HADM 6820 - Compensation in Service Firms

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: introductory human resource course (HADM 2810, HADM 7820, ILRHR 5600 or equivalent). Co-meets with HADM 4820. Elective. Undergraduate students should enroll in HADM 4820.

M. Sturman.

Designed to give students a practical understanding of the methods and implications of compensation, including hands-on experience designing compensation systems for firms in the service industry. (It provides material that is distinct from that provided in ILRHR 6690 Managing Compensation.) Students will learn how to design a pay plan, including base pay and pay-for-performance plans. By the completion of the course, participants will know how to design pay ranges and grades for organizations where most jobs can be benchmarked with market data. The course will also devote considerable time to the design of incentive plans, including merit pay, bonuses, gainsharing, profit sharing, piece-rate, tipping, and commission systems. It is useful for those desiring employment as an entry-level compensation specialist, a HR generalist, those starting and running their own business, or those who want a better understanding of how HR practices are actually managed. For students with a particular interest in compensation, the course can be taken in addition to ILRHR 6690 (or other compensation courses available at Cornell); for those interested in compensation in the services industry, this course can be taken as a standalone course.