COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

MANA 443 SECTION A FALL 2024

ROOM MB 2.435 (TUESDAY 11:45AM – 2:30PM)

Instructor: Yu-Ping Chen, Ph.D.

Office: MB 13.337
E-mail: [email protected] (Please include MANA 443 on the subject line)
Phone: 514-848-2424 ext 2910
Office Hours: By appointment (in person or virtual)

Course description:

Prerequisite: MANA 362. This course provides a general knowledge of the concepts, design,
methodology, management and administration of compensation and benefit programs within
organizations. Major topics include pay systems, pay structures, job evaluation, pay for
performance, alternative reward systems, government and employer-provided benefit programs.
The primary emphasis is on the design of appropriate policies and programs and how these can
help support organizational objectives and strategies.

Learning objectives:

Students will be able to understand and apply the core concepts within compensation and
benefits management. More specifically, you will:
 Understand the strategic relationships between compensation and organizational goals and
strategies
 Be able to explain and apply the major types of compensation programs and job evaluation
systems
 Understand the major aspects of performance appraisal and design of pay for performance
compensation programs
 Be able to apply the core concepts of compensation and benefits plan design appropriately
for a variety of business and organizational situations
 Have facility with key elements of corporate and government-legislated benefit programs
 Have the ability to describe some major approaches to managing compensation and benefits
systems in organizations
 Be capable of identifying activities/issues in the design, implementation, and evaluation of
compensation & benefit programs and policies that may present ethical challenges, and will
be able to articulate the consequences associated with unethical behaviour.

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Students will also be able to:
- analyze business situations specific related to compensation and benefits management using
information and reasoning to solve problems and make decisions.
- demonstrate an understanding of global and multicultural business issues and practices.
- communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- collaborate and work effectively in teams.

Extraordinary circumstances

In the event of extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations the
University may modify the delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation
scheme. In the event of such extraordinary circumstances, students will be informed of the
changes.

TEXTBOOK
Yap, M., Gerhart, B., & Newman, J.M., (2021). Compensation: 6th Canadian Edition. McGraw-
Hill: Toronto, Canada.
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METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
This course will be conducted in a highly participative manner. Classes will consist of a variety
of teaching techniques, including lecture/discussion, individual/group exercises, and group
project, along with student group presentations. You are expected to be active in discussions,
class activities and group work, and to do so you will need to arrive prepared for class by
reading the assigned chapter and any supplementary readings before the class. Your
learning will be greatly enhanced by having read the materials prior to reviewing and
applying the material in class.
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MIDTERM EXAM

The mid-term exam will be an in-class exam on October 22, 2024 from 11:45am to 2:30pm.
The format will consist of some multiple choice questions, short answer as well as short essay
questions on a short case/scenario. Concepts not included in the lecture slides (e.g., in-class
exercises) may be included in the exam. In short, exam questions will be drawn from lectures,
classroom exercises, and discussions.

FINAL EXAM

The final examination will be scheduled on the 11th week of the class (November 19, 2024). It
will be composed of multiple choice and short answer questions, as well as essay questions
and/or questions on a short case. The final examination is cumulative which will cover all

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chapters I teach in your textbook, though the main focus will be on the chapters after the
midterm. Concepts not included in the lecture slides (e.g., in-class exercises) may still appear in
the exam. Similar to the midterm exam, exam questions will be drawn from lectures, reading
assignments, and classroom exercises and discussions.

Group Project

Working in teams of five or six students (which represents the regular size of a job evaluation
committee in a company), you will design a compensation system from beginning to end (i.e.,
from strategy to implementation) for employees in a team or department at a fictitious company
of your choice (So create your OWN company). This project will not only give you an
opportunity to apply the conceptual knowledge of compensation that you will gain from the
course, but will also help you develop practical skills that are highly valued by employers. A
handout containing the specific requirements for the project, including a marking rubric, will be
made available later in the semester. The deliverables will be a group written report and a group
presentation, both of which will be due at the end of the semester.
The group project forms a significant portion of your grade and requires your continuous
commitment to be successful. Successfully working in groups is a critical skill not only for this
course, but also for professional success in internships and full-time jobs. Employers are looking
for team players who can work productively with diverse individuals under stressful conditions.
Each group member is therefore expected to contribute fully to his or her group project, to treat
all other group members with respect, and to help all members of the group contribute, learn,
and succeed.
The grade for the written report will be a group grade, but peer evaluation will be used so that
each group member does not necessarily receive the same grade. Your contribution to the report,
as judged by the other members of your group, will be used to determine your individual grade
for the report. You will be using the online peer assessment system as outlined in the Peer
Assessment of Group Work handout that will be provided to you. Doing the peer assessment is
MANDATORY. If you do not do the peer assessment, you will receive a grade of 0 (zero) for
the written report.

