43

Journal of Management Education http://jme.sagepub.com/

Enterprise Resource Planning Software in the Human Resource Classroom
Michael D. Bedell, Barry D. Floyd, Kay McGlashan Nicols and Rebecca Ellis Journal of Management Education 2007 31: 43 DOI: 10.1177/1052562905282883 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jme.sagepub.com/content/31/1/43

Published by:
http://www.sagepublications.com

On behalf of:

OBTS Teaching Society for Management Educators

Additional services and information for Journal of Management Education can be found at: Email Alerts: http://jme.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://jme.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://jme.sagepub.com/content/31/1/43.refs.html

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SOFTWARE IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE CLASSROOM

Michael D. Bedell California State University, Bakersfield Barry D. Floyd California Polytechnic State University Kay McGlashan Nicols Texas State University–San Marcos Rebecca Ellis California Polytechnic State University
The relatively recent development of comprehensive human resource information systems (HRIS) software has led to a large demand for technologically literate human resource (HR) professionals. For the college student who is about to begin the search for that first postcollege job, the need to develop technology literacy is even more necessary. To meet this technology need, many business schools have started to think about or have begun to incorporate more advanced technology such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems into their curriculum. This article describes the efforts of faculty from two university business schools that incorporated the HRIS module of an ERP system into their HR management courses. In both cases, HRIS was used to illustrate examples of HR processes, measurement, best practices, and planning. Outcomes and lessons learned from the past 2.5 years are also described. Keywords: enterprise resource planning; ERP; human resource management; pedagogy; PeopleSoft; HRIS; human resource information systems; technology literacy

In this article, we contrast two different perspectives on how enterprise resource planning (ERP) software may be integrated into the classroom,
JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, Vol. 31 No. 1, February 2007 43-63 DOI: 10.1177/1052562905282883 © 2007 Organizational Behavior Teaching Society

43

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

44

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

specifically for the human resources teaching area within a business school. The growth of ERP technologies as a tool to support education has grown dramatically over the past 3 years as organizations such as PeopleSoft, SAP, and Oracle, among others, create programs to facilitate their software’s use. Educators, however, must determine for their schools the need to present these technologies to their young constituents, the costs involved in such an endeavor, and the path to take to increase the likelihood of success. This article will focus on how these issues were addressed at two separate institutions: California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). At CSUB, the approach taken was curriculum-wide, integrating ERP software into most of the HR classes. At Cal Poly, the approach taken was to develop a separate human resource information systems (HRIS) class available to both HR and management information system (MIS) students. This article is organized in the following manner: The first section provides a brief overview of the need for ERP education in HR, the second section follows with a description of each university and the goals each school was attempting to achieve, the third section presents key issues addressed by CSUB and Cal Poly, the fourth section describes the outcomes from the two approaches, the fifth section discusses some of the lessons learned, and the last section provides a summary statement.

The Need for ERP Education in HR
There is evidence that organizations that manage their human capital effectively will outperform organizations that do not by 30% to 40% (Pfeffer, 1998). Only when the HR function reinvents itself as a service provider and/ or business partner of the organization can HR successfully align itself with—and help to facilitate—the achievement of strategic organizational goals (Becker & Huselid, 1999; Fitz-enz & Phillips, 1998, p. 5; Ulrich, 1997, pp. 25-27). The service provider/business partner role means that HR operations must (a) make decisions using data, (b) routinely measure performance from a financial perspective (Becker & Huselid, 1999; Fitz-enz, 1995, p. 14), and (c) align itself with strategic organizational goals (Becker, Huselid, & Ulrich, 2001, p. 4). Consistent with the arguments that the responsibilities of the HR function are evolving, Barksdale (1998) argued that we should update HR education to meet these expanded responsibilities. A growing chorus of industry and academic leaders who have examined the link between HR processes, HR alignment with strategic goals, and profitability reinforce this argument

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

45

(Arthur, 1994; Becker & Gerhart, 1996; Youndt, Snell, Dean, & Lepak, 1996). To be successful in this evolved HR role, HR professionals must increase their capabilities to go beyond traditional technical or operational capabilities to include strategy and information technology (Boyett & Boyett, 1999). The acquisition of these capabilities should facilitate career beginnings for the soon-to-graduate student. Because many HR textbooks already include the concept of aligning HR practices with strategic goals (e.g., high-performance work systems), an obvious place to start updating HR education is with the area of greatest deficit, that is, HRIS. The first HRIS were file-based systems designed to manage compensation decisions and to automate payroll processes. In contrast, the modern HRIS is an enterprise-wide product built on relational database technologies that enables the HR analyst or operating manager to draw information from all areas of the enterprise’s HR function and to share information with other organizational functions. Ample support exists for the decision to update HR education via the information systems approach. Many organizations (Gartner Group, 1999; Miller, 2000) and the Department of Technology Policy of the U.S. government (Pincus, 1997) have noted a skills gap—often in the area of information technology—that exists when college graduates start their first jobs. The Society for Human Resource Management has also reported a growing need for HR professionals to develop their technology skills to meet the challenges of the modern organization (Thompson, 2000). Additional support for this assertion may be found in the actions of academic institutions that have also adopted some type of ERP system for use in the classroom. This article discusses the experience of two business schools that adopted the PeopleSoft1 ERP HR modules as part of their curricula. The next section provides background information on the two schools. Then, we discuss key issues in the form of faculty training, curriculum development, course goals, and changes to teaching. Finally, we discuss our outcomes and draw some conclusions from our experiences.

