MG315: EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

THEORY AND POLICY

Course Introduction and Ass essment

Semester 1, 2024

School of Business and Management

The University of the South Pacific
Produced by The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 2024.

Stock code: 5550000125982

First produced in February 2015

This revision February 2024

Course Introduction and Assessment team for semester 1, 2024

Course coordinator Mr Jone Lako
Electronic publisher Pranita Singh

This material has been prepared by The University of the South Pacific for use by students
enrolled in the course for which it was developed.

It may contain copyright material copied under the provisions of the Fiji Copyright Act 1999 or
under license from rights holders or their agents. Copyright in material prepared by USP is owned
by USP.

Subject to fair use provisions, this material cannot be sold or copied for further distribution
without the University’s or the rights-holder’s permissions. Where provided in electronic format,
a single copy only can be printed by or for the use of a student enrolled in the course.

MG315 (IA) 12024

ii
Contents
Calendar for Semester 1, 2024 .......................................................... iv

Your Course Coordinator .................................................................. 1

Course Introduction ........................................................................... 2

USP Graduate Outcomes ................................................................... 3

Your Learning Materials ................................................................... 4

Your Learning Support...................................................................... 5

How to Login to Moodle ................................................................... 7

Study Schedule .................................................................................. 8

Assessment Overview ....................................................................... 11

Grading System ................................................................................. 12

Submission of Assignments .............................................................. 14

Student Academic Integrity Regulations........................................... 16

Assignment 1: Essay 1 ...................................................................... 20

Assignment 2: Essay 2 ...................................................................... 21

Mid-Semester Test ............................................................................ 22

Past Test Paper .................................................................................. 23

Past Examination Paper ..................................................................... 28

Code of Academic Honesty............................................................... 34

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 Calendar for Semester 1, 2024

Beginning of Semester 1
Week 1 26 February – 01 March
Lectures commence

08 March - Deadline for late registration;

Deadline for adding of courses for those who Week 2 04 – 08 March
registered within the registration period (no
fee charged for this cohort); Deadline for
transfer of campuses
15 March - Deadline for dropping of courses
without incurring any tuition fee. Any courses
dropped after this date will incur the full Week 3 11 – 15 March
tuition
fee*
22 March - Deadline for payment of
Week 4 18 – 22 March
semester 1 fees for all campuses
Week 5 25 – 29 March
Week 6 01 – 05 April
Week 7 08 – 12 April
Mid-Semester Break 13 – 21 April
Week 8 22 – 26 April
Week 9 29 April – 03 May
Week 10 06 – 10 May
Week 11 13 – 17 May
Week 12 20 - 24 May
31 May - Last day of lectures Week 13 27 - 31 May

Study week
07 June - Deadline for students to withdraw Week 14 03 – 07 June
from courses they do not wish to be
assessed in
Examinations Week 15 & 16 10 – 21 June

*If you are considering withdrawal from your course, contact your lecturer, local USP Campus or Centre
first to see if they can help.

iv
Your Course Coordinator
Warm welcome to you all!

Thank you for choosing MG315 as one of your courses of

study at USP.

I am Jone Lako (Mr) and I was born and raised in Fiji. I

have completed my Diploma in Personnel Management
and Industrial Relations, Bachelor of Arts in Management
and Public Administration and Industrial Relations,
Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, Postgraduate Diploma in Management and
Public Administration, and Master of Arts in Management and Public Administration
(Graduate Assistant Scholarship). I have worked for Fiji’s public sector as a Clerk at
the Ministry of Agriculture and Inland Revenue Department (now FRCS); as a Labour
Officer with the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations; Human Resources
Manager at Pacific Fishing Company Ltd; Industrial Relations Advisor at Public
Employees Union; Research Associate and Tutor at The University of the South
Pacific.
As an Assistant Lecturer at The University of the South Pacific, I have been teaching at
the undergraduate level. In addition, I have conducted research and published in
Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.

I sincerely hope you will enjoy the course and please try to contact me if you have any
questions or concerns. My contact details are given below:

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me in one of

the following ways:

Room: FBE 260

School of Business and Management
Laucala Upper Campus,
The University of the South Pacific,
Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji.

Email: jone.lako@usp.ac.fj
Telephone: (+679) 323 2487
Address: School of Business and Management,
The University of the South Pacific, Suva Fiji.
(remember that it may take some time to get a reply by
mail).

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Course Introduction
This course examines the relationship between theory, research and policy as operative
in the field of industrial relations. Further analysis of the policy dimension focuses on
structure, process and technical aspects of the development, implementation and
evaluation of industrial relations policy by unions, employer organizations, corporation
and government. Specific attention is paid to practice in the region, but is put in the
comparative context of international best practices.

