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2014/2015  KAN-CASCO1004U  Performance Measurement and Incentives

English Title
Performance Measurement and Incentives

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Course period Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Allan Hansen - Department of Operations Management (OM)
Allan Hansen
Main academic disciplines
  • Economics, macro economics and managerial economics
Last updated on 04-07-2014
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to strengthen the student’s competence to design incentive systems in organizations. By building on the student’s knowledge of accounting as a tool for strategy implementation (obtained at the course Accounting and Control, 1. semester) this course advances the discussion of multi-dimensional performance measurement, target setting, evaluation and compensation which are all key issues in the provisions of incentives in organisations.

At the exam the students must be able to:
Explain, structure and combine the various concepts, issues and models related to performance measurement and incentives introduced at the course.
Identify and analyze problems related to the provision of incentives in firms by using the concepts and models from the course
Critically reflect upon various design solutions proposed by theories and models applied at the course.
Examination
Performance Measurement and Incentives:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral Exam
Individual or group exam Individual
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time With the listed preparation time: 20 Minutes
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Spring Term
Aids allowed to bring to the exam Limited aids, see the list below:
All books and notes laptops are permitted in the 20 minute preparation.
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content and structure

The course continues the analysis of strategic control systems in a transaction cost/agency theory perspective as introduced in the course ‘Accounting and Control’ and adds game theory as the basis for understanding, analysing and designing incentive systems. Key topics addressed at the course are:
Congruity and controllability of performance measures
Subjective and objective performance measures
Target setting
Intrinsic and extrinsic reward
Promotion versus pay-for-performance as incentive systems
High powered and low powered incentives
Control and trust
Teaching methods
Theoretical dialog lectures are mixed with exercises and cases. The lectures introduce concepts and models decisive for understanding incentive and measurement issues and outline their theoretical assumptions. Through cases and exercises students train the application of concepts, theories and models in order to design value creating incentive systems in organizations.
The teaching methods is through debate, case studies and a constant dialog between theory and practice

Development of individual and social skills (competencies)
Through debate and dialog the student will develop oral and presentation skills. Since case preparation and presentation is conducted in teams the students develop cooperative skills.
Expected literature

Indicative literature.
Selected chapters from Lazear & Gribbs: Personnel Economics in Practice, Wiley and Miller: Managerial Dilemmas, Cambridge University Press. Selected papers on Performance Measurement and Incentive Systems.
Last updated on 04-07-2014