Managing Consulting Through Research

Research plays an increasingly important role in the management of people in today's organizations. Many companies seek to apply scientific research practices in efforts to improve employee productivity and well-being, and, consequently, gain sustainable competitive advantage. To do that organizations not only engage external consultants to help solve problems with their workforce via 'research', but also hire their own "people analytics" researchers to manage external consulting projects and to monitor effectiveness of various interventions (aka, HR processes). The course begins with discussions of the principles of scientific research, and how they can be applied in a HR context. We then progress to cover the various aspects of designing, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting research to investigate HR-related issues. Learning is cultivated through class lessons, assigned readings, and in-class hands-on activities.