Balanced Scorecard Basics
The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals. It was originated by Drs. Robert Kaplan (Harvard Business School) and David Norton as a performance measurement framework that added strategic non-financial performance measures to traditional financial metrics to give managers and executives a more 'balanced' view of organizational performance. While the phrase balanced scorecard was coined in the early 1990s, the roots of the this type of approach are deep, and include the pioneering work of General Electric on performance measurement reporting in the 1950’s and the work of French process engineers (who created the Tableau de Bord – literally, a "dashboard" of performance measures) in the early part of the 20th century.
The balanced scorecard has evolved from its early use as a simple performance measurement framework to a full strategic planning and management system. The “new” balanced scorecard transforms an organization’s strategic plan from an attractive but passive document into the "marching orders" for the organization on a daily basis. It provides a framework that not only provides performance measurements, but helps planners identify what should be done and measured. It enables executives to truly execute their strategies.
This new approach to strategic management was first detailed in a series of articles and books by Drs. Kaplan and Norton. Recognizing some of the weaknesses and vagueness of previous management approaches, the balanced scorecard approach provides a clear prescription as to what companies should measure in order to 'balance' the financial perspective. The balanced scorecard is a management system (not only a measurement system) that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. It provides feedback around both the internal business processes and external outcomes in order to continuously improve strategic performance and results. When fully deployed, the balanced scorecard transforms strategic planning from an academic exercise into the nerve center of an enterprise.
Kaplan and Norton describe the innovation of the balanced scorecard as follows:
"The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures. But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation."
(Adapted from The Balanced Scorecard by Kaplan & Norton)
Perspectives
The balanced scorecard suggests that we view the organization from four perspectives, and to develop metrics, collect data and analyze it relative to each of these perspectives:
The Learning & Growth Perspective
This perspective includes employee training and corporate cultural attitudes related to both individual and corporate self-improvement. In a knowledge-worker organization, people -- the only repository of knowledge -- are the main resource. In the current climate of rapid technological change, it is becoming necessary for knowledge workers to be in a continuous learning mode. Metrics can be put into place to guide managers in focusing training funds where they can help the most. In any case, learning and growth constitute the essential foundation for success of any knowledge-worker organization.
Kaplan and Norton emphasize that 'learning' is more than 'training'; it also includes things like mentors and tutors within the organization, as well as that ease of communication among workers that allows them to readily get help on a problem when it is needed. It also includes technological tools; what the Baldrige criteria call "high performance work systems."
The Business Process Perspective
This perspective refers to internal business processes. Metrics based on this perspective allow the managers to know how well their business is running, and whether its products and services conform to customer requirements (the mission). These metrics have to be carefully designed by those who know these processes most intimately; with our unique missions these are not something that can be developed by outside consultants.
The Customer Perspective
Recent management philosophy has shown an increasing realization of the importance of customer focus and customer satisfaction in any business. These are leading indicators: if customers are not satisfied, they will eventually find other suppliers that will meet their needs. Poor performance from this perspective is thus a leading indicator of future decline, even though the current financial picture may look good.
In developing metrics for satisfaction, customers should be analyzed in terms of kinds of customers and the kinds of processes for which we are providing a product or service to those customer groups.
The Financial Perspective
Kaplan and Norton do not disregard the traditional need for financial data. Timely and accurate funding data will always be a priority, and managers will do whatever necessary to provide it. In fact, often there is more than enough handling and processing of financial data. With the implementation of a corporate database, it is hoped that more of the processing can be centralized and automated. But the point is that the current emphasis on financials leads to the "unbalanced" situation with regard to other perspectives. There is perhaps a need to include additional financial-related data, such as risk assessment and cost-benefit data, in this category.
Strategy Mapping
Strategy maps are communication tools used to tell a story of how value is created for the organization. They show a logical, step-by-step connection between strategic objectives (shown as ovals on the map) in the form of a cause-and-effect chain. Generally speaking, improving performance in the objectives found in the Learning & Growth perspective (the bottom row) enables the organization to improve its Internal Process perspective Objectives (the next row up), which in turn enables the organization to create desirable results in the Customer and Financial perspectives (the top two rows).
Balanced Scorecard Software
The balanced scorecard is not a piece of software. Unfortunately, many people believe that implementing software amounts to implementing a balanced scorecard. Once a scorecard has been developed and implemented, however, performance management software can be used to get the right performance information to the right people at the right time. Automation adds structure and discipline to implementing the Balanced Scorecard system, helps transform disparate corporate data into information and knowledge, and helps communicate performance information.
Benefits of Implementing Balanced Scorecard
Increase focus on strategy and results
Improve organizational performance by measuring what matters
Align organization strategy with the work people do on a day-to-day basis
Focus on the drivers of future performance
Improve communication of the organization’s Vision and Strategy
Prioritize Projects / Initiatives
Return on investment is an important consideration before investing a significant amount of money to build and implement a new strategic management system.
What are the Primary Implementation Success Factors?
What are the Primary Implementation Success Factors?
Obtaining executive sponsorship and commitment
Involving a broad base of leaders, managers and employees in scorecard development
Agreeing on terminology
Choosing the right BSC Program Champion
Beginning interactive (two-way) communication first
Working through mission, vision, strategic results, and strategy mapping first to avoid rushing to judgement on measures or software
Viewing the scorecard as a long-term journey rather than a short-term project
Planning for and managing change
Applying a disciplined implementation framework
Getting outside help if needed
Definitions of Balanced Scorecard Strategic Planning & Management Terms
Customer Value Proposition
The Customer Value Proposition is the unique added value an organization offers customers through its operations; the logical link between action and payoff that the organization must create to be effective. Three aspects of the proposition include Product/Service Attributes (Performance/ Functionality considerations such as quality, timeliness or price), Image and Relationship.
Mission
A mission statement defines why an organization exists; the organization's purpose
Performance Measures
Performance Measures are metrics used to provide an analytical basis for decision making and to focus attention on what matters most. Performance Measures answer the question, 'How is the organization doing at the job of meeting its Strategic Objectives?'
Lagging indicators are those that show how successful the organization was in achieving desired outcomes in the past. Leading indicators are those that are a precursor of future success; performance drivers.
Perspectives
A Perspective is a view of an organization from a specific vantage point. Four basic perspectives are traditionally used to encompass an organization's activities. The organization's business model, which encompasses mission, vision, and strategy, determine the appropriate perspectives.
Strategic Initiatives
Strategic Initiatives are programs or projects that turn strategy into operational terms and actionable items, provide an analytical underpinning for decisions, and provide a structured way to prioritize projects according to strategic impact.
Strategic Initiatives answer the question, ‘What strategic projects must the organization implement to meet its Strategic Objectives?’
Strategic Objectives
Objectives are strategy components; continuous improvement activities that must be done to be successful. Objectives are the building blocks of strategy and define the organization's strategic intent. Good objectives are action-oriented statements, are easy to understand, represent continuous improvement potential and are usually not 'on-off' projects or activities.
Strategic Result
Strategic results are the desired outcome for the main focus areas of the business. Each Strategic Theme has a corresponding Strategic Result.
Strategic Theme
Strategic Themes are key areas in which an organization must excel in order to achieve its mission and vision, and deliver value to customers. Strategic Themes are the organization's "Pillars of Excellence."
Strategy Map
A Strategy Map displays the cause-effect relationships among the objectives that make up a strategy. A good Strategy Map tells a story of how value is created for the business.
Strategy
How an organization intends to accomplish its vision; an approach, or “game plan”.
Targets
Desired levels of performance for performance measures
Vision
A vision statement is an organization's picture of future success; where it wants to be in the future