Students used to think that understanding theory was difficult. The theory would be
made simpler in this course by giving relevant industry examples. Students will be
introduced to the main theories of Employment Relations used by
management/employers, government officials (the PSC and Ministry of Labour), trade
unionists, and academic researchers. Behind every decision, policy, and strategic goal
of management, government officials, trade unionists, and academic researchers is
theory. In other words, theory underpins decision, policy, and strategic goal. There is a
relationship between theory and policy decisions by managers.

In most cases (99%), management, government officials, and trade unionists are
unaware that their decisions are based on some theories. You will become good
managers by understanding the link between decisions, policies, and theory. If you
practice what you have learned in this course, your organization will have fewer
industrial disputes.

In this course, we will study the following five major Employment /Industrial

Relations theories:
1. Unitary Theory (Liberal Individualism /Neo-Laissez-Faire theory);
2. Pluralist Theory (Liberal Collectivism and Collective Bargaining and Corporatist
theory, ‘Social Partnership’);
3. Marxist/Radical/Conflict Theory;
4. Strategic Choice Theory;
5. Globalisation debate/Theory

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USP Graduate Outcomes
The USP graduate outcomes are as follows:

1. Communication: Graduates will be able to communicate ideas clearly and

persuasively in structured formats using language and other modes of
communication that are appropriate for context, audience and specific disciplinary
conventions.
2. Creativity: Graduates will extend boundaries of current knowledge in a discipline
or profession.
3. Critical thinking and quantitative reasoning: Graduates will be able to evaluate
multiple perspectives and arrive at a reasonable independent judgement based on
evidence.
4. Ethics: Graduates will demonstrate a commitment to high ethical standards in
scholarly, professional and socio-cultural practices.
5. Pacific consciousness: Graduates will recognize the cultural heritage and diversity
of Pacific societies for sustainable development in a contemporary environment.
6. Professionalism: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to carry out tasks to
acceptable standards within their profession and occupations.
7. Teamwork: Graduates will work together respectfully and collaboratively to
complete tasks within teams to achieve an outcome.

P ro g ra m g rad u at e o u t co m e s
The Management and Public Administration program graduate outcomes are as
follows:

1. Collaborate effectively in the practice of management and public administration in

organizations in the Pacific Region and global contexts.
2. Apply critical key principles, theories, and concepts of management, public
administration, international business and marketing, and human resource
management/ employment relations to practical scenarios in various contexts.
3. Conduct research inquiry and analysis according to discipline-appropriate methods
and conventions.
4. Communicate effectively in various organizational contexts, including cross-
cultural ones.
5. Solve problems and challenges innovatively in management, public administration,
international business and marketing, and human resource management/
employment relations in various contexts in the Pacific Region and internationally.
6. Demonstrate ethical and professional conduct in all aspects of workplace and
scholarly contexts.

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Your Learning Materials
You should have already received the following materials for MG315:
1. The Course Introduction and Assessment book, which you are reading now.
2. MG315 Course Book.
3. A Moodle course page (http://elearn.usp.ac.fj)
Contact your USP Campus or Centre immediately if you are missing any of the
materials mentioned in 1 and 2 above.
4. MG315 Collection of Reading: Industrial Relations/Employment Relations Theory
& Policy. The University of the South Pacific.
(This Reader contains all the MG315 major readings for the weekly topics).

There is no prescribed textbook for this course.

(See the readings online and on Moodle).

S u p p l e men t a r y r ea d i n g
Some readings will be made available on the MG315 course Moodle page.

Journals
You can also refer to the following journals to search for articles for your assignments.
• Industrial Relations Journal (UK)
• British Journal of Industrial Relations (UK)
• Australian Journal of Industrial Relations (AJIR)
• International Employment Relations Review (Australia)
• International Journal of Employment Studies (Australia)
• Australian Journal of Labour (Australia)
• New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations (New Zealand)
• European Journal of Industrial Relations (Europe)
• The Journal of Industrial Relations (Australia)
• Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society (California)
• New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations (NZ)
• Industrial and Labour Relations Review (USA)

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Your Learning Support
Y o u r l o c al U S P Ca mp u s o r C en t r e
You can find information about your local USP or Centre from the USP website
https://www.usp.ac.fj.

L o cal t u t o ri al s
To assist you with your studies, regular face-to-face sessions may be held with a tutor.
You should check with your Campus or Centre at the start of semester to see if face-to-
face tutorials will be held for your course.

S t u d y G ro u p s
Most people find it easier to study in a group or with a friend, at least for part of the
time. Working with others helps to motivate us. It provides a shared goal and reduces
feelings of isolation or boredom. Your local USP Campus or Centre will be able to put
you in touch with students doing this course and may help you get organised.