Background: The Schools
CSUB and Cal Poly are campuses within the California State University (CSU) system. The CSU system is composed of 23 campuses in total and has, from an administrative perspective, embraced ERP with a $100 million purchase of PeopleSoft to run many of its administrative functions.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

46

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

ABOUT CSUB

CSUB is one of the smaller campuses in the CSU system, with approximately 7,500 students. The College of Business and Public Administration has approximately 500 students and graduates approximately 40 HR majors annually. The students are mostly commuters with full-time jobs and families. The technology skills of each student vary, although the degree program requires that each student take two MIS courses. The first MIS course focuses on software productivity tools, and the second course focuses on the role of information systems in business. There are three full-time faculty members teaching HR courses with varying levels of technological expertise. The HR faculty would best be classified as technologically experienced users, although one faculty member does have some experience with database configuration and telecommunications. The CSUB School of Business has excellent technology support. Four 30-station computer labs2 used for teaching were identified and configured to support this effort. The mission of the School of Business and Public Administration is to “provide a professional business and public administration education that enables our graduates to serve effectively in the workplace and community.” Consistent with this mission, the goal of the HR curriculum is to develop HR generalists who have been exposed to all of the areas of the HR field (recruiting, compensation, benefits, legal, etc.) and can work effectively in their positions from their 1st day on the job. The HR curriculum is much as described by Becker et al. (2001, p. 12) in that there is an emphasis on the technical HR tools with minimal focus on strategic HR, management of change (Ulrich, 1997, pp. 53-81), data-driven decision making, measurement of HR financial effectiveness (Fitz-enz, 1995, p. 14), or HRIS. Specific courses are (a) introduction to human resources; (b) compensation and benefits; (c) staffing, recruiting, and selection; (d) training and development; and (e) a special topics course. The curriculum is exactly what is described in Barksdale (1998) in that it is heavily compliance oriented and—until quite recently—taught the technical side in a vacuum. Small and medium-size companies, local government, and large military installations have traditionally recruited the graduating HR majors locally. Most recruiting organizations are from within the CSUB service region (an area the size of West Virginia) in south-central California.
ABOUT CAL POLY

Cal Poly’s campus is one of the larger campuses in the CSU system with more than 16,000 students. A polytechnic university, Cal Poly’s students are

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

47

predominantly full-time traditional students. The mission of the Orafalea College of Business (OCOB) states that it will “develop in our faculty, staff and students special competencies in the use of current and emerging technologies.” Toward this end, all students are required to be computer literate and take an overview course prior to taking any business classes. In addition, they take a second MIS class focusing on the role of technology in business. Finally, curriculum initiatives are focused on enhancing the technological skills of its students, thus lending administrative support for developing innovative courses such as an HRIS class. Cal Poly is also one of the first adopters of the CSU PeopleSoft initiative as mentioned in the previous paragraph, and so interest in teaching an ERP on campus was encouraged by the university administration. Cal Poly’s OCOB HR management (HRM) concentration graduates approximately 50 students in a given year. Three full-time faculty members are dedicated primarily to HRM classes. Their backgrounds are varied, including individual foci of strategic HRM, career management, compensation, and labor relations. Although knowledgeable about many desktop applications, none are expert in information systems or had a background in ERP systems prior to this venture. The objective of the HRM concentration is to prepare students for entry and advanced positions in HRM. The mission of the HRM curriculum is “to develop student knowledge and competencies in the core functional activities of human resource professionals, namely staffing, employee training and development, and compensation.” Specific courses in the HRM curriculum include (a) introduction to human resources; (b) compensation; (c) staffing; (d) training and development; (e) directed electives such as organization development, employment law, and labor relations; and (f) a senior project requiring some sort of field research in the area of HRM. The technical emphasis is similar to that of CSUB, although there has been a concerted effort to include strategic fit concerns and an emphasis on a rigorous, return-on-investment HRM program evaluation in each of the core courses. To create their HR MIS class, HRM faculty and MIS faculty partnered together. The MIS area graduates approximately 120 students annually. There are six full-time faculty members offering various courses, including programming, analysis and design, database, e-commerce, networking, decision support systems, and others. The OCOB at Cal Poly has strong technology to support its programs. There are five labs available, with approximately 35 computers in each for teaching and open access. One lab was set up specifically to handle the HR MIS class with dual-boot operating systems.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

