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MANAGING PROJECTS

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Projects represent nonroutine business activities that often have long-term strategic ramifications for a firm. In this chapter, we examined how projects differ from routine business activities and discussed the major phases of projects. We noted how environmental changes have resulted in increased attention being paid to projects and project management over the past decade. In the second half of the chapter, we introduced some basic tools that businesses can use when planning for and controlling projects. Both Gantt charts and network diagrams give managers a visual picture of how a project is going. Network diagrams have the added advantage of showing the precedence between activities, as well as the critical path(s). We wrapped up the chapter by showing how these concepts are embedded in inexpensive yet powerful software packages such as Microsoft Project. If you want to learn more about project management, we encourage you to take a look at the Web site for the Proj...
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The Employment Relationship and Employee Rights at Work

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This chapter examined the employment relationship and its regulation through the contract of employment under three key themes. It then examined some of the ‘hot topics/current issues’ within the legal regulation of the employment relationship and sought to link them to contemporary HR practice.
Formation
Distinguishing contractual and statutory employment rights
a)    All employees have a contract of employment.
b)    All employees are protected by some statutory rights – these include day one rights and other rights that require some qualifying length of service.
The contract of employment
a)    Employment contracts are contracts of personal service between an employer and an employee.
b)    Employment contracts are based on the theory of market individualism, where individuals are seen as rational and self-interested.
c)    Employment contracts are subject to the common law.
d)    There are different types of employment contract.
e)    Employment contracts contain express, implied and statutory incorporated terms and conditions.
Continuation
Discrimination in employment
a)    Discrimination remains a persistent feature of the employment relationship.
b)    Some types of ‘discrimination’ remain lawful.
Termination
Termination of the employment contract
a)    Employees can be fairly, unfairly, wrongfully or constructively dismissed.
b)    Dismissals may be fair and potentially fair, otherwise they are unfair.
Enforcement of contractual and statutory employment rights
a)    Most employees are treated fairly.
b)    If employees are treated unreasonably or unfairly they can complain to an employment tribunal.
c)    Tribunals, HRM departments, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and trade unions all play a role in enforcing employment rights.
Current issues
a)    Brexit and its implications for the regulation of the employment relationship.
b)    The Trade Union Act 2016 noting especially the manner in which it is possible it will shift more conflict into the workplace as individualised behaviours.
c)    The need for HR to maintain neutrality and advise managers wisely.

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