Human Resources, Labour Sciences and Innovation

General purpose: The course in Psychology for Human Resources aims to provide students with the knowledge for the understanding and critical analysis of the main themes and research areas of psychology applied to work and organizational contexts. Specific objectives: - Knowledge and understanding At the end of the course students will know the main individual and work environment variables that influence organisational behaviour in current contexts. They will be able to define and distinguish the different constructs and processes that explain the relationship between the individual and the job and the work context. They will also be able to recognise their role in determining positive (such performance, satisfaction, proactive work behaviours) or negative (such as mistakes or deviant work behaviours) outcomes. They will know the main theoretical models to analyse work motivation, engagement, leadership, work stress, etc.. Furthermore, they will master the main theories and reference models to explain organisational behaviour from a psychological perspective. - Applying knowledge and understanding The acquisition of specific skills will be promoted through individual study, readings, teamworks and organizational cases proposed in the classroom, with regard to: the systematic analysis of organizational phenomena by applying specific theoretical models, the distinction between causes and consequences in the relationship between the dimensions studied, the identification of possible solutions to solve specific organizational problems (e.g. how to improve performance, develop motivation or engagement, reduce stress, etc.).Students will also learn to understand the relationships at different levels of analysis (individual level, group level and organizational level) in order to understand the connections and multiple possible interpretations of organizational phenomena acquiring a fully comprehensive perspective. - Making judgements Through exercises and organizational cases, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking and reflection, during topic presentations and classroom discussions students are stimulated to develop the ability to gather the different elements involved in order to elaborate critical judgements, their own reflections and autonomous proposals. The practical exercises and the subsequent presentation in the classroom of the works elaborated by the students allow to stimulate critical thinking starting from the discrepancy between theories and practical application. - Communication skills The study of the texts and the request of preparing specific presentation is oriented to facilitate students in mastering different communicative registers that include the technical lexicon both of work and organizational psychology and of human resources management. In addition, throughout the course, the possibility of presenting their own team works and to as questions to the audience will facilitate the development of communicative skills. - Learning skills During the course students are encouraged to organize their study independently and to manage time and deadlines. It is encouraged also information seeking and the use of resources available on the web (professional databases, search engines) is also stimulated as a way to confront with external sources of information and to proactively approach the work.