Know-How Exchange : Student Questions

I recommend you contact "ASVP/ChrisB" (just click on his name to the right). He does a lot of work in scorecards and would be more than happy to post a reply. Just drop him a note.

Hello Clint!

Whew, this closed quick, but FWIW here's my input:

Typically Balanced Scorecard is based on four perspectives. And the Strategies are organised under several (usually 2, 3 or 4) Themes. The Strategies must first be MAPPED and linkages between strategies made clear. Sorting out you strategies into themes and perspectives can be somewhat time-consuming (I typically develop strategy maps with groups over 4 workshops, but it can be done much faster if you already have your strategy decided)

You can have a strategy map for a whole business, an SBU, a department, even for a project or single initiative if it's big enough.

Behind the Map you need METADATA, MEASURES, and ACTION PLANS (or tactical execution plans).

You can start anywhere in an organisation where you have a good understanding and work up or down. Scorecards can be cascaded down to individual employee level.

Balanced Scorecard is probably the clearest strategy implementation and performance management tool in the manager's toolbox. Why more people don't use it I don't know. Perhaps because there were many poor executions done in the '90's after the book came out and the big consultancies got on the bandwagon. Very few of them seem truly to understand it well enough to be let loose in an organisation. Or perhaps it's because it allows strategic performance to be measured, and maybe managers are worried about being judged on anything other than pure financial outcomes?

The point of Balanced Scorecard is it helps you get better outcomes because you can measure LEADING as well as LAGGING (i.e. Financial) INDICATORS.

So yes, Clint, you can use it to measure the Marketing Function, or any other function in a business, government or Not-for-profit.

I don't know the website Michele referred to, but you can find more at www.bscol.com and I can be reached for help at www.asvpconsulting.com.

Feel free to contact me if you want some help to implement.

Good Luck!

ChrisB