing behaviour. Universal Journal of Educational Management, 8(4), 1167–1179. doi:10.13189/ujer.2020.080406

  • Opatha, H.H.D.N.P., & Teong, L.K. (2014). Enhancing personal Q, Sintok: PenerbitUniversiti Utara Malaysia.

  • Pattanaik, A.K., Modi, S., & Budhiraja, S. (2015). Personal values as predictor of ethical behavior of managers : A study of select Indian public sector undertakings. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 8 (10), 7–20. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2015/v8i10/79816

  • Pinnington, A., Macklin, R., & Cambell, T. (2007). Human resource management: Ethics and employment. Oxford : Oxford University Press.

  • Redman, T., & Wilkinson, A. (2009). Contemporary human resource management: Text and cases. London: Prentice Hall.

  • Rose, A . (2005). Ethics and human resource management. Retrieved from www.dphu.org/up/oads/attachments/books/books_4824_o.pdf

  • Ryan, T.G., & Bisson, J. (2011). Can ethics be taught ? International Journal of Business Ethics and Social Science, 2 (12), 44–52.

  • Schuler, R.S. (1998). Human resource management, The IEBM handbook of human resource management. London : International Thomson Business Press.

  • Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business : A skill building approach. New Delhi: Wiley.

  • Shaw, W.H. (2014). Business ethics. Delhi: Cengage Leaning India Private Limited.

  • Silva, N.G.V.A., & Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2015). Role of ethical orientation of HRM in establishing an ethical organizational culture : A literature review and implications. In, Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Business Management, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, USJ, 8th December.

  • Silva, N.G.V.A., Opatha, H.H.D.N.P., & Gamage, S.A. (2016). Towards extending the ethical dimension of human resource management. International Business Research, 9 (10), 152–161.

  • Stead, B.A., & Miller, J.J. (1988). Can social awareness be increased through business school curricula ? Journal of Business Ethics, 7 (7), 553–560. doi:10.1007/BF00382603

  • Thompson, A.A., Peteraf, M.A., Gamble, J.E., Strickland III, A.J., & Jain, A.K. (2012). Crafting and executing strategy (Indian edition). New Delhi : Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

  • Torrington, D.T., Hall, L., Taylor, S., & Atkinson, C. (2011). Human resource management. London : Pearson.

  • Weber, J. (1990). Measuring the impact of teaching ethics to future managers : A review, assessment, and recommendations. Journal of Business Ethics, 9 (3), 183–190. doi:10.1007/BF00382643

  • Weragoda, R.B.L., & Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2016). Individual character : Towards empirical investigation. International Business Research, 9 (7), 55–63. doi:10.5539/ibr.v9n7p55

  • Werther, B.W., & Davis, D. (1996). Human resources and personnel management. New York : McGraw-Hill Book Company.


Abstract Views: 167

PDF Views: 0




  • Teaching Ethics in Human Resource Management Education : A Study in Sri Lanka

Abstract Views: 167  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Henarath H. D. N. P. Opatha
Senior Professor and Chair of Human Resource Management, Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Abstract


The objectives of this paper were to argue richly for the need to learn the topic of ethics in the human resource management (HRM) education, to identify specific topics of ethics to be taught in the HRM education curriculum from the relevant literature, to evaluate and describe the intensity of ethics integration into the HRM curricula of the bachelor’s degrees and full professional qualifications in HRM being offered by universities and professional institutes in Sri Lanka, and to present some suggestions towards improving the effectiveness of teaching ethics in HRM education. This study, being exploratory and descriptive, was carried out by using a desk research based on relevant existent literature, a descriptive analysis of detailed contents of learning materials, an objective evaluation, and a case study analysis. Seven categories of arguments supported to establish the case for learning ethics in HRM education. Five main dimensions of the topic of ethics to be taught were identified. The findings of the evaluation revealed that there is a serious need of ethics integration into the HRM education. The case analysis of the practice of the university which was rated as the highest revealed some useful specific practices for enhancing the effectiveness of teaching ethics in HRM education.

Keywords


Intensity of Ethics Integration, Human Resource Management, HRM Education, Teaching Ethics.

JEL Classification Codes : A2, M12, M53.

Paper Submission Date : March 15, 2020; Paper Sent Back for Revision : August 29, 2020; Paper Acceptance Date : October 22, 2020.


References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom%2F2021%2Fv14i1%2F157061