48

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

Key Implementation Issues
In this section, we address key issues faced in implementing ERP systems into our respective curricula. These issues include the specification of goals to be achieved, curriculum development, faculty development, and technical constraints. Both schools were fortunate in that they had a corporate sponsor in PeopleSoft to provide a forum for faculty to exchange ideas, HR ERP software, faculty training, and advice/technical support in making this endeavor successful. Any search of open HR positions at sites such as monster.com illustrates the need for HR graduates to be astute with respect to technology. At CSUB, a newly hired faculty member who had extensive industry experience and witnessed personally the knowledge/skills gap in the students graduating from the CSUB program was the catalyst that prompted CSUB to set new and higher goals for technical skills among its HR student body. At Cal Poly, the uniformly positive response we received from industry about a class focusing on back-office accounting functions using ERP software drove our thinking in generating an HR version of the class.
COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In developing our HR classes, both schools questioned how much technology should be included in these classes and on which aspects of the technology we should focus. We identified various HR professionals that we could matriculate, including the power user, the HR manager, the technician, and the setup specialist. The power user is one who knows how to accomplish specific HR tasks (such as hire new personnel) using HR software. The manager knows how to evaluate organizational performance through creating key reports. The technician knows how to install and handle all the computer/ communication issues with running the HR software. Finally, the setup specialist knows how to configure the software to work within the business environment. Both Cal Poly and CSUB placed primary emphasis on the power user, with supplemental material from the HR manager perspective. We believe that the HR manager’s role as a business partner in the firm is very important for our students. Prior work experience on the part of one faculty member and discussions with the local Society for Human Resource Management chapter and other industry partners confirmed that this was a desirable direction for the curriculum. Figures 1 and 2 highlight each school’s goals. For both schools, the overriding goal of the course was to introduce the concept of using HRIS in organizations to help manage people resources. We

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

49

1. Reduce the technology “skills gap” among future human resource (HR) professionals. 2. Develop knowledge of HR best practices and how an HRIS facilitates these practices. 3. Develop knowledge about the relationships between the functional areas of HR and how an HRIS such as PeopleSoft facilitates these relationships. 4. Develop high-level knowledge of HR database structures and how to set up these structures. 5. Develop basic reporting skills and knowledge about how data is used to support strategic HR decision processes. 6. Develop proficiency performing HR transactions within PeopleSoft. 7. Provide the students with a virtual corporate environment in which to apply HR concepts.
Figure 1: California State University, Bakersfield’s Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) Goals

1. Become conversant about “best practices” and innovative ideas in HRIS. 2. Be able to make human resource decisions using an HRIS. 3. Have a significant understanding of human resources (HR) applications within the PC environment. 4. Become familiar with an organization-wide HRIS software package. 5. Be able to demonstrate the benefits of computerized HR applications to an organization. 6. Be able to identify and suggest how the roles of individuals within the HR area will be changed by the introduction of computerization of the HR management function. 7. Work in a team environment with students from both the HR concentration and the management information systems concentration.
Figure 2: Cal Poly’s Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Goals

wanted HR students to become skilled in the manipulation of data within the PeopleSoft training database and, more important, how to use such data to make informed managerial decisions.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

To accomplish our goals, each school found itself choosing a different approach toward integrating HRIS into its curriculum. Two issues were of importance: where ERP concepts and skills would be taught (e.g., within a single course or spread out among many courses) and, second, what materials would be used to present the ERP concepts/skills. Key factors in these

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

50

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

decisions included the level of effort required to implement changes into the curriculum, teaching resources available, and our stated goals and how we believed that we could best use the software to achieve those goals. For both schools, the 10-week quarter was a potential constraint. CSUB CSUB chose to include an HRIS component in each class instead of immediately developing an HRIS course. The decision was based on the jobs that CSUB students had traditionally entered after graduation. Most of them were bound for the world of the HR analyst/generalist. This meant that each HR student was expected to develop thorough knowledge of HR theory and practice; what was added was an ancillary power-user skill set specific to the operation and understanding of an HRIS. With this in mind, the PeopleSoft HRIS was gradually added to each course in the HR curriculum. The first class that was added was the Introduction to Human Resource Management course. This was an ideal place to begin because it provided a foundation of technology skills that HR majors would be able to build on as they enrolled in the upper division HR courses. This did not change. The course continued to provide students with exactly the same material as before; however, additional material was added that illustrated the role of an HRIS.3 This additional material took the form of classroom demonstrations and additional steps in each homework assignment (see the appendix). As it currently exists, the introductory HR course provides the student with a broad introduction to HR practice and a broad introduction to the capabilities of an HRIS but little depth. To develop depth, the HR majors are encouraged to take upper-level courses in the functional areas of HR. The upper-level courses are training and development, staffing and selection, and compensation and benefits. The addition of an HRIS to these courses provided the student with the opportunity to develop depth in, for example, the training and development capabilities of the HRIS. Consistent with good training practices, the addition of the HRIS into upper-level courses also increased the opportunities for the student to work with the HRIS (Baldwin & Ford, 1988). Cal Poly Rather than incorporate PeopleSoft into each of its HR classes, Cal Poly chose to design a specialized class focusing on HR MIS. The HR faculty thought that the level of effort and coordination that would be needed to inte-