Participation

This component is based on the quality and extent of your contributions to class discussions and
to class exercises. Constructive contribution to class discussion and exercises is an integral part
of the course. It adds substantially to the learning attained by the class.

Your contribution will be evaluated based on your demonstrated preparation for class
discussions of readings and cases, by your questions/answers and willingness to commit yourself
in the class. Since it is difficult to contribute to the discussion without being in the classroom,
attendance in the class is an obvious prerequisite. However, simply sitting in the class (without
participation or even day-dreaming) for the whole semester does not warrant you a high
participation mark. Reading the chapters and assigned readings prior to class is clearly of great
importance. More specifically, even if you attend all classes and complete all assignments, if you

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never speak and provide constrictive feedback or comment, you will not receive a participation
grade higher than 75%.
Also, any disruptive behaviors (e.g., inattentiveness, intentional interruption, course-unrelated
chatting) during the class will negatively influence your participation score.

Grading Scheme

25% Mid-term exam

30% Final examination
35% Group project [group-based report and presentation]
10% Class participation
100% Total

Grading Scale

A+ = 90-100 B+ = 77-79.99 C+ = 67-69.99 D+ = 57-59.99 F <49

A = 85-89.99 B = 73-76.99 C = 63-66.99 D = 53-56.99
A- = 80-84.99 B- = 70-72.99 C- = 60-62.99 D- = 50-52.99

Grades are based on performance not effort. There are no “A” students and “B” students,
rather there is “A” work and “B” work.
· Marks in the “A” range are reserved for exceptional work that exceeds course expectations.
Achieving this level of performance is your responsibility. You have to go beyond the
minimal requirement in order to get an “A”.

· Marks in the “B” range are allocated to work that fulfills course expectations.
· Marks in the “C” range are assigned to work that is complete but weak.
· Marks in the “D” & “F” ranges are assigned to incomplete & incoherent work

Slides/ Handouts

Any important handouts will be posted in your Moodle course website. Course lecture slides
will generally be available on Moodle course website before each class session. However, I
reserve the right to make necessary changes and modifications before the class starts and it is
students’ responsibility to update the information on your slides.

Late Assignments
Each assignment is due before the beginning of class on the date specified. Submitting the
assignment late will result in a deduction of 5% per day. Assignments submitted after the class
starts will be considered 1 day late. All assignments need be submitted as a hard copy unless I
also ask you to submit an electronic copy.

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Other Class Policies For this Class

A. Re-evaluation
Requests for re-evaluation by the instructor of assignments or exams must be made in writing.
Your written request must clearly explain the reasons why you believe marks were incorrectly or
unfairly allocated. Please note that when an assignment or exam is accepted for re-evaluation by
the instructor, the entire exam or assignment will be re-evaluated and it is possible for grades to
go down, as well as up.

In the case of final exams, regulations found in the undergraduate calendar (including those
related to requests for re-evaluation) will apply to this class. Other formal requests for re-
evaluation of exams and assignments that are after a student attempts to resolve the situation
with their instructor must be made in accordance with Concordia University’s policy regarding
grade appeals.

B. Requests for Grade Increases

Supplemental work and/or re-weighting the evaluation components of the course will not be
allowed to make up a low grade that is obtained for any reason. Consistent with regulations
concerning final exams, if a student completes an examination or assignment, even though
he/she is ill or faced with other personal problems or situations, the subsequent grade obtained
on the examination or assignment will stand and the weight of that component of the course will
not be adjusted. Petitions on the grounds of illness or compassionate reasons will not be
considered after the fact. If you are ill or experiencing difficulties, please contact your
instructor prior to handing in work that you feel is sub-standard. In the case of personal
problems and situations, you are encouraged to consult with Concordia Health Services or
Counseling Services (links are provided at the end of this syllabus).

Academic Integrity

The Code of Conduct (Academic) at Concordia University states that the "integrity of University
academic life and of the degrees, diplomas and certificates the University confers is dependent
upon the honesty and soundness of the instructor-student learning relationship and, in particular,
that of the evaluation process. As such, all students are expected to be honest in all of their
academic endeavours and relationships with the University." (Undergraduate Calendar, section
17.10.)