L i b ra r y S e rvi c e s
Making good use of the library and its resources is vital for you to be a successful
student. Learn about library support and services and the importance of information
literacy at your local USP Campus or Centre library.

S t u d en t L e a rn i n g S u p p o rt ( S L S )
Student Learning Support (SLS) provides necessary academic and study skills support
to assist students in their learning experiences. You can contact your Course Teaching
Staff (i.e. Course Coordinator, Lecturer, Teaching Assistant, Facilitator or Local
Campus/Centre Tutor) who will be able to connect you with a SLS Specialist.

Y o u r V i rt u al T u t o r i al S es si o n
Apart from local tutorials, USP uses audio/video conferencing systems (such as
REACT, Zoom and BigBlueButton) which allows you to hear and see your course
coordinator or tutor as well as your fellow students who are located in the various
campuses in the USP region. You may get presentations and notes in addition to your
scheduled session. These are commonly known as virtual tutorials. You are encouraged
to attend the scheduled sessions in the weeks shown in your study schedule.
Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of these virtual tutorial sessions:

1. Note that before your virtual tutorial session begins your tutorial group will be
advised as to who all the participants are (regional and on-campus). Try to note
down names of your colleagues and which Campuses or Centres they are
listening from.
2. Speak slowly and pronounce your words clearly so that your colleagues can
understand what you are saying.

5
3. Be courteous and try to maintain a polite tone of voice.
4. When you want to address your tutorial group, use the microphone available in
your virtual tutorial venue. An ITS support staff at your local USP Campus or
Centre can assist you.
5. If you have questions or comments to communicate during your virtual tutorial
session you can do so by speaking into a microphone or through the chat tool in
the audio/video conferencing system.

6
How to Login to Moodle
Moodle is USP’s learning management system (LMS) and will be used to support learning in
all of your courses.
You will need a computer or laptop that is connected to the internet. The computer/ laptop
must have a web browser such as Firefox and Google Chrome. If you do not have a computer
or laptop at home or at work, feel free to visit your nearest local USP Campus or Centre to
access an available computer in the computer labs.
Follow the steps below to access Moodle:
Step 1: Accessing Moodle
• Method 1: Open browser:
Firefox or Google Chrome. Type
in the following in the address
bar: http://elearn.usp.ac.fj/my/
and Press Enter.
Step 2: Username and password
• The “Sign in” screen will appear.
• Enter your student email address as
username in the “Sign in” space as
IDnumber@student.usp.ac.fj.
• Click “Next”

• Type your student email password in the

Password space.
• Click “Sign in”.
Step 3: Accessing your course
• You should now see a list of
your courses.
• Click the Course Code and
Course Title to enter.

For Moodle issues, contact ITS Helpdesk on campus or email: helpdesk@usp.ac.fj to log
issue.

L o st o r f o rg o t t en p as sw o rd
If you have forgotten or lost your password, contact your local ITS Helpdesk on
campus, or email: helpdesk@usp.ac.fj

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Study Schedule
P l an n i n g yo u r w or k
To help you keep up with the course, we suggest you allocate at least two hours a day
to study. Plan your time using this study schedule.

Assignments and
Week no. and date Unit tutorials
Introduction and Overview WebEx Tutorial 1:
Week 1 of the Course and Assessment/ TBA (Fiji Time)
26 February – 01 March Project Details.

Unit 1: Unitary Theory

Week 2 • Overview of the Unitary WebEx Tutorial 2:
04 – 08 March Theory of ER. TBA (Fiji Time)
• Main assumptions of the
Unitary Theory of ER.

Week 3 Unit 1 (continued): WebEx Tutorial 3:

11 – 15 March • Scientific Management Theory TBA (Fiji Time)
• Administrative Theory.
WebEx Tutorial 4:
Unit 1: Version 2 of Unitary TBA (Fiji Time)
Theory
Week 4 • ‘Human Relations’ School of Assignment 1 due:
18 – 22 March Thought (by Elton Mayo). Friday 22 March 2024
• Neo Human Relations School
of Thought.
Unit 1: Version 3 of Unitary
Theory of IR WebEx Tutorial 5:
Week 5 • HRM theory. TBA (Fiji Time)
25 – 29 March • Main Criticisms offered
Unitary Theory Solutions
offered Unitary Theory.
Unit 2: Pluralist Theory of IR WebEx Tutorial 6:
Week 6 • Overview of Pluralist Theory TBA (Fiji Time)
01 – 05 April of IR.
• Main Assumptions of Pluralist
Theory of IR.
Unit 2: Pluralist Theory of IR-
Institutionalist Theory of IR Mid Semester Test (20%)
• Old Institutionalist Theory of (Please confirm the time,
Week 7 IR e.g. – Dunlop’s Systems date and venue of your test
08 – 12 April Theory and its criticism. with your local USP Centre
• New Institutionalist IR theories or Campus)
e.g. Edwards (1986–UK),
Blyton and Turnbull (1998–
UK).
13 – 21 April MID-SEMESTER BREAK