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

51

grate PeopleSoft into all of the other classes would be costly at the beginning. To do so would require all of the HR classes to have a lab component, which is not currently part of the HR classes. In addition, Cal Poly is on a quarter system, which presented time constraints that precluded the faculty from adding additional material to existing HR classes. Thus, it was felt that a stand-alone class would better suit the needs of Cal Poly students as well as help to adhere to resource and time constraints. The class was team taught by two HR and one MIS faculty. Faculty members took classes in PeopleSoft prior to teaching the class and conducted a literature search to collect teaching materials, including current magazine and journal articles pertaining to the topic of HRIS. Readings selected for the class focused on initial ERP cost justification, product selection and implementation, value-adding applications of ERP technology to particular managerial HR decisions, and “bestof-breed” and ASP alternatives to a full-scale client-server installation.
COURSE PEDAGOGY/TEACHING MATERIALS

An important aspect in the presentation of any ERP module is the method used to present this material to the students. HRIS activities cannot be conducted in a vacuum; rather, HRIS activities and HR theory have to be melded together into a solution that fits the course. Put simply, any HRIS activities required of the students must be preceded by a phase where the students develop technology skills that are linked to HR theory and to best practices. In addition, the technology component has to go beyond simple transactional activities to include the strategic influence of the HRIS on HR processes and decisions. Several distinct methods of teaching have been developed to provide the student with the opportunity to develop HRIS skills. CSUB’s introductory HR course relied on an ongoing case-study methodology. Assignments were sequenced to focus on environmental factors (e.g., legal, global, strategic HR), job analysis, recruiting, training, performance appraisal, compensation, and labor relations. Each assignment built on all prior assignments. Within each assignment, the student was required to work through a process that included theory, hands-on practice activities, HRIS activities, and a written report. For example, one of the early assignments required the students to plan and perform a competency-based job analysis (theory and practice). Then, the students built competency-based jobs and positions within their virtual organization from their completed job analysis (HRIS). Then, a memo was drafted for their supervisor about the results of the job analysis project (report). The students revisited this assignment several times because the job analysis served as the foundation for their recruiting, compensation,

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

52

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

performance appraisal, training, and labor relations cases. A strength of this approach is that the reporting component of the assignment is used to assess student learning. A second method was developed at both schools for some of the upperdivision HR electives and the graduate MBA seminar. Each student (or team of students) was expected to explore PeopleSoft and present or train his or her class on a subset of PeopleSoft’s capabilities. A typical team presentation might have included a brief review of the HR processes relevant to recruiting, a demonstration of PeopleSoft’s recruiting capabilities, and a “hands-on” recruiting activity. Each team was also expected to provide the class with a synopsis of the day’s activities that would serve to refresh memories about functionality. A strength of this format is that it requires the students to dig deeper so that they could answer any questions that would come up about HR practice, processes, or software. In addition, this approach provided the instructor with an excellent opportunity for assessment. This method was used in the training and development course and the MBA seminar in HRM. A third method was developed for Cal Poly’s initial offering of the HRIS course. The emphasis in this course was to have students look at the big picture, or the organization as a whole, and how an ERP fits into this picture. Teams of MIS and HR students were given assignments that were created to encourage organization-level thinking. In one quarter, student teams were assigned the task of creating their own fictitious universities. Teams created organization charts and then set up these organizations within PeopleSoft. They then used the various PeopleSoft modules to recruit, hire, pay, and train employees at their virtual universities. As a result of the projects, students became familiar with the issues surrounding the implementation of an HRIS such as PeopleSoft. Cal Poly HR and information systems professionals who were working on the CSU implementation of PeopleSoft volunteered to lecture on the issues and design problems involved in a large-scale implementation. Each student team was also assigned specific PeopleSoft HR modules. The teams were responsible for developing in-class tutorials with accompanying training materials, which they then used to teach the other class members. During a subsequent offering, the Cal Poly student teams were exposed to fewer modules but in greater depth. The modules that were chosen, such as recruiting, training, and succession planning, (a) illustrated the close interrelationships of these basic HR functions as well as the data transfer potential between HRIS modules; (b) provided examples of both administrative cost efficiencies in handling repetitive, data-intensive HR transaction tasks and the possibilities for upper-level managerial decision support; and (c) would be relatively easy for non-HR majors to comprehend. The students were also

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

53

asked to research other HRIS options. The functionality of these alternative HRIS products was compared to PeopleSoft in both oral and written reports. This forced students to develop and practice critical analysis skills—because it is likely they will have to research an HRIS or ERP system in future positions.
FACULTY INVOLVEMENT