Plagiarism: The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism,
which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or
without proper acknowledgement.” This includes material copied word for word from books,
journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but
closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the work of a fellow student,
an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student. It
might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –it can

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refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work.
It includes oral presentations, computer assignment and artistic works. Finally, if you translate
the work of another person into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also
plagiarism.
In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without
saying where you obtained it! (Source: The Academic Integrity Website:
concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity)

Words and ideas taken from published or unpublished sources must be properly referenced both
within the text of an assignment and on a reference list. Failure to place quotation marks
around, and to provide a reference for, the exact words (including text, tables, figures, and
graphs) of a published or unpublished source constitutes plagiarism. Failure to reference the
source of ideas, and/or the interpretation of ideas, that have been paraphrased from a published
or unpublished source also constitutes plagiarism

If you paraphrase someone else’s words or ideas, then you must reference the source of those
ideas immediately following their presentation. If you copy or make a verbatim translation, then
you must indicate (a) the material that was copied of translated by putting quotation marks
around it, and (b) including the reference with relevant page numbers immediately following the
copied material. If you take words or ideas from someone else, you need to acknowledge this
and give them credit.

Please refer to the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (available at the
library) for guidelines on how to properly reference different sources.

Behaviour
All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive
throughout the course, including in their communications.
Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities which applies both
when students are physically and virtually engaged in any University activity, including classes,
seminars, meetings, etc. Students engaged in University activities must respect this Code when
engaging with any members of the Concordia community, including faculty, staff, and students,
whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face to face or online/virtual. Failing to
comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as outlined in the Code.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

To achieve favorable results with generative AI, it is essential for students to invest time in
building knowledge in the target subject and refining prompts, as this enables students to
produce more accurate output while validating its accuracy and relevance to the topic at hand.
· Students may not use artificial intelligence tools for writing papers, or completing other course
assignments. However, these tools may be useful when gathering information from across
sources, assimilating it for understanding, improving writing, and even in the early stages of
developing what they will produce for the assignment.

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· Only some uses of ChatGPT or other AI tools are permitted. Prohibited uses and/or not
sufficiently acknowledging use will be deemed misconduct under Concordia’s Academic Code
of Conduct. Students who engage in these behaviours may be charged under Articles 18 (general
cheating/plagiarism/dishonest behavior) and 19a (plagiarism) of the Code.
· Any content produced by an artificial intelligence tool must be cited appropriately. The MLA
and APA are now providing information on citing generative AI.
· If you have any uncertainties regarding the use of GenAI, please consult with your instructor.

Intellectual Property and Copyright

Content belonging to instructors shared in courses, including, but not limited to, lecture slides,
course notes, assignment instructions, quizzes, and video recordings of classes (if any) remain
the intellectual property of the faculty member. It may not be distributed, published or broadcast,
in whole or in part, without the express permission of the faculty member. Students are also
forbidden to use their own means of recording a class or lecture without express permission of
the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of course content may constitute a breach of
the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. As specified in
the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any ownership of or interest in
any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work.

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 ______
CLASS SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
Class Date Topic Readings/Assignments

1 9/3 Course Introduction & The Pay Model..................... Ch. 1

2 9/10 Strategy: The Totality of Decisions.......................... Ch. 2
Defining Internal Alignment ..................................... Ch. 3

3 9/17 Defining Internal Alignment.................................... Ch. 3

Job Analysis ............................................................ Ch. 4

4 9/24 Evaluating Work: Job Evaluation......................... Ch. 5

5 10/1 Person-Based Pay Structures.................................... Ch. 6
6 10/8 Defining External Competitiveness.......................... Ch. 7

(Midterm Break: October 15 – October 20, 2024)

7 10/22 Mid-Term Exam....................................................

8 10/29 Designing Pay Levels, Mix, and Pay Structures........ Ch. 8

9 11/5 Employee Benefits.................................................... Ch. 9

10 11/12 Pay for Performance Plans...................................... Ch. 11

The Role of Government & Unions in Compensation Ch. 12

Compensation Budgets and Administration................ Ch. 13

11 11/19 Final Examination

12 11/26 Project Report due & Project Presentations

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N.B. Group Project Report due on November 26, 2024 at the beginning of the class.