The document provides instructions for a 3-5 page paper evaluating an organization's current compensation philosophy and proposing ways to enhance or revise it to meet changing needs. The paper must examine internal and external factors influencing compensation and identify key factors for developing the proposed philosophy from a third-person perspective, citing at least two scholarly references. A grading rubric is provided.

1. Compensation Philosophy
Evaluate the current compensation philosophy for your
organization or an organization of your choosing (from a third-
person perspective). Write a three-to-five page paper (not
including the title and reference pages). Your paper should be
written in a scholarly third-person tone; it should be in APA
format. In addition to the introduction and conclusion, your
paper should address the following:
Evaluate the organization’s current compensation philosophy
and propose ways to enhance or revamp the current
compensation philosophy to meet the changing needs of the
organization and its employees.
Examine key factors within the internal and external
environment including the mission and strategic focus of the
organization, as well as the financial and cultural aspects of
your organization (i.e., they cannot have a compensation
philosophy where they “lead” the market if the organization
does not have the financial resources) that should influence this
philosophy. The proposed philosophy itself should be no more
than a short paragraph.
Identify the key factors that should contribute to the
organization’s development based on your proposed
organizational philosophy.
Remember to write from a third-person perspective. Do not
include wording like “my company’s philosophy is …” Instead
include wording like “XYZ Company Name’s philosophy is …”

2. Remember to write about the company and the company’s
philosophy; do not refer to you or your connection to the
company.
In addition to the text, cite at least two scholarly references to
support your discussion.
Carefully review the
Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)
for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Grading Rubric:
Total Possible Score
: 7.00
Evaluates the Organization’s Current Compensation Philosophy
and Proposes Ways to Enhance or Revamp the Current
Compensation Philosophy Organization and Its Employees
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Accurately and thoroughly evaluates the
organization’s current compensation philosophy and propose
ways to enhance or revamp the current compensation philosophy
to meet the changing needs of the organization and its
employees.
Proficient - Accurately evaluates the organization’s current
compensation philosophy and propose ways to enhance or
revamp the current compensation philosophy to meet the

3. changing needs of the organization and its employees. Minor
details are missing.
Basic - Evaluates the organization’s current compensation
philosophy and propose ways to enhance or revamp the current
compensation philosophy to meet the changing needs of the
organization and its employees. Relevant details are missing
and/or inaccurate.
Below Expectations - Attempts to evaluate the organization’s
current compensation philosophy and propose ways to enhance
or revamp the current compensation philosophy to meet the
changing needs of the organization and its employees; however,
significant details are missing and/or inaccurate.
Non-Performance - The evaluation of the organization’s current
compensation philosophy and propose ways to enhance or
revamp the current compensation philosophy to meet the
changing needs of the organization and its employees is either
nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment
instructions.
Examines Key Factors Within the Internal and External
Environment, Including the Mission and Strategic Focus of the
Organization, as well as the Financial and Cultural Aspects of
the Organization
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Accurately and thoroughly examines key factors
within the internal and external environment including the
mission and strategic focus of the organization, as well as the
financial and cultural aspects of your organization that should
influence this philosophy.
Proficient - Accurately examines key factors within the internal

4. and external environment including the mission and strategic
focus of the organization, as well as the financial and cultural
aspects of your organization that should influence this
philosophy. Minor details are missing.
Basic - Examines key factors within the internal and external
environment including the mission and strategic focus of the
organization, as well as the financial and cultural aspects of
your organization that should influence this philosophy.
Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.
Below Expectations - Attempts to examine key factors within
the internal and external environment including the mission and
strategic focus of the organization, as well as the financial and
cultural aspects of your organization that should influence this
philosophy; however, significant details are missing and/or
inaccurate.
Non-Performance - The examination of key factors within the
internal and external environment including the mission and
strategic focus of the organization, as well as the financial and
cultural aspects of your organization that should influence this
philosophy is either nonexistent or lacks the components
described in the assignment instructions.
Identifies the Key Factors That Should Contribute to the
Organization’s Development Based On the Proposed
Organizational Philosophy
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Accurately identifies relevant key factors that
should contribute to the organization’s development based on
your proposed organizational philosophy.
Proficient - Identifies the key factors that should contribute to

5. the organization’s development based on your proposed
organizational philosophy. Some key factors are missing or
some are not relevant.
Basic - Identifies the key factors that should contribute to the
organization’s development based on your proposed
organizational philosophy. Several key factors are missing
and/or are not relevant.
Below Expectations - Attempts to identify the key factors that
should contribute to the organization’s development based on
your proposed organizational philosophy; however, many of the
key factors are missing and/or are not relevant.
Non-Performance - The identification of the key factors that
should contribute to the organization’s development based on
your proposed organizational philosophy is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.25
Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and
organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and
grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to
understand.
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax
and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work
contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to
understand.
Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics,
such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few
errors which may slightly distract the reader.

6. Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of
syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written
work contains major errors which distract the reader.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: APA Formatting
Total: 0.25
Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently
throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper.
However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting
throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA
requirements.
Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA
formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout
difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Page Requirement
Total: 0.25
Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the
required number of correctly formatted pages.

7. Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the
required number of correctly formatted pages.
Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three
quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at
least one half of the required number of correctly formatted
pages.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Total: 0.25
Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of
scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support
ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited
correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to
support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and
cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support
ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the
reference page are used within the body of the assignment.
Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources
that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not
be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used
within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted
correctly.

8. Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the instructions.