Assignment 1 2015W

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, CENTENNIAL COLLEGE
COURSE: Strategic Compensation and Benefits (HRPD-705) (Winter 2015)
Instructor: Wenlu Feng (Ext. 2134)

Assignment #1 (12 marks)

Purpose: To develop the ability to apply Compensation knowledge to solve business problems.

Due on Friday, Jan. 30, 2014 (Submitted through the drop-box on eCentennial)

Tasks: Case Study (Study only one of the following cases which are posted on eCentennial)

1. Case 1: Running case: The New Pay Plan
2. Case 2: Case Incident: Salary Inequities at Acme Manufacturing
3. Case 3: Alliston Instruments
4. Case 4: Plastco Packaging

For the chosen case, answer the following three questions one by one (Make sure you answer the following three questions but not those questions at the end of the case if any):

1. Identify the major problems that suggest something has gone wrong with the company’s compensation system and compensation practices.

--Hints: Try to identify problems in operation, product and service quality, productivity, labour cost or other costs, employee morale and behaviour, employee turnover or commitment, and customer satisfaction, etc

2. Analyze compensation-related root causes of those identified problems (All points must be compensation related).

3. Recommend solutions, in terms of compensation system and strategy design and implementation, to solve the problems you have identified. You need to explain and justify your recommendations with established findings in the field of compensation studies.

Requirements and Marking Criteria:
1. For the case you choose to analyze, answer each question one by one in paragraphs. The answers to the three questions should be logically connected. 2. Apply your compensation and benefits knowledge and the relevant HRM principles, especially those about the compensation mix and compensation strategy, and the methods to establish base pay, where applicable, to analyze and evaluate the facts and compensation practices in the case.

3. Provide recommendations /solutions that are, 1) specific and relevant to the case problems and, 2) well justified with compensation principles and research findings.

4. Minimum length is 2 typing pages (1.5 spaced).

Suggestions: Read through Chapter 1-4 to get the relevant information and knowledge for completing the assignment.

Mark Breakdown:
Question 1 is worth 2 points Question 2 is worth 4 points
Question 3 is worth 6 points

Please note that more points are allocated to the answers to Question 3 because it requires more thinking and writing.

Assignments are to be submitted by email attachment. Please make sure that the course code, section number, instructor's name, and your name are clearly indicated on the cover gage of the submitted assignment.

*** Important Notes:

1. Late assignments will have no chance to get an “A” grade.

2. The originality check is set up with the eCentennial drop-box. Any assignment with more than 30% of duplication will not be accepted. The system will show the duplication percentage when you submit your work.

3. Plagiarism violates the College’s policy of academic honesty and will result in zero mark.

(Distributed on Jan. 16, 2015)