Assignment 3: Compensation at Microsoft

Review Microsoft’s compensation strategy using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet. Review the organization’s corporate strategy in its annual report. A link to Microsoft’s most current annual report is in the Microsoft Annual Report.

Read the following articles:

• The Dangers of Misclassifying "Employees": Microsoft Litigation Emphasizes Distinctions Between Employees and Nontraditional Workers
• Liquidity and employee options: An empirical examination of the Microsoft experience

Based on the information in the articles, the annual report and other research, write a 3–4 page paper in Word format following APA standards which includes the following:

• Prepare a table to present Microsoft’s compensation strategy on the following five factors: objectives, alignment, competitiveness, employee considerations, and management. Create your table in Word format.
• Compare Microsoft’s compensation strategy as detailed in the article with their corporate strategy as indicated in their annual report. What are the points of convergence and divergence in the corporate and compensation strategies?  Assess the alignment between Microsoft’s corporate objectives and its compensation strategy.

Write a 3–4-page paper in Word format and include your table. Apply APA standards for writing style to your work.

By the due date assigned, deliver your assignment to the Submissions Area.

     Assignment 3 Grading Criteria   Maximum Points    Prepared a table in MS Word which presented Microsoft’s compensation strategy based on the following five factors: objectives, alignment, competitiveness, employee considerations, and management.  30    Compared Microsoft’s compensation strategy as detailed in the article with their corporate strategy in their annual report. Explained the points of convergence and divergence in the corporate and compensation strategies.  30    Assessed the alignment between Microsoft’s corporate objectives and its compensation strategy based on the information in the article and the annual report.  30    Writing Craftsmanship, APA and Ethical Scholarship  10    Total:  100