The success of initiatives such as this fall directly on the interested faculty. With the smallness of our respective programs, little was needed in terms of coordinating activities. For example, at CSUB the PeopleSoft initiative was headed by one faculty member who had primary responsibility for the HR curriculum. He had working experience with PeopleSoft but took classes offered via the PeopleSoft Academic Alliance. Classes he attended included Introduction to PeopleSoft Human Resources, Introduction to Position Management, Introduction to Benefits, and Career and Succession Planning. He also completed approximately 18 self-paced end-user training modules. At Cal Poly, two HR faculty and one MIS faculty participated in the program. All three faculty members attended formal PeopleSoft training. All three attended the Introduction to PeopleSoft Human Resources course, and the two HR faculty members attended additional weeklong sessions on the major HR functional modules (benefits, recruiting, succession planning, and position management). The HR faculty took responsibility for teaching the PeopleSoft architecture in particular, whereas the MIS faculty member had the primary responsibility of teaching the students about ERPs and database management in general as well as handling technical software issues. The active sharing of ideas between HR and MIS faculty was very valuable.
TECHNICAL RESOURCES NEEDED

Once the decision was made to adopt PeopleSoft for the classroom, the question was how to best deliver the technology to the students. There were two choices—the full client-server product and the single-user product. The single-user version is a fully functional version of the product that fits on a single PC. Both campuses elected to use the single-user version of PeopleSoft because it provided a unique database for each individual in the class. A major issue in any ERP classroom technical environment is providing an accompanying database for the students to save their changes on without being overwritten by another student. CSUB supported the technology with one person from Information Resources who was provided on an “as often as needed basis.” The support person performed installations and assisted with troubleshooting. Cal Poly sup-

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

54

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

ported the technology with two technical people who installed the software on each of the student computers in a computer lab. These computers were outfitted with two operating systems: Windows 98 for normal lab activities and Windows NT to run PeopleSoft. The system was rebuilt each time the class was offered by reinstalling the PeopleSoft image on each machine prior to the 1st class day. Few administrative resources have been required. College administrators have been delighted to assist in this endeavor. Both groups of faculty received some type of financial support in the form of travel expenses associated with the formal PeopleSoft training.4 As noted previously, two Cal Poly administrators integral to the administrative PeopleSoft installation enrolled in the course and participated fully as team members side-by-side with the students. These administrators lent their practical experience to the class, enhancing the learning experience for both students and faculty.

Outcomes at Both Schools
As with any revised curriculum or newly adopted curriculum tool, the primary concern is whether it did what it was supposed to do. That is, did the student learn more or perceive a benefit in the form of an enhanced learning experience? Because our goals were not to teach PeopleSoft but rather to use PeopleSoft as a tool to make the HR curriculum more realistic, specific measurements of PeopleSoft knowledge were not performed. Rather, evidence of an enhanced learning experience was collected through feedback received from the (a) students, (b) industry representatives, and (c) faculty.
STUDENT REACTIONS

As with all educational efforts, assessments of the student learning experience are useful. The important question is whether the introduction of an ERP into the classroom helped to enhance the student learning experience while reducing the perceived technology skills gap. CSUB used two methods to track learning development. As noted previously in the Course Pedagogy section, student performance was assessed on weekly assignments. Any knowledge deficiencies were noted by the instructor, who adjusted the class to eliminate the deficiency. Technology difficulties were noted, and the faculty member made sure to assist students after class and during computer lab time reserved for the class. To assess student attitudes about the course, an assessment form that is not the standard CSUB end-of-term teaching evaluation was developed and administered (for sample items, see Figure 3). The data from 146 students in

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

55

1. How did you like the PeopleSoft activities? Please check one. ___ I liked the exercises a lot ___ I liked the exercises a little ___ Neutral ___ I didn’t like the exercises ___ I really didn’t like the exercises 2. Apart from the occasional database glitch, what can I improve to make the PeopleSoft exercises work better? Please comment below:

Scale: Helpful

Neutral

Not Helpful

3. How did you feel about the use of PeopleSoft as a component of the homework assignments? 4. How did you feel about demonstrations of PeopleSoft (not homework related)? Scale: Yes No

5. Do you feel that the PeopleSoft exercises enabled you to apply what you learned in class? 6. Were too many PeopleSoft exercises assigned? 7. Do you feel that the PeopleSoft component enabled you to apply what you had learned in class? 8. Should I do more PeopleSoft demonstrations (not homework related)?
Figure 3: Attitudinal Assessment Items (CSUB) NOTE: All data were compiled by counting responses and determining the percentage of responses for each choice.

the undergraduate Introduction to Human Resource Management class demonstrate that approximately 70% of students liked working on PeopleSoft activities. Also, 86% of students felt that PeopleSoft provided an adequate virtual environment within which to apply HR concepts. Students uniformly wanted to see more demonstrations of PeopleSoft as it related to what was currently being discussed. Finally, 70% of students felt that the right number of PeopleSoft activities was assigned.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

