PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL & COMPENSATION

MGT 4485 TDWA

Spring Semester, 2011

Course Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Robert Wheatley, Ph.D.

Professor of Management

202AMcCartha Hall

SorrellCollege of Business

TroyUniversity

Troy, AL36082

334.670.3161 (TEL)

334.670.3599 (FAX)

334.670.3459 (ADM)

STUDENTS: Please put course title in the subject line of any emails sent to the instructor.

Please Note: To get credit for all work, individuals and groups must post or submit assignments before 11:00 p.m. CTZ on the date specified, by an MS Word document email attachment—NOT in the body of the email message, by posting to the appropriate Blackboard Course Section, or by using the Blackboard Digital Drop Box. ALWAYS use the following protocol for your email “Subject” line: “(MGT4485 TDWA, Group [ # ] (if appropriate), Week [ # ], Assignment [ # ]” so that you will be readily identified and given credit for your work. ALWAYS start the Subject line with MGT 4485 TDWA for individual email messages as well.

Always key your full name at the end of your emails;your instructor will not respond when these email (and general ethical) conventions are not followed.

Note: The instructor reserves the right to make minor changes to the course syllabus prior to or during the term. The instructor will notify students, via email or Blackboard announcement, when changes are made in the requirements and/or grading of the course.

COURSE PREREQUISITES

MGT 3371

OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday & Thursday: 12:45p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Other times by appointment

TIME OF CLASS

10:00 to 11:15 a.m. T, R

CLASS LOCATION

302General Academic Building

ENTRANCE COMPETENCIES:

Students must have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform at the undergraduate level, as well as certain personal characteristics to complete the course in a timely fashion. They must also have a satisfactory level of technical competence to be able to navigate Blackboard, the Internet, and the Troy University Library online. A sufficient business academic background is required for successful course completion. Business experience would be helpful.

STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT:

Academics: I expect studentsto read the required material in advance, review the end-of- chapter items and ask questions to check their understanding, monitor the announcements page for course updates, check their emails regularly, participate meaningfully in all discussions, complete exams on the scheduled day, and submit assignments—all in a timely manner as scheduled. All grades are earned, and good grades are the result of personal commitment and substantial effort.

If problems arise, students are expected to contact me as soon as possible—prior to the due date—to discuss the problem.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Addresses theory, principles, practices, and legal requirements linking effective performance management and compensation and benefit systems in organizational settings. Prerequisite: MGT 3371.

PURPOSE:

To provide basic knowledge of performance appraisal, compensation, and benefits programs, in preparation for entry-level management positions. BABA/BSBA Management major specified elective (General Management or Human Resource Management concentration).

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES/COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  1. Conduct performance appraisals using traditional and modern performance management scales and formats
  2. Appraise performance and training using advanced concepts and techniques of developing human potential
  3. Apply principles of job evaluation and market wage data to design an internally consistent, externally equitable,and competitive pay structure across an organization
  4. Identify and describe defined-benefit and contribution retirement plans, medical-benefit plans, and cafeteria plans
  5. Understand key laws and regulations affecting compensation and benefits, including Title VII of the Civil Rights
  6. Act of 1964 as amended, minimum-wage and overtime laws, and ERISA
  7. Explain concepts, principles, and theories associated with performance appraisal and compensation
  8. Apply performance appraisal and compensation concepts, principles, methodologies, and theories to new situations
  9. Evaluate alternative approaches to organization and job compensation
  10. Write clear, effective cases, assignments, and reports
  11. Give well organized oral presentations
  12. Participate in activities and discussions
  13. Recommend best practices in performance appraisal and compensation
  14. Develop individual problem solving competencies
  15. Compare and contrast theoretical and implementation strategies
  16. Demonstrate performance appraisal, compensation, and feedback strategies
  17. Understand relationships among concepts and theories
  18. Understand strategic perspectives and general reward system principles
  19. Understand compensation issues like special groups, government, unions, and international systems

TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED:

Compensation, (2011, Tenth Edition), Milkovich, Newman, & Gerhart; McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Students should have their text the first week of class. Not having your book will not be an acceptable excuse for late work.

OTHER MATERIALS

  1. One CD for use in the course. Each CD must contain the following information marked externally on it: (1) the student's name, (2) the course and section numbers (MBA 6610 TGWA), and (3) the Page Number of the assignment or the assignment title. The Volume label on the CD should be the student's name. All CDs must contain ONLY the relevant file (assignment) with an appropriate file name. No other files are to be on the CD.

2. Narrow-lined notebook paper, plain unlined paper, and printer paper.

3. Have available a calculator with statistics functions.

ADDITIONAL READINGS:

To Be Announced

METHOD OF EVALUATION:

Test 135% of final grade
Test 2 35% of final grade
Individual Project(s) 20% of final grade
Case Analyses, Assignments, Quizzes, Group Responsibilities, Etc.
10% of final grade / 30 % of final grade

NO “DROP PASSING” WILL BE GRANTED/RECORDED AFTER 3/18.

No extra work (beyond the work that appears on our Syllabus) will be assigned for anyreason.

ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES:

All grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

A90 – 100%

B80 – 89%

C70 – 79%

D60 – 69%

F59% and below

FA:“FA” indicates the student failed due to attendance. This grade will be given to any student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. See the Attendance section of this syllabus for additional information.

TEST EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Our tests will consist of mostly open-ended, subjective, or applied items. Answers to questions will be evaluated, in part, using the following criteria:

1. Readability--Can I read it?

2. Did you answer the question, and all parts of the question (not some other question, and no parts of the answer are missing)?

3. Did you prominently use the material in this course to answer the question --especially, did you use a perspective developed in this course in your answer?

4. Is there a logical structure and flow to your answer?

5. Can you "integrate"--that is, put more than one idea together, or, apply a theory to a real problem?

Please especially note #3 above. An answer can be well written with excellent logic, but still fail to achieve a high grade because it does not clearly demonstrate a linkage to our course material.

INCOMPLETE WORK POLICY

Incomplete work at the end of the term will not be accepted. All work eligible to be made up will be made up within one week. No assignments in addition to those given or administered in class will be given to any individual.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):

TroyUniversity supports Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, which insure that postsecondary students with disabilities have equal access to all academic programs, physical access to all buildings, facilities and events, and are not discriminated against on the basis of disability. Eligible students, with appropriate documentation, will be provided equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic skills and potential through the provision of academic adaptations and reasonable accommodations. Further information, including appropriate contact information, can be found at the following link:

HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM:

The awarding of a university degree attests that an individual has demonstrated mastery of a significant body of knowledge and skills of substantive value to society. Any type of dishonesty in securing those credentials therefore invites serious sanctions, up to and including suspension and expulsion (see Standard of Conduct in each TROYCatalog). Examples of dishonesty include actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism*, or knowingly furnishing false information to any university employee.

*Plagiarism is defined as submitting anything for credit in one course that has already been submitted for credit in another course, or copying any part of someone else’s intellectual work – their ideas and/or words – published or unpublished, including that of other students, and portraying it as one’s own. Proper quoting, using strict APA formatting, is required, as described by the instructor. All students are required to read the material presented at:

  • Students must properly cite any quoted material. No term paper, business plan, term project, case analysis, or assignment may have no morethan 20% of its content quoted from another source. Students who need assistance in learning to paraphrase should ask the instructor for guidance and consult the links at the TroyWritingCenter.
  • This university employs plagiarism-detection software, through which all written student assignments are processed for comparison with material published in traditional sources (books, journals, magazines), on the internet (to include essays for sale), and papers turned in by students in the same and other classes in this and all previous terms. The penalty for plagiarism may range from zero credit on the assignment, to zero in the course, to expulsion from the university with appropriate notation in the student’s permanent file.

LIBRARY SUPPORT:

The Libraries of Troy University provide access to materials and services that support the academic programs. The address of the Library Web site is This site provides access to the resources of all Campus and Regional Libraries, as well as to resources such as the Library’s Catalog and Databases. Additionally, the Library can also be accessed by choosing the “Library” link from the University’s home page, or through the eLibrary tab within Blackboard.

INDIVIDUAL WORK:

This work is normally completed alone. It may or may not be submitted to the instructor for grading depending on the task requirement. Using the course protocol for submitting work, include your name in the heading if the task is submitted for grading—along with the course number, week number, and assignment number.

GROUP WORK:

This work should be accomplished collaboratively by the group. Only one work product is submitted by the group. Work should NOT be split up and recombined. The group should use a team/group leader each week whose duties to the group include managing the group work task(s) for that week, to include the final edit and submission to the instructor by the due date. The leader should use Turnitin.com to establish the originality of all work BEFORE it is submitted by the group for grading if requested by your instructor. Using the course protocol for submitting group exercises, include the group member’s names in the heading with that week’s “leader” listed first—along with the course number, group number, week number, and assignment number.Group assignments will be rank ordered and grades incrementally assigned to ranks (groups).

REPORTS/BRIEFINGS/WRITTEN WORK: GENERAL FORMAT:

Number all pages and use American Psychological Association (APA) format, 12-point font—Times New Roman style, double-spacing (LS = 2), paragraph indention, section headings, and submit in MS-Word format.

COURSE CONTENT

The student is expected to punctually attend all class meetings, read course material prior to class, complete assignments by the due date, and take exams on the scheduled date.

W, 1/5 Assignment Due (see Page 14 of this Syllabus)

R, 1/6 Introduction; Assignment Due (see Page 14 of this Syllabus)

T, 1/11 The Pay Model (1); Assignment Due (see Page 14 of

this Syllabus)

R, 1/13 Strategy: The Totality of Decisions (2); Assignment #1 Due!