8
 Week no. and date Unit Assignments and tutorials
Unit 2: Pluralist Theory of IR-
Corporatist theory
WebEx Tutorial 7:
Week 8 • Role of State in IR – Solution of
22 – 26 April Tripartism/ Social Partnership. TBA (Fiji Time)
• Main Criticisms of Pluralist
Theory.
• Solutions offered Unitary Theory.
Unit 3: Marx/Radical/Conflict
WebEx Tutorial 8:
Theories of IR
Week 9 • Karl Marx Theory – Class TBA (Fiji Time)
29 April – 03 May Perspective and Labour Process.
• Richard Hyman – Work Assignment 2 due:
Intensification.
Friday 03 May 2024
Unit 3: Marx/Radical/Conflict
Theories of IR
• Harry Braverman – Problems of WebEx Tutorial 9:
Mass Production Process, (e.g., TBA (Fiji Time)
Week 10 Ford Motor Company–Fordism)
06 – 10 May ‘Control of’ Labour Process’ and
‘Deskilling Theory’.
• Burawoy/ Beynon (Game Theory
of IR) – Work Intensification,
Work–Effort Bargaining.
Unit 4: Strategic Choice Theory of
IR WebEx Tutorial 10:
Week 11 • Kochan, McKersie, and Capelli TBA (Fiji Time)
13 – 17 May (1984).
• Main Criticisms of Strategic
Choice Theory.
Unit 5: Industrial Relations Theories
Week 12 WebEx Tutorial 11:
of Trade Unions
TBA (Fiji Time)
20 – 24 May • Trade Unions theories by
Ramaswamy (1999).

Unit 6: Globalisation theory of IR

(continued).
• Question/Debate on whether IR
WebEx Tutorial 12:
Week 13 theories been converging (features
TBA (Fiji Time)
27 – 31 May that are similar) or diverging
(features that are different)?
• Examples from Developed and
developing countries.
• Rise of HRM approach.
Week 14
03 – 07 June STUDY BREAK

Weeks 15 & 16 EXAMINATIONS

Check with your USP Campus or Centre for the exact date and time of
10 – 21 June your examination.

* Fiji dates and times (GMT + 12 hours)

9
* Please note all WebEx tutorials will be arranged with Timetabling the detail
of which will be provided in Moodle at a later date.

10
Assessment Overview

Your overall assessment

Your coursework will be assessed in two ways:
Continuous assessment 50%
Final examination 50%
Total value 100%

C o n t i n u o u s a s ses s m en t
Assignments
During the course, you will be required to submit written assignments. These will help
you and your coordinator/tutors to see how you are progressing with the course. They
allow you to demonstrate that you are actively studying and learning and the extent to
which you have understood the materials. The feedback you receive from your
assignments is important. It should help to guide your studies, set you in the right
direction if you are experiencing difficulties, and encourage you to continue if you are
on the right track.

The continuous assessment for MG315 is weighted in the following way:

Assignment 1 15%
Mid-semester test 20%
Assignment 2 15%
Total value 50%

Minimum marks in coursework

Students must get at least 20 marks or above out of 50 marks in the course work in
order to pass the course.
Check your study schedule for the date of the test; confirm other details with your USP
Campus or Centre. A sample mid-semester test is included in this book for practice;
your test may differ in content and structure from the sample.

F i n al ex a mi n a t i o n
Grades: Your final examination is 3 hours long. It will make up the other 50% of your
final score. We have included a sample examination paper later in this Introduction and
Assessment book to give you an opportunity to practice for the final examination.
Remember that your final examination may differ in content and structure from the
sample paper.
Minimum marks in the final exam
Students must get at least 20 marks or above out of 50 marks in the final exam and the
total mark must be 50 or above in both coursework and final exam to be considered for
a pass.

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Grading System
(a) The following grading system will be used by all Academic Units in awarding final grades
for academic performance in a course:

i. Pass Grades

GRADE PERCENTAGE (%) DESCRIPTION

A+ 85+ Pass with Distinction
A 78–84 Pass with Distinction
B+ 71–77 Pass with Credit
B 64–70 Pass with Credit
C+ 57–63 Pass
C 50–56 Pass

ii. Other Pass Grades

GRADE DESCRIPTION
R Restricted Pass
AEG Aegrotat Pass
COM Compassionate
CMPT Competent (for competency-based assessment)
NYC Not yet competent
PAS Pass or Competent
Recognition of prior learning Recognition of prior learning
S Satisfactory
T Credit Transfer
Note: PAS and S are used in circumstances where graded passes are inappropriate
such as in postgraduate thesis and Professional Diploma in Legal Practice.

