Since the groundbreaking work of Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, the concept of the Balanced Scorecard has achieved increasing popularity in the business world. Previously, many organizations had built their business objectives around financial targets and goals that bore little relation to a long-term strategic vision. Typically, this leaves a gap between the development of a companys strategy and its implementation. The business scorecard, however, provides a more ‘balanced view by looking at not just-financial concerns, but also customers, internal business processes, and learning and growth. But it is not just a system of performance measurement — by focusing on future potential success it can be used as a dynamic management system that reinforces, implements and drives corporate strategy forward. In this book, the authors draw on their extensive experience with scorecard projects to provide a step-by-step method for introducing the Balanced Scorecard into an organization. This is done through the use of some of the most important practical examples in existence, with case studies from ABB, Coca Cola, Electrolux, British Telecom, Nat West, Skandia and Volvo. The desired strategic control system using scorecards that is presented focuses on creating and communicating a total comprehensive picture to all members of the organization from the top down, a long-term view of what the companys strategic objectives really are, how to make use of knowledge gained through experience and the required flexibility of such a system to cope with the fast-changing business environment. This book will provide senior and operational managers, consultants and business academics with a comprehensive view of emerging Balanced Scorecard practice supported by both business advice and a theoretical foundation. Reflections on the relations between the Balanced Scorecard and other areas, such as TQM, information systems and intellectual capital and knowledge management are also made.

The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action by Kaplan Robert S.
The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment by Kaplan, Robert S.
Strategy Maps: Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes by Norton, David

Highly Recommended!
Performance Drivers provides a comprehensive explanation of the balanced scorecard system, which is designed to help companies measure and improve their performance. More importantly perhaps, the book also includes an honest assessment of the balanced scorecard's shortcomings and weaknesses, along with suggestions on how you can improve the effectiveness of your own system and increase its chances of success. The writing tends to the dry, which might be a result of the translation from its original Swedish. Nevertheless, we from getAbstract strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the intricacies of the balanced scorecard.

This study presents practical guidence for the balanced scorecard applications in some areas like performance measures, management control, business strategy, strategy development, strategic planning, strategy implementation, knowledge management/information systems, intellectual capital and TQM. I highly recommend this excellent study to all executives who have strategic vision.

For a different point of view about the balanced scorecard applications see "Emotional Capital/Kevin Thomson".