56

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

Many undergraduate students commented that using PeopleSoft was initially difficult but that by the end of class, it really helped them to put all the pieces of how HR works together. Reactions from the graduate students were uniform in that they really enjoyed using PeopleSoft. They consistently felt that this was an outstanding value-added component. Both graduate and the more advanced undergraduate students asked more questions about strategic HR, measuring HR, and how the functional areas of HR could and should be interacting. A review of CSUB’s stated HRIS goals demonstrates that at least five of the goals have been accomplished. The two goals in which CSUB has not performed as well (HR best practices and how to set up database structures) have forced a rethinking about delivery of some of this material and may result in the experimental addition of an HRIS course. The Cal Poly results were similar in nature. At Cal Poly’s OCOB, all classes are evaluated with a standard course/instructor evaluation form. Although this form did not address specifics about the use of ERP software in the classroom, overall student feedback was positive. Students also commented that the use of cross-disciplinary teams from HR and MIS majors worked well, were thought to reflect reality, and were reported as interesting for the students. However, a key difference was that the MIS student felt that the courses offered were not technical enough. Many were interested in a more in-depth, technical treatment of the Peoplesoft HR environment. The seven goals, as specified earlier, are student performance goals rather than student acceptance or student perception goals. The goals were defined in order to focus the curriculum. Thus, students were required to perform activities, submit homework, prepare for and take examinations, and make presentations. Through such activities, the desired outcomes were attained.
INDUSTRY REACTION

The observations of our students can be validated by examining the reaction of industry representatives to our PeopleSoft-enhanced curricula. We were interested in the perceptions of corporate recruiters, representatives, and our industry supporters. Also, we were curious as to whether acquiring this knowledge would increase student marketability. The HR community has reacted very positively to the enhanced capabilities of HR graduates and interns. There is a perception in the HR community that our programs are perceived to be better aligned with strategic HR imperatives and more in line with industry needs. Other reactions have taken the form of improved placement rates and anecdotal evidence that the HR graduates are more skilled than in the past.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

57

CSUB’s experience includes increased placement rates for HR students. Within our service region, members of the Kern County SHRM chapter have indicated that they would hire CSUB students anytime as interns and that they are always interested in putting available jobs in front of the students. Feedback from our HR advisory board has indicated that unlike the CSUB HR students of 4 years ago, current CSUB HR graduates are considered to have the knowledge, skills, and understanding of how to use data to make HR decisions. HR alumni and local HR professionals both have commented that the technology skills are one of the competencies that enabled the newly graduated HR professional to be successful. CSUB has also received calls from organizations outside of our service area (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Chicago) that are seeking HR graduates with PeopleSoft experience. Anecdotal evidence supports the value of the HRIS course at Cal Poly: Students interviewing for HR positions since the course was introduced have reported strong employer interest in their HRIS expertise. Cal Poly students have reported receiving two types of inquires from recruiters. First, many recruiters are interested in students’ knowledge of the PeopleSoft HRM program itself because their organization is already using the product.5 These organizations are pleased to learn that Cal Poly students would be able to hit the ground running due to their hands-on familiarity with the software. A second line of recruiter inquiry concerns students’opinion of the product, even if the organization does not currently have PeopleSoft. These organizations are looking for students who can help them decide if any particular HRIS is a good investment and help them evaluate the options. This is where the background reading/lecture component of the HRIS course comes to the fore because Cal Poly emphasizes the cost-benefit aspects of ERP adoption and full awareness of factors that influence effective implementations.
FACULTY REACTION

To use an ERP system—or any complex tool—faculty need to know that the development effort will pay off for the students and themselves. Faculty need to see a reasonable return in the form of student learning in exchange for the time invested developing the tool. A less than reasonable return will undoubtedly cause faculty to invest their time elsewhere. In this case, the faculty reaction was positive. The adoption of the PeopleSoft HRIS was initially a lot of work; however, the student return on the investment was positive. Faculty at both schools enjoyed teaching the PeopleSoft-enhanced courses. For the more technical faculty members, the challenge of mastering the idiosyncrasies of an ERP system was enjoyable.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

58

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

The less technically grounded HR faculty members quickly recognized the power of demonstrating HR content—in the form of HR processes—to the students. Some other signs that the effort was worthwhile include individual faculty recognition from the dean, course release time, and other administration support. The use of team-teaching methods by the Cal Poly faculty was enjoyable and provided for a unique learning opportunity among the faculty from the involved areas. Both the CSUB and Cal Poly faculty also became known by their campus implementation teams for their “ERP expertise.”6 The question that remains, however, is the unknown effect that this effort will have on tenure and promotion.
OUTCOMES SUMMARY

The assessment methods used strongly suggest that the addition of an HRIS product has enhanced learning among students at both campuses. Improved placement rates and other anecdotal evidence suggest that there are more positive attitudes being developed about these programs. Taken together, the addition of the HRIS component to the HR curriculum at both schools is positive and has benefited the students. However, as with all assessment methods, there is always room for improvement.