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 iii. Fail Grades

GRADE PERCENTAGE (%) DESCRIPTION

D 40–49 Work below the standard required for a pass.
This grade will also be awarded for failure to
meet course minimum requirement
E 0–39 (less than) Very weak performance or failure to complete
to the satisfaction of the examiner such
practical, field or other work as may be
prescribed.
EX Failed because student did not sit the final
examination.
NC Not completed
NV Null and Void: This is awarded for plagiarism
or dishonest practice
U Unsatisfactory
Fail Failure to achieve a pass in a thesis
Note: Fail and U correspond with Pass and S above respectively.

iv. Provisional Results

GRADE DESCRIPTION
I Incomplete
IP In Progress
SE Special Exam Granted

(b) Students shall be awarded an Aegrotat or Compassionate Pass if they satisfy the conditions
prescribed in clauses 6.4 or 6.5 of these Regulations respectively.

(c) Students may be awarded a Restricted Pass if they satisfy the conditions prescribed in
clause 8.

(d) Students who have been granted an extension of time (before the start of the following
semester/trimester) past the last day of lectures to complete work required for the final
assessment of their course shall be awarded:

(i) the provisional grade of I (Incomplete) for an undergraduate or postgraduate course

assessed by coursework; or

(ii) IP (In Progress) for a Supervised Research Project or thesis for a Master’s degree or a
thesis for a PhD degree. At the end of the period of extension the relevant
Assessment Board shall determine a final grade.

(e) Students who have not submitted their Master’s or PhD thesis or Supervised Research
Project by the end of the maximum period of candidature prescribed in these Regulations
shall be awarded the grade of NC (Not Completed).

[Extracted from the 2024 Handbook & Calendar, https://www.usp.ac.fj]

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Submission of Assignments
Students shall submit for marking the requirements of a course that form part of the
continuous assessment process according to deadlines prescribed in the Course Outline.
All continuous assessment must be submitted no later than the last day of lectures for
that semester. It is very important that you keep to the study schedule and complete the
assignments so that you get regular feedback on your progress through this course.

M o o d l e As si g n men t D ro p b o x
Students are required to submit all softcopies of their work through the assignment
Dropbox on their Moodle course page. All Moodle assignment dropboxes are
connected to Turnitin which performs text matching when you upload a work.

S o f t co p y
You should submit all assignments by the dates given on your study schedule. Please
submit them in the correct drop box.
All assignments, irrespective of your campus MUST be submitted in word documents
ONLY. Any assignment submitted not in word document will not be marked.
It is very important that you keep to the study schedule and complete the assignments
so that you get regular feedback on your progress through this course.

C o r r ec t L ab el l i n g o f A ss i g n m en t s
Please be very careful to correctly label your assignments. On each assignment cover
or e-copy file that you send in or upload for marking, you should write or type:

• the full name you used to enrol in this course;

• your student identification number;
• the correct course code and title; and
• the assignment number.
Correct labelling will help ensure that the marker receives your assignment on time,
and that you get the credit for the work that you do. If your marker receives one of your
assignments late because you did not label it correctly, you may lose marks.

L at e A s si g n m en t s
If you expect to be over two weeks late in submitting an assignment, write to your
course coordinator. You should explain why you are late and suggest a revised schedule
that will allow you to complete the remaining assignments on time.
Your course coordinator may mark a late assignment if there is a good reason for its
delay. In deciding whether to mark late assignments, your course coordinator will give
greater consideration to students in remote areas with little or no access to their local
USP Campus or Centre or tutorial help.
It is in your interest to send in your assignments on time. The assignment schedule
gives your course coordinator time to provide you with regular feedback on your
progress, before it is too late for you to use this information constructively in your
studies.
Your course coordinator will not mark any assignment received after the final
examination.
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M a rk sh ee t
Marksheet is where a student can access their continuous assessment marks. The link to
this is available in your Moodle course page (as shown below). Students will only see
their own marks.

M a rki n g c ri t e ri a
We will grade all assignments according to the following criteria where applicable:
• evidence of reading;
• evidence of good understanding of the topic;
• good coverage of the topic;
• relevance and correctness of information;
• validity and support of opinion;
• conciseness;
• precision;
• logical presentation of information (flow); and
• use of illustrations, examples and/or reasons to support statements or arguments;

15
Student Academic Integrity Regulations
These Regulations should be read in conjunction with the Ordinance to Provide for
Discipline of Students, and Regulation Governing Student Conduct, the Academic
Honesty Policy and the University Copyright Compliance Guidelines.

