Salary cost evaluation by means of non-homogeneous semi-Markov processes

A useful model for forecasting the future development of salary costs in a firm is presented in this paper. This problem is relevant in the field of pension funds and also when a company decides to change the structure of its workforce. In the latter case, it might be necessary to forecast future salary costs in the new organizational hierarchy. The problem is solved by means of a special kind of stochastic process. To be more precise, this paper presents a generalization of discrete time non-homogeneous semi-Markov processes and of the related reward process. This new stochastic process is able to take in account all the aspects of the problem.