Lessons Learned
The adoption of the PeopleSoft HRIS has been beneficial to both CSUB and Cal Poly because it has helped us to fill a gap and enhance our HR curricula.7 The use of PeopleSoft has been valuable as both a demonstration tool and a virtual environment within which the students can apply HR concepts. We have shared many of our lessons about the adoption of an HRIS—any HRIS—in an HR curriculum.8 Understanding the future needs of the student population so that curriculum tools—such as a highly technical ERP system—can be implemented to match student needs is the first lesson of this experience. For example, the introduction of an HRIS in the introductory HR course was very valuable to CSUB students because it provided a foundation of HRIS skills for subsequent HR courses. In similar fashion, the Cal Poly student’s needs were met through the adoption of an HRIS in the more technical-oriented HR/MIS course. Second, the planning and development required to stage any course of this nature the first few times is significant. The additional complexity of a large ERP system simply adds to the challenge. To get started, faculty training

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

59

needs to be planned, and it helps to have a faculty “champion” who is really interested in the success of this initiative. There are also clear benefits we experienced by sharing ideas with other faculty members in the CSU system who were also starting to use PeopleSoft in their curricula. Third, outside sources of information about how ERP products are used should be recruited. These outside sources could be university alumni, staff at the ERP vendor, or ERP customer organizations. Developing relationships with customers of PeopleSoft, SAP, Oracle, or whatever ERP product can be very useful—especially as faculty members begin to modify prepackaged training activities or develop their own. In many cases, the version of PeopleSoft being used by local organizations was often customized by their corporate information systems staff. This meant that we often had more functionality at our fingertips than did the corporate partners. They would periodically work through PeopleSoft’s functionality with us, and both of us would discover new capabilities of the software. There are also the expected technical issues that develop. For example, how often should a 500-megabyte student database be backed up, especially when there are between 30 and 90 copies or instances of the database? Information systems support personnel need to be trained as to how to support the students using the product. One of the clearest lessons was that having a graduate assistant dedicated to answering student questions about the ERP product was very beneficial. In this case, the graduate student received training and also took several of the courses that were offered using PeopleSoft. A significant challenge that both schools faced was the size and complexity of the ERP class of software. Faculty need to understand and present the issues related to an ERP class product within a small subset of what the product is capable of—without sacrificing student appreciation of the power inherent in integrating a wide portfolio of applications and data. A related lesson that both schools learned is to avoid putting too much technology in a single course. In the initial offerings of courses using PeopleSoft, a large number of modules were introduced. Cal Poly found its mixed HR-MIS classes were either weak in HR fundamentals or information systems skills. This caused the number of HR modules introduced to be reduced in order to focus more in-depth attention on functional and data interrelationships among HR activities and on managerial decision support opportunities. Student assessments and feedback suggested that subsequent course offerings should focus on a smaller number of HR functions and business processes but in greater depth. Again, our goal was not to teach PeopleSoft so much as it was to enhance the curriculum and provide HR students with a broader skill set that includes HRIS capabilities.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

60

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

Faculty members who are interested in implementing ERP in their curriculum are faced with choosing between the two approaches presented here, at least in the initial stages. We have found the following issues important for consideration:
1. Perceived role of technology in presenting course material. At CSUB, the faculty believed that an integrated approach was important for all of their courses and thus modified their entire curriculum to include an ERP component. At Cal Poly, the faculty believed that such an approach was not needed and that an overview course would provide the foundation for understanding the role of ERP in the HRM function. 2. The commitment to a vendor: Using ERP software requires a long-term commitment. This commitment is greater if the entire curriculum is modified to include its use. CSUB’s faculty needed to spend more time learning and modifying course material to reach their goal. Given the previous experience of their faculty with PeopleSoft, such a venture was feasible. At Cal Poly, the focus was on one course, with a significantly smaller commitment of time and other resources. 3. Intended audience. At CSUB, the audience was entirely HR students with a clear focus on using ERP software. At Cal Poly, the audience was a mix of HR students and MIS students with a broader focus of understanding the technological foundations of ERP along with the use of HR modules. Note, this clouds the single-class/total curriculum debate, but it does highlight differences in intent that lead to different decisions being made. 4. Commitment by faculty. At CSUB, the faculty members were committed early on to making these changes. At Cal Poly, the faculty members were treating the course as an experiment to see how much effort was involved and whether the outcome was worth the investment.

Summary
Although the curricular models developed largely differ, both CSUB’s and Cal Poly’s efforts to incorporate ERP into the HR curriculum can be termed successful. CSUB integrated PeopleSoft into all of its HR classes, whereas Cal Poly created a separate course that attracted a mix of HR and MIS majors. Strengths of the CSUB model include a longer duration of student exposure to and practice using the software (over four or more quarters) and the ability to focus on a wider range of HR functionality at a more sophisticated level. Cal Poly chose to emphasize the macro-organizational perspective (the “big picture”), including the need for HR and information technology professionals to work together when implementing an ERP. The strength of this model is that it closely mirrors the process an organization might go through during the implementation of ERP class software. This model also relies on cross-functional student teams to master the course material and

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

61

prepare assignments, much like what will be required when managing an HRIS in a real organization. The ERP class of software can be used to track employees, schedule training, and make sure that paychecks and benefits are provided as promised. However, the power of these products is that they are designed to facilitate the achievement of organizational goals through the intelligent management of—and strategic placement of—human capital. The student who understands the importance of using real-time data and tools to (a) make decisions, (b) perform a real-time scenario analysis about a pending issue, and (c) measure the performance of the HR function has a clear competitive advantage.