1.0 What is academic misconduct?

(a) Academic misconduct occurs where students use dishonest practices (such as
cheating or plagiarism) in carrying out academic work (coursework, assignments or
examinations). Minor academic offences are dealt within the Academic Units.
Serious cases are referred to the Student Disciplinary Committee, which reports to
Senate.
(b) All written work submitted for a course, except for acknowledged quotations, must
be expressed in the student’s own words, with proper referencing of borrowed
ideas. Students must not submit coursework that has been completed dishonestly
using any of the dishonest practices described in clauses 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3.
(c) Where a member of academic staff has reasonable grounds to believe that a student
is guilty of academic dishonesty in coursework, assignments, research theses or
examinations, one or more of the penalties detailed in clause 3.0 may be imposed.
(d) Academic misconduct includes plagiarism, collusion and cheating when preparing
coursework, assignments, research theses or sitting an examination.
(e) USP does not condone academic dishonesty and misconduct.
(f) Plagiarism and dishonest practice in course work and examinations are serious
offences for which offenders will be penalised.
(g) The Academic Misconduct Regulations contained in the USP Handbook and
Calendar provide the framework for the treatment of plagiarism and dishonest
practice in academic work within the University.
1.1 Plagiarism
(a) Plagiarism is the copying of another person’s creative work and using it as one’s
own, without explicitly giving credit to the original creator. Work copied without
acknowledgement from any written source including a book, from another
student’s work, from the internet or from any other source, is plagiarism.
(b) Plagiarism includes:
(i) Copying of the published or unpublished works of another writer without
acknowledging the source using acceptable reference citation methods. Thus,
to ‘cut and paste’ from internet sources or ‘lift’ sentences, ideas and sections
from a textual source.
(ii) Lifting or cutting and pasting extracts without quotation marks and
appropriate acknowledgement of sources.
(iii) Paraphrasing of content and ideas without proper acknowledgement of the
source.
(iv) The use of images, diagrams, photographs and material from any source
including blogs and social networks, without acknowledgement.
(v) Copying part or all, of one’s own or another student’s assignment. In this
instance, ‘student assignment’ refers to a piece of academic work submitted
for assessment purposes for any course, in past or current years at any
educational institutional including USP or any other university.

16
1.2 Cheating
(a) Cheating involves acting in any way that directly contradicts the explicit rules and
guiding principles of that form of assessment. It applies in any form of examination
including short tests, quizzes and final examinations.
(b) Cheating includes:
(i) Doing anything to gain an unfair or illicit academic advantage in any
assessment or examination;
(ii) Possessing, referring to or having access to any material, or to access the
internet ‘crib’ notes or device containing information directly or indirectly
related to the subject matter under examination other than what is explicitly
approved for examination purposes;
(iii) Using a mobile phone to communicate with any other student or person inside
or outside the examination venue;
(iv) Copying from another student in a test or examination enabling another
student to cheat in a test or examination;
(v) Soliciting a person to sit a test or final examination in place of the student
enrolled, or sitting a test or final examination in the place of another student;
(vi) Manipulation of scores in tests or examination or in any other form of
assessment; and
(vii) Enabling another student in any, or a combination of any, of the above.
1.3 Collusion
(a) Collusion means working with someone else to deceive or mislead to gain an unfair
academic advantage.
(b) Collusion includes:
(i) Submission of a paper that has been written by an author other than the author
credited for that piece of writing. This includes the use of paid services of a
student, or any other person who has been solicited for that purpose.
(ii) Facilitating or enabling another student to plagiarise or cheat in any way.

2.0 Procedures for dealing with Academic misconduct

2.1 Plagiarism or Collusion

(a) When a marker suspects a student of plagiarism or collusion, the piece of academic
work must be brought to the attention of the Course Coordinator concerned.
(b) The Course Coordinator will endeavour to locate the sources from which this
student has plagiarised or colluded. If satisfied that the student has plagiarised, the
Course Coordinator will collate the evidence of the breach and submit the evidence
at the earliest opportunity to the Head of Academic Unit. It will include a copy of
the academic work and a list of sources, page numbers and/or copies of the
plagiarised sources.
(c) The student will be notified by the Head of Academic Unit and issued an official
letter stating the allegations and giving him/her the opportunity to present his/her
case.
(d) If the Head of Academic Unit is satisfied that the student has engaged unknowingly
in such behaviours, he/she may implement a penalty according to the provisions of
3.0 below.

