This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)
Module BUSI49Z15: Employee Reward Strategy
Department: Business School (Business)
BUSI49Z15: Employee Reward Strategy
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 4 | 15 | Available in 2015/2016 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- N2P109: Management
- N2P209: Management (Finance)
- N2P309: Management (Entrepreneurship)
- N2P409: Management (Human Resource Management)
- N2P509: Management (Consulting and Organisational Change)(not recruiting 2015-16)
- N2P609: Management (International Business)
- N2P809: Management (Business Ethics)
- N2P909: Management (Supply Chain Logistics)
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- Organisational Behaviour (BUSI4V815)
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- The aim of this module is to provide an in-depth treatment of the key concepts and controversies in the design and implementation of employee reward systems. The module emphasises the critical evaluation of current practice, drawing on theoretical frameworks from organisational behaviour and, to a lesser extent, economics.
Content
- The module will cover the following:
- Rewards and motivation; the social, legal and economic context; the importance of equity, fairness, consistency, and transparency
- Reward management philosophies and strategies
- Determining the relative worth of jobs/roles
- Determining the market rate
- Designing and implementing pay structures
- Variable pay for performance: individual, group and company-level
- Paying for skills, competencies, and flexibility
- Employee benefits, pensions and non-financial rewards
- International reward management
- Evaluating reward management
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module, students should have:
- An advanced understanding of the main factors to be taken into account, and the main techniques used, in the design and implementation of employee rewards policies in pursuit of organizational objectives;
- An advanced understanding of the key recent debates and developments in the management of employee reward;
- A critical appreciation of the importance of ethical and equal opportunities issues in reward management;
- Further developed their understanding of the contribution of HRM policy and practice to the strategic management of organizations, and to addressing the internationalization of business.
Subject-specific Skills
- By the end of the module, students should have:
- Developed their ability to apply the techniques of reward management in the solution of management problems;
- Developed their ability to analyse the impact of reward management policies, formulate recommendations, and provide advice on the development of policy and practice;
- Developed their ability to evaluate practitioner-oriented reports and publications from both academic and practitioner perspectives.
Key Skills
- By the end of the module, students should have:
- Further developed their critical thinking, problem-solving, and written and oral communications skills.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Learning outcomes will be achieved through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops, involving the use of case studies, videos, individual and group exercises, discussions, oral presentations, and guided reading.
- Formative and summative assessments will involve the critical analysis of case materials, and the communication of the analysis and findings in written (formative and summative assessment) and oral (formative assessment only) forms. Seminars and the formative assessment will involve an element of team working.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 | Weekly | 2 hour | 18 | |
| Seminars | 4 | Fortnightly | 1 hour | 4 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 128 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual assignment | 100% | Individual written assignment requiring the analysis of case material and incorporating an element of self-reflection. | 2500 words | 100% | Same |
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment will involve the critical analysis of case materials, linked to a seminar presentation. This will involve an element of team working. Students will receive verbal formative feedback as a group.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.