R, 1/20 Defining Internal Alignment (3)

T, 1/25 Job Analysis (4)

T, 2/1 Job-Based Structures & Job Evaluation (5)

R, 2/3 Person-Based Structures (6)

R, 2/10 Defining Competitiveness (7)

T, 2/15 Designing Pay Levels, Mix, and Pay Structures (8)

T, 2/22 Test 1 (Chapters 1-8; Notes & Text)

T, 3/1 Pay for Performance: The Evidence (9)

T, 3/15 Pay-for-Performance Plans (10)

T, 3/22 Performance Appraisals (11)

T, 3/29 The Benefit Determination Process (12)

R, 3/31 Benefit Options (13)

T, 4/5 Compensation of Special Groups (14)

R, 4/7 Union Role in Wage & Salary Administration (15)

T, 4/12 International Pay Systems (16)

R, 4/14 Government & Legal Issues in Compensation (17)

T, 4/19 Management: Making It Work (18); Presentations

M, 5/2 Test 2 (Chapters 9-18; Notes & Text): 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

ASSIGNMENT POLICY:

1.Announced in advance: All work is due on the day designated, at the beginning of the class period. It will be considered late immediately after class starts. Work must be received on time for full credit. Late work will be dropped one letter grade for each class period late—regardless of the situation. Students may submit work earlier than the due date.After two weeks, a grade of “F” will be assigned.

2.Not announced in advance: All work is due prior to the end of class. No make-ups will be permitted. If prior approval for an absence is given, that student will have one fewer class scores to average—ONE TIME ONLY. For the second absence when work is due, a “zero” will be recorded.

3.For all in-class assignments, students without their own textbook will receive a zero.

4.Group assignments will be rank ordered and grades incrementally assigned to ranks (groups).

5.All individual and group work is KEPT on file by the instructor. It is the student’s (or group’s) responsibility to return all work to the instructor immediately after class that day. After reviewing their work, students are responsible for returning all work to the instructor. All nonreturned work results in a zero for each group member or individual.

6.The student is responsible for all technological problems (computer, diskette, etc.). These problems accrue late penalties, etc.

7.Plagiarism results in a grade of zero for the assignment and a potential failing grade for the course.

8.No two students can select the same topic for an assignment.

9.All assignments must follow course guidelines.

10.No collaboration, sharing of information, or file sharing will be permitted on assignments. If two papers contain similar names, sentences, paragraphs, etc., this will constitute evidence and will result in a grade of zero for both individuals. Please do your own work!

11. No additional work/activities will be assigned for any purpose including grade improvement, etc.

12. On the first numbered page of each assignment, include your full name (or each group member’s first and last name with that week’s group leader listed first) on the assignments and submit the assignment using our protocol (“MGT 4485 TDWA, Group [#] (if appropriate), Week [ # ], Assignment [ # ]” so that you will be readily identified and given credit for your work. Number every page (upper right, right justified) and use American Psychological Association (APA) format, 12-point font—Times New Roman style, double-spacing (LS = 2), paragraph indention, section headings, and submit in MS-Word format. Points will be deducted for failure to follow the format requirements. I receive homework and questions from a number of students. You MUST use the following format for the "Subject" line in your email message: MGT4485 TDWA, Group [ # ] (if appropriate) Lesson [ # ] so that you will be readily identified and given credit for your work. Your work should look business-like and professional. Written assignments displaying disproportionately poor grammar or a poor quality of written communication skills will be assigned a grade that is one letter grade lower than might otherwise have been assigned.

PRESENTATION POLICY

1.Group and/or individual responsibilities must be discharged on the day designated to receive full credit.

2.Responsibilities include all chapters and other material assigned.

QUIZ POLICY:

1.Quizzes may NOT be announced in advance.

2.No make-ups will be permitted.

TEST POLICY:

1. For any request to leave early for ANY reason during a test, quiz, or other graded assignment, that test, quiz, or graded assignment will be considered completed at that time and graded using the same standards as other tests, etc. regardless of the degree of incompletion.

2. Make-up exams will be given only for documented (on letterhead), approved absences. See ATTENDANCE POLICY. The make-up exam (with documented, approved excuse) must be taken within one week of the student's return to any class enrolled in that semester, term, etc. If the student returns to (any) class and does not immediately see the instructor to set a date for the make-up, the test will be lowered one letter grade per day even if the student presents an excuse for the original absence.

3. A grade of zero will be assigned for an exam missed due to an unexcused absence.

4. Students are responsible for all course content (all text content, etc.) regardless of whether it is specifically mentioned in class. Talking during an exam, for any reason, results in a grade of “zero.”

5. Students must bring plain, unlined, notebook paper to the exams and keep the exam covered until completion—failure to keep your exam covered results in a grade of zero.

6. If you are more than 10 minutes late for a test, a make-up exam will be administered and the test score will be dropped one letter grade.

7. When different test forms are administered, the submission of answers to questions coordinated with the alternate test form instead of answers to questions on the student’s own test form shall constitute evidence of cheating on the test and will result in a grade of “zero” for that test and an “F’ in the course.

8. Questions about test items (or interpretation of test items) are to be addressed directly to the instructor. During tests, no electronic devices are permitted—no translators, computers, etc.

CLASS PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENTS:

The student is expected to punctually attend all class meetings, read course material prior to class, complete assignments by the due date, and take exams on the scheduled date.