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2.2 Cheating
(a) A student who is found in breach of the rules and regulations of the assessment task
assigned shall be answerable initially to the Course Coordinator. The supervisor of
the activity shall remove the student from the assessment task at the point of
discovery and make a written complaint to the Course Coordinator.
(b) A proven case of cheating will be penalised according to clause 3.0.
2.3 Mandatory use of Turnitin and similarity index software
(a) Students are required to submit all written work through Turnitin via Moodle
online to check their work for originality and ensure that appropriate referencing
and citation is used. Turnitin currently accepts the following file types for upload:
• Microsoft Word (DOC and DOCX),
• Corel WordPerfect,
• HTML,
• Adobe PostScript,
• Plain text (TXT)
• Rich Text Format (RTF),
• Portable Document Format (PDF),
• OpenOffice (ODT),
• Hangul (HWP),
• PowerPoint (PPT).

(b) Students are actively encouraged to use Turnitin to check drafts of their written
work to improve their writing and guard against unintentional plagiarism.
Submitting other students’ work is strictly not allowed.
(c) All Turnitin reports will be reviewed. A score of a similarity index of 20% or more
on Turnitin will alert the Course Coordinator to evaluate the findings with
consequences if plagiarism is proven. In some cases, work with a score of 20% or
less can still contain significantly plagiarised content e.g. 10‒15% from one source,
to which penalties will apply if proven.
3.0 Penalties for academic misconduct
(a) A suspected case of academic misconduct will be reported in writing by the
Course/Programme Coordinator to the Head of Academic Unit.
(b) The penalties imposed for proven cases of misconduct vary. Based on the
seriousness of the case, the penalties include, but not limited to:
(i) A written reprimand of the student from the Head of Academic Unit;
(ii) The requirement by the Head of Academic Unit that the student complete
further work, or repeat work, for the course.
(iii) Deprivation of credit for a course, or for a component of assessment of the
course, to which the academic misconduct relates, by the Head of Academic
Unit;
(iv) Cancellation of any previously credited pass in a course associated with the
offence, by the Head of Academic Unit.

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(c) Significant and repeat offences will be referred to the University’s Student
Discipline Committee, which can:
(i) Impose a fine not exceeding FJ$500;
(ii) Prohibit the student from using any of the University’s library and computing
network facilities for a period not exceeding twenty-eight days;
(iii) Recommend to the Vice-Chancellor that a student’s enrolment be suspended
for any period and on terms considered necessary by the Committee;
(iv) Recommend to the Vice-Chancellor that the student’s enrolment be cancelled,
i.e. expulsion from the University.
4.0 Register of deliberate academic misconduct
(a) When a finding of misconduct is made against a student, this finding is recorded on
his/her student record and in a Register of Deliberate Academic Misconduct.
(i) A Register of Deliberate Academic Misconduct records the details of all cases
where students have been proven to have engaged in deliberate academic
misconduct in their coursework and/or examinations, and have received an
academic penalty as a result;
(ii) Details of each case are recorded on a paper form, which includes a student
declaration, and the student receives a copy of the completed and signed form
once the case is closed. Information from the form is then entered into the
electronic Register;
(iii) After a deliberate offence is confirmed, the Register will be consulted to assist
in determination of an appropriate penalty. The Register will be able to
identify repeat offenders, with the risk that these students will receive more
severe penalties for repeat offences;
(iv) Use of the Register is covered by strict protocols. Staff access is limited to
authorised users only, and there is no student access. The record of offence
will normally remain in the Register until one year after the student graduates.
(b) Students are permitted to apply for a review of any academic penalty to the Student
Discipline Committee or, if the penalty has been imposed by the Student Discipline
Committee itself, to an ad hoc committee of the Student Discipline Appeals
Committee

(Extracted from the 2024 Handbook & Calendar, https://www.usp.ac.fj)

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Assignment 1: Essay 1
Due date: Friday 22 March 2024 (End of Week 4)
Marks: 15 marks
Value: 15% of your final course grade
Length: 1, 200 words.
Coverage: Unit 1 (version 1). Topic: Unitary theory – Scientific management
theory

Essay:

Critically evaluate the State's challenges from the Scientific management theory of
employment relations. Discuss how the Scientific management theory of employment
relations challenges the State as one of the main actors of employment relations.
Provide examples from your country. (1, 200 words)
(15 marks)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: Avoid Plagiarism

1. YOU WILL NEED TO UPLOAD YOUR ASSIGNMENT IN TURN-IT-IN

TO CHECK FOR PLAGIARISM. Only 20% on below is allowed. You will
only be given 2 times to check, and after that, no more attempts. You will need
to print out the Plagiarism Report and attach a hard copy of the report at the
back of your essay. Your assignment will not be marked if the hard copy of the
Plagiarism Report is not attached at the back of your essay. YOU WILL GET
‘0’ MARKS IF THE PLAGIARISM REPORT IS HIGHER THAN 20%.

2. Make sure to provide a reference in the text of your essay (called in-text
referencing) and avoid copying directly from the course book and MG315
Reader, the internet, other books, or any sources.