Appendix About the PeopleSoft Academic Alliance/“On Campus” Program
The PeopleSoft On Campus program is an academic-industry partnership that provides faculty and students with the opportunity to work with the latest in human resource management systems/enterprise resource planning/customer relationship management software. PeopleSoft provides software, faculty training, education materials, and technical support. Note that the On Campus program is not intended to be a training arm of PeopleSoft. Rather, PeopleSoft is an additional teaching tool for the faculty member to use as he or she desires. For example, some faculty members have used PeopleSoft only as a demonstration tool, whereas others have developed academic term–length projects. In other words, the program’s goal is to enrich the curriculum with knowledge of the most current technology. The ideal curriculum would use PeopleSoft to illustrate course concepts, to give students hands-on experience with enterprise software, and to increase their understanding of the features and functions in today’s enterprise management tools and technologies. The On Campus program has three main components: • An academic use grant of PeopleSoft 8 enterprise management software. PeopleSoft Human Resources Management, Financials, Supply Chain Management, and Customer Relationship Management applications are available. • An academic use grant of the end-user training software (EUT) and materials. • Access to PeopleSoft University’s instructor-led classroom training and access to its On Demand Web-based courses. Other resources are also provided, such as access to the PeopleSoft Customer Connection Web site (product and technical support resources), faculty listserver, and curriculum support materials (i.e., customer profiles, case studies, white papers, and product presentations). Member schools are using PeopleSoft in both graduate and undergraduate programs. Classes include virtually every area of business–human resource information

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

62

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / February 2007

systems, eBusiness, accounting information systems, finance, production planning, supply chain management, and marketing. For the financially or technology limited institution, many of the current On Campus program schools are working together to pilot an Application Service Provider model. The larger campus runs the servers, and students from the smaller campus access the software via the internet. An example of this model may be found at www.cresh.dsu.edu.

Notes
1. In 2004, Oracle, Inc. purchased PeopleSoft. What is described in this article continues to exist, although the reader should see PeopleSoft and think Oracle. 2. The computer labs at California State University, Bakersfield, used to run PeopleSoft have Pentium III 600 MHz, Pentium II 400 MHz, and some Pentium II 200 MHz computers. Approximately 1.2 gigabytes of space are required on each computer. 3. For a list of topics covered in this course, see Mathis and Jackson (2000). 4. PeopleSoft Academic Alliance faculty members receive training on a waitlist basis. Training is provided with enrollment in the alliance. 5. At present, the PeopleSoft human resource management module is by far the most widely used human resource information systems (HRIS)/enterprise resource planning product (ERP) for human resources. 6. One faculty member from each school is currently a member of the PeopleSoft Academic Advisory Council. This council assists PeopleSoft in the continuing development of the PeopleSoft “On Campus” program. 7. Unlike accounting students, human resources students have not traditionally been exposed to much technology. Should they need to be convinced about the importance of these skills, a simple search using PeopleSoft, Oracle, or SAP as key words on the Monster Job Board (monster.com) will suffice. 8. Although we specifically have discussed the use of the PeopleSoft HRIS component, these lessons certainly may apply to any ERP system in any classroom.

References
Arthur, J. (1994). Effects of human resource systems on manufacturing performance and turnover in steel minimills. Academy of Management Journal, 37, 670-687. Baldwin, T. T., & Ford, J. K. (1988). Transfer of training: A review and directions for future research. Personnel Psychology, 41, 63-102. Barksdale, K. (1998). Why we should update HR education. Journal of Management Education, 22, 526-530. Becker, B., & Gerhart, B. (1996). The impact of human resource management on organizational performance: Progress and prospects. Academy of Management Journal, 39, 779-801. Becker, B., & Huselid, M. (1999). Strategic human resource management in five leading firms. Human Resource Management, 38, 287-301.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011

Bedell et al. / ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING

63

Becker, B., Huselid, M., & Ulrich, D. (2001). The HR scorecard: Linking people, strategy, and performance. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Boyett, J. H., & Boyett, J. T. (1999). Human resources most effective practices across best companies (PeopleSoft White Paper Series). Pleasanton, CA: PeopleSoft, Inc. Fitz-enz, J. (1995). How to measure human resources management (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Fitz-enz, J., & Phillips, J. (1998). A new vision for human resources. Boston: Crisp Publications, Crisp Management Library. Gartner Group. (1999). Special report: The CIO top ten 1999-2003. Stamford, CT: Author. Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2000). Human resource management (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: South-Western College Publications. Miller, H. (2000). White paper on IT skills. Arlington, VA: Information Technology Association of America. Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Pincus, A. (1997). Report from the council on competitiveness. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce. Thompson, R. (2000). Tech skills, while daunting, are essential for today’s HR professional. HR News, 19(9), 1-2. Ulrich, D. (1997). Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Youndt, M., Snell, S., Dean, J., Jr., & Lepak, D. (1996). Human resource management, manufacturing strategy, and firm performance. Academy of Management Journal, 39, 836-866.

Downloaded from jme.sagepub.com at Strathmore University. Library on September 13, 2011