Ashford BUS681 All Assignments Latest 2020 September

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 1 Assignment  

Journal Article Research and Analysis

Strategic compensation is a component of the human resource system. Organizations must determine the importance of many factors when choosing compensation and benefits. Write a three-to-five page essay (not including the title and reference pages) that summarizes the impact and effect of compensation within an organization. Your paper should be written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA format. In addition to the introduction and conclusion, your paper should address the following:

Examine how organizations determine the relative importance of compensable factors.

Evaluate how compensation strategies tie into underlying corporate values.

Analyze an example which demonstrates how an organization’s compensation and benefits programs have been utilized to obtain corporate strategic goals.

In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to support your discussion.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric  (Links to an external site.)for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 2 Assignment  

Performance Management Issues

 You have been asked to return to your alma mater and speak to current students about performance management issues. To make the most of this experience for yourself and the students, write a three-to-five page paper (not including the title and reference pages) to help you prepare. Your paper should be written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA format. In addition to the introduction and conclusion, your paper should address the following:

Explain the concept of “performance management.”

Identify the most prominent types of performance management plans.

Compare the plans’ impact on the employee and the organization.

Discuss the relationship between performance management and compensation.

Evaluate the factors that should be considered when successfully implementing performance management within an organization.

In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to support your discussion.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 3 Assignment  

Market Competitiveness

Compose a three-to-five page paper (not including the title and reference pages). Your paper should be written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA format. Your essay should address the following:

Evaluate the concept of market competitiveness in relation to an organization’s pay system, particularly when it is unable to offer its employees market competitive salaries due to a lack of financial resources.

Propose at least three alternative approaches for organizations which have limited financial resources.

Identify at least three specific steps that could be taken to minimize the impact implementing these alternative approaches could have on the firm’s success. Justify why these steps would be the most appropriate in this situation.

In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to support your discussion.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 4 Assignment  

Social Security Programs

 Conduct research on the current state of Social Security. Based on your research, write a three-to-five page paper (not including the title and reference pages). Your paper should be written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA format. The essay should address the following:

Explain the concept of Social Security as originally envisioned by President Roosevelt.

Evaluate the viability of Social Security within the next 20-30 years.

Provide two or three recommendations that would improve the viability of Social Security for the next generation.

Evaluate how these recommendations can best be implemented within the highly political environment that exists with this issue (including factors such as the implementation itself, communication, education, support, etc.). 

In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to support your discussion.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 5 Assignment  

Compensation Philosophy

Evaluate the current compensation philosophy for your organization or an organization of your choosing (from a third-person perspective). Write a three-to-five page paper (not including the title and reference pages). Your paper should be written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA format. In addition to the introduction and conclusion, your paper should address the following:

Evaluate the organization’s current compensation philosophy and propose ways to enhance or revamp the current compensation philosophy to meet the changing needs of the organization and its employees.

Examine key factors within the internal and external environment including the mission and strategic focus of the organization, as well as the financial and cultural aspects of your organization (i.e., they cannot have a compensation philosophy where they “lead” the market if the organization does not have the financial resources) that should influence this philosophy. The proposed philosophy itself should be no more than a short paragraph.

Identify the key factors that should contribute to the organization’s development based on your proposed organizational philosophy.

Remember to write from a third-person perspective. Do not include wording like “my company’s philosophy is …” Instead include wording like “XYZ Company Name’s philosophy is …” Remember to write about the company and the company’s philosophy; do not refer to you or your connection to the company.

In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to support your discussion.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

BUS681 Compensation and Benefits

Week 6 Assignment  

Final Project

A Final Project is due the last class session.  The Final Project will contribute 30% to the course grade.

With instructor approval, students will select an organization that either has or is experiencing challenges with its compensation and benefit system. The student will provide a brief historical view of the organization. The student should assess the company’s current challenge, review other organizations that had a similar situation (and the strategy they devised to address the issue), explore theories and strategies that should be contemplated to address the situation, and finally, include a recommendation to management regarding how to address/resolve the situation. Importantly, the student should ensure any recommendations are based on solid research and analysis and reflect a comprehensive solution to the problem.

The Final Paper must include a minimum of eight credible sources (in addition to textbook). Research topics must be reviewed in advance with the instructor.

Writing the Compensation and Benefits Paper

This essay must reflect what is considered the current "state of the art" systems, reflecting both academic and professional (practical) orientations. The Final Paper must be 8-10 double-spaced pages (not including the title and reference pages) and be formatted according to APA style guidelines. This paper may be written in first person. This Final Paper should review the available research, discuss the implications of that research for the topic area, and provide conclusions. The paper should be organized into the following areas (use section headings to organize your key points):

Introduction: The area of research should be described and the purpose of the research. That is, describe the topic area in terms of (a) its relationship to the topic and (b) what you want to be able to contribute to the training literature by writing this paper. Your introduction must include a succinct thesis statement.

Review of the literature: Students must provide a brief historical view of the organization and assess the company’s current challenges. This review will include an examination of other organizations with similar situations, including the strategies used to address their issues. Students need to explore theories and strategies that could address the situation. Identify any areas that may have not been addressed in the literature used for review.

Implications: Assess any implications. Organize the implications of the literature in a manner that logically builds the case for your recommendations. For each of your implications be sure to reference the literature related to that implication. Be sure to indicate whether the implication is one that has already been made in the literature or if this is one that is original to you through your own analysis.

Recommendations: Based on the research, students must make recommendations for a comprehensive solution to the problem. This is where you tie all the pieces together. Make sure your recommendations are organized in a logical order that synthesizes your major points relative to the purpose of your paper. Be sure that your recommendations are justified and have credible support. Inspire your audience to think about the practical application of your topic. Remember, this is the last thing you are leaving with your reader so make the context of your message clear, communicate the impact of your topic, and leave a lasting impression.

Conclusion: Be sure your conclusion summarizes your paper and explains how you have addressed the thesis statement. 

Your paper should include:

Must include a title page according to APA style.

Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.

Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought and analysis.

Must include section headings to organize your key points clearly.

Must include citations to references that support the assertions made and facts presented in the paper.

Must conclude a conclusion paragraph that ties directly back to your thesis statement.

Must use APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide to document all sources.

Must include, on the final page, a reference list that is completed according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.