Phase I is intended to:

1.Encourage you to read/review all the case materials (so you don’t wait until just before Phase II is due)

2.Ensure you’re on the right track and get feedback before investing time on Phase II & III (simulating a real-world scenario of you meeting with your boss and discussing your approach to a work assignment)

  • Summary: Think about Phase I as your assessment and discovery process. You will gather information to assess the situation and Phase I is a Preliminary Report to your President laying out the issues and your plan to address them.
  • Expected Length: Generally speaking, Phase I is one, maybe two pages
  • Individual Report: Phase I is an individual report (Phase II and III can be completed in groups up to 4)

Phase I Assignment: Prepare a Preliminary Report for your President that explains:

  • Introduction/Overview of the Company: See below
  • Major Issues: What you believe are the major issues – there are 3
  • Side Issues: These are not the main issues, but issues/things you noted might need attention as you read through and reviewed the case materials
  • Proposed Approach for Addressing the Major Issues: A short summary of the things you believe are important to do to address the major issues
  • Phase I Grading Rubric:

1.Introduction: Describing the company background, industry, size, location, overall business issues – these provide important context to the proposed solutions

2.Identification of the Major Issues

3.Identify a few side issues

4.Outline of plans to correct major issues

5.Overall clarity, professionalism and presentation; use of compensation terminology to reflect your knowledge of and understanding of the concepts; prepared to business standards

Developing your Preliminary Report:

  • You will begin by providing a general overview of your methodology – how did you assess the situation/gather information (e.g., reviewed the HRIS data, met with management – this is through the management interviews).
  • Then you will describe the circumstances that are relevant – a general overview of the company and circumstance and facts that are relevant (e.g., the size, location, current pain points, etc.).
  • You will then summarize the major issues – there are three, and remember this is a class on Compensation, so they are likely related directly to or a primary effect of compensation
  • You will also summarize “side issues” – these are not the primary issue, but other issues you identify in your assessment
  • Finally, you will outline your recommended solutions for the major issues

In addition to the required information for each Phase, grades for each Phase will consider the style/overall organization and quality of the presentation, including:

  • Clarity: The clarity of the concepts that are covered in the report
  • Referencing: Proper referencing and citing of resource materials when appropriate
  • Technical Adequacy: The extent to which you correctly apply the concepts learned in class
  • Rationale: The extent to which you provide well-developed arguments for the recommendations that you make in the report
  • Completeness: Extent to which all the questions asked in the case are addressed in the report
  • Mastery of Concepts: Extent to which you demonstrate your understanding of concepts and technical vocabulary (which reflects your mastery of the class materials).
  • Style: Business writing standards as outlined in the Written Communication Rubric for the Fowler Business School available at https://business.sdsu.edu/assessment/rubrics