Human Resource Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, 7th Edition

Why This Book Matters

HR professionals and students often struggle to bridge the gap between theoretical HR concepts and real-world application. Knowing the principles of staffing, training, or compensation is one thing; actually navigating a complex employee relations case, conducting a legally compliant interview, or designing a performance appraisal system is another. Without hands-on practice, textbook knowledge remains abstract. This workbook-style resource delivers exactly that missing link: structured, scenario-based exercises that build practical decision-making skills.

Human Resource Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, 7th Edition at a Glance

Human Resource Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, 7th Edition is a proven, application-focused supplement designed for undergraduate and graduate HR courses. Authored by Stella M. Nkomo, Myron D. Fottler, and R. Bruce McAfee, and published by South-Western, Cengage Learning in 2011, this edition provides a rich collection of over 50 cases, exercises, incidents, and skill builders. Each activity targets a core HR function—from job analysis and recruitment to labor relations and global HR—forcing learners to analyze, decide, and defend their actions. The book is not a textbook replacement; it is a practical toolkit that turns theory into competence.

Is This Book Right for You?

This book is specifically designed for two primary audiences:

• HR students in undergraduate or graduate programs (e.g., SHRM-aligned courses, MBA concentrations) who need to apply textbook models to realistic workplace dilemmas.
• New HR professionals seeking a structured way to build decision-making confidence before facing real employee issues on the job.
• Instructors and trainers looking for ready-made, classroom-tested activities that spark discussion and develop critical thinking.
• SHRM certification candidates who benefit from applied practice across the full SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge.
• Organizational development specialists who want a resource for in-house training on legal compliance, performance management, and conflict resolution.

Key Takeaways

This workbook covers the full spectrum of HR competencies. Here is what you will master by working through its exercises:

• Strategic HRM — Analyze how HR decisions align with organizational goals and competitive strategy.
• Job analysis and design — Write job descriptions, conduct job evaluations, and design roles that maximize productivity.
• Recruitment and selection — Develop legally defensible interview questions, evaluate résumés, and make hiring decisions based on structured criteria.
• Training and development — Design a training needs assessment, create learning objectives, and evaluate program effectiveness.
• Performance management — Build appraisal systems, handle difficult feedback conversations, and link performance to rewards.
• Compensation and benefits — Calculate pay equity, design incentive plans, and manage benefits administration.
• Employee and labor relations — Resolve grievances, navigate union contracts, and apply disciplinary procedures fairly.

How It Compares

Most HR textbooks include a few end-of-chapter case studies, but they rarely offer the depth, variety, or instructional scaffolding found in this dedicated workbook. Competing resources often rely on hypotheticals that feel disconnected from actual HR work. This 7th edition stands apart for three reasons:

• Sheer volume and variety — With over 50 distinct exercises spanning cases, incidents (short, ambiguous scenarios), skill builders (step-by-step practice), and integrative exercises, learners encounter multiple formats that reinforce different cognitive skills.
• Instructor support — The book is accompanied by a comprehensive Instructor’s Manual that provides suggested answers, teaching notes, and grading rubrics—making it easy to adopt in a course without extra prep.
• Realism — Many cases are based on actual company situations or legal rulings, giving students a taste of the ambiguity and pressure they will face on the job.

While general HR management textbooks like Dessler’s Human Resource Management or Noe’s Fundamentals of Human Resource Management provide excellent theory, they lack this workbook’s dedicated, hands-on format. Human Resource Management Applications is the only resource that systematically builds applied competence across every HR function in a single volume.

Author & Publisher Credentials

Stella M. Nkomo is a professor of human resource management at the University of Pretoria and a former president of the Academy of Management’s Gender and Diversity in Organizations division. Her research on diversity, race, and gender in organizations has been published in leading journals such as Academy of Management Review and Organization Science.

Myron D. Fottler is a professor of health services administration at the University of Central Florida and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has authored numerous books on strategic human resource management in healthcare and has consulted for major health systems.

R. Bruce McAfee is a professor of management at Old Dominion University, where he teaches HRM and has published extensively on performance management and employee discipline. Together, these three authors bring over 80 years of combined academic and practical HR experience. South-Western, Cengage Learning is a leading academic publisher known for high-quality business and economics textbooks used in thousands of universities worldwide.

The Bottom Line

For any HR student or early-career professional who wants to move beyond passive reading to active skill-building, this book is an indispensable investment. The 7th edition (2011) remains highly relevant because the core competencies of HR—interviewing, evaluating performance, handling conflict, ensuring legal compliance—change slowly. The scenarios may need occasional updating for new technology or legislation, but the underlying decision-making frameworks are timeless. If you complete even half of the exercises in this workbook, you will enter the job market with a level of applied competence that most graduates lack. For instructors, it is a time-saving goldmine of classroom-tested activities that generate lively discussion and deep learning.

Get Your Copy Today

Whether you are a student preparing for a career in human resources, a new HR generalist seeking to strengthen your practical toolkit, or an instructor looking for the best collection of HR exercises available, this 7th edition delivers exactly what you need. Order your digital copy today and start working through cases that will sharpen your judgment, boost your confidence, and set you apart from the competition. Published by South-Western, Cengage Learning, this is the same trusted resource used in HR programs across the country—now available for immediate download.