Compensation data prediction

Abstract

A method of predicting compensation data includes obtaining compensation data, associated with a job category, with at least one datum being associated with each of a plurality of characteristics associated with the job category, determining values of factors, associated with respective ones of the characteristics, and a base value that when used as operands of a function yield estimates of the obtained data such that relationships between the estimates and corresponding obtained compensation data satisfy at least one criterion, and using a portion of the values of factors and the base value by a computer to automatically obtain estimates of compensation data.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method of predicting compensation data, comprising:
 determining, for each of a plurality of characteristics associated with a first job category, a training factor and a value associated with the training factor;   determining a base value for the job category;   identifying a function satisfying at least one criterion, the function uses the base value, and the values of the training factors to estimate compensation data; and   automatically generating, using a computer hardware system, estimated compensation data using the function, the base value, and at least a portion of the values of the training factors.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein
 a value of a first training factor is dependent upon a value of a second training factor.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein
 a value of a first training factor is dependent upon both a value of a second training factor and a value of a third training factor.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining, for each of a plurality of characteristics associated with a second job category, a training factor and a value associated with the training factor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining a training factor between the first job category and the second job category and a value associated with the training factor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 generating reference data using the estimated compensation data and the values of factors, wherein   the base value is determined using an aggregation of the reference data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 comparing the estimated compensation data with collected data; and   adjusting, based upon the comparison, at least a portion of the values of the training factors.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 repeating the automatically generating the estimated compensation data using the portion of the values of the training factors having been adjusted.   
     
     
         13 . A computer hardware system configured to predict compensation data, comprising:
 at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to initiate and/or perform:
 determining, for each of a plurality of characteristics associated with a first job category, a training factor and a value associated with the training factor; 
 determining a base value for the job category; 
 identifying a function satisfying at least one criterion, the function uses the base value, and the values of the training factors to estimate compensation data; and 
 automatically generating estimated compensation data using the function, the base value, and at least a portion of the values of the training factors. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein
 a value of a first training factor is dependent upon a value of a second training factor.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein
 a value of a first training factor is dependent upon both a value of a second training factor and a value of a third training factor.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:
 determining, for each of a plurality of characteristics associated with a second job category, a training factor and a value associated with the training factor.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:
 determining a training factor between the first job category and the second job category and a value associated with the training factor.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:
 generating reference data using the estimated compensation data and the values of factors, wherein   the base value is determined using an aggregation of the reference data.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:
 comparing the estimated compensation data with collected data; and   adjusting, based upon the comparison, at least a portion of the values of the training factors.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:
 repeating the automatically generating the estimated compensation data using the portion of the values of the training factors having been adjusted.   
     
     
         21 . A method of predicting compensation data, comprising:
 obtaining compensation data, associated with a job category, with at least one datum being associated with each of a plurality of characteristics associated with the job category;   determining values of factors, associated with respective ones of the characteristics, and a base value that when used as operands of a function yield estimates of the obtained data such that relationships between the estimates and corresponding obtained compensation data satisfy at least one criterion; and   automatically obtaining, using a computer, estimates of the compensation data using a portion of the values of factors and the base value.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein
 the estimates of compensation data are obtained using each combination of values of factors for which values are determined.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 deriving reference data using the obtained compensation data and the values of factors; and   aggregating the reference data to determine the base value.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein
 the aggregating includes averaging the reference data.