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Assignment 2: Essay 2
Due date: Friday 03 May 2024 (End of Week 9)
Marks: 15 marks
Value: 15% of your final course grade
Length: 1, 500 words

Coverage: Unit 2 – (version 1). Topic: Pluralist theory – Dunlop’s theory

Question

Critically evaluate the challenges that the trade union will face from Dunlop’s theory of
as a version of pluralist theory of employment relations. As an example, identify a
trade union organization in your country to discuss how the trade unions will be
challenged by Dunlop’s theory of employment relations. (1,500 words)
(15 marks)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: Avoid Plagiarism

1. YOU WILL NEED TO UPLOAD YOUR ASSIGNMENT IN TURN-IT-IN

TO CHECK FOR PLAGIARISM. Only 20% on below is allowed. You will
only be given 2 times to check, and after that, no more attempts. You will need
to print out the Plagiarism Report and attach a hard copy of the report at the
back of your essay. Your assignment will not be marked if the hard copy of the
Plagiarism Report is not attached at the back of your essay. YOU WILL GET 0
MARKS IF THE PLAGIARISM REPORT IS HIGHER THAN 20%.

2. Make sure to provide REFERENCE IN THE TEXT OF YOUR ESSAY

(called in-text referencing) and avoid copying directly from the course book
and MG315 Reader, the internet, other books, or any sources.

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Mid-Semester Test
Date: Week 7 (Exact date: TBA)

Venue: TBA

Marks: 20% of your final course grade

Duration: Two-hours

Coverage: Units 1-2

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Past Test Paper
You are given the following past test paper to help you to prepare for your test.
However, remember that the test paper that you will take this semester may not follow
exactly the same structure, format or content as this one.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

School of Business and Management
Management and Public Administration Discipline

Supplementary Mid Semester Test (MST)

Semester 1, 2023 (Print mode)

Wednesday 03rd May 2023 : 3-5pm Fiji Time

MG315: EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS THEORY &

POLICY
Time Allowed two hours or 120 minutes, including
reading time.

This MST will be marked out of 20% of the total course

marks.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Please write your surname, name(s), and ID number in the space provided and on all
the pages that you use.

2. This examination consists of short answer-based questions with a value of 20%

3. Please read the instructions and the questions very carefully before attempting to
answer the questions (in full).

4. Start answering each question in the space provided.

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Section A: Short Answers (20 marks)

Students MUST answer ALL the short answer-based questions. Each question is worth 4
marks, whereby 1 mark is allocated for the Pacific Island Country examples. Write
approximately a minimum of half of a page to answer each short answer-based question and
may use other techniques of your choice for as long as the questions are thoroughly answered.

1. Which version of the unitary theory of employment relations used the Hawthorne
experiment? Evaluate the purpose and the outcome of the Hawthorne experiment using
a relevant example from your Pacific Island country? (4 marks)

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 2. Examine the importance of Human relations theory of employment relations on the
three actors of employment relations? Support your answer with an example from your
Pacific Island country. (4 marks)

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3. Which version of unitary theory of employment relations used the Time motion study?
Evaluate the purpose and the outcome of the Time motion study using a relevant
example from your Pacific Island country? (4 marks)

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____________________________________________________________________________
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4. Examine the significance of Neo-Human relations theory of employment relations on

the three actors of employment relations? Support your answer with an example from
your Pacific Island country. (4 marks)

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____________________________________________________________________________
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5. Examine the importance of Human Resource Management theory of employment

relations on the three actors of employment relations? Support your answer with an
example from your Pacific Island country. (4 marks)

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27
Past Examination Paper
You are given the following past examination paper to help you to prepare for your
final examination. However, remember that the examination paper that you will take
this semester may not follow exactly the same structure, format or content as this one.

28
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33
Code of Academic Honesty
As a student, I agree to uphold the rules and regulations of The University of the South
Pacific (USP). In pledging my agreement to this Code of Academic Honesty, I will
strive to uphold the highest standards of academic excellence in accordance with the
core values of integrity, honesty and ethics. In so doing, I embrace my position within
the university community and will strive to embody USP values. Specifically, by
signing this statement;
I declare that I have read and understood the USP Academic Honesty Policy and; I
agree to abide fully by the USP Academic Honesty Policy, and accept full
responsibility should it be deemed that I have violated this policy.

Course: ....................................................................................................................
Assessment: .............................................................................................................
Name: ......................................................................................................................
ID number: ..............................................................................................................

Signature: ................................................................................................................
Date: ........................................................................................................................

Please note submission of this declaration is a requirement for all pieces of written
coursework assessment and marks may be withheld for failure to submit a completed
declaration.

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35