Calendars $$R$$ Us Ltd$.$ is a small firm that manufactures yearly calendars with a specific focus on middle and high schools in Alberta. They started operations back in $2006$ with just $12$ employees, two machines, and a small warehouse that served as an office and production and storage facilities. Today, Calendars $$R$$ Us has roughly $60$ employees and supplies its calendars to most middle and high schools in Alberta. When employees join they are paid based on their relationship with the owners. Given the rapid growth in its staff complement, and the arbitrary way in which it normally compensates employees, payroll has proven to be quite a challenge for the company as management looks to expand into other provinces.

Refer to Scenario $9\mathrm{.}2.$ Calendars $$R$$ Us wants to develop a set of compensation policies that are internally fair. Which of the following is helpful in making this decision?

a$.$ market surveys

b$.$ global comparisons of pay

c$.$ external competition

d$.$ job evaluation