Integrating the Data Envelopment Analysis and the Balanced Scorecard approaches for enhanced performance assessment

This article presents the development of a conceptual framework which aims to assess Decision Making Units (DMUs) from multiple perspectives. The proposed conceptual framework combines the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) method with the non-parametric technique known as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) by using various interconnected models which try to encapsulate four perspectives of performance (financial, customers, internal processes, learning and growth).The practical relevance of the conceptual model has been tested by using it to assess the performance of DMUs in a multinational company which operates in two business areas. Various models were developed with the collaboration of the directors of the company in order to conceive an appropriate and consensual framework, which may provide useful information for the company. The application of the conceptual framework provides structured information regarding the performance of each DMU (from multiple perspectives) and ways to improve it. By integrating the BSC and the DEA approaches this research helps to identify where there is room for improving organisational performance and points out opportunities for reciprocal learning between DMUs. In doing so, this article provides a set of recommendations relating to the successful application of DEA and its integration with the BSC, in order to promote a continuous learning process and to bring about improvements in performance.     

Implementing the Balanced Scorecard in Greece: A Software Firm’s Experience

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a relatively new approach to strategic management and performance measurement and control, which has generated substantial interest in the academic and industrial communities. This paper presents the experience from the implementation of a specific BSC model at a large software development company in Greece. The study illustrates and evaluates the main obstacles and shortcomings, as well as the critical success factors that characterise such BSC projects, while offering managerial insights and guidelines for similar implementations.     

Adapting for Innovation: Including Divestitures in the Debate

Existing literature argues that divested units are unwanted and poor performers - yet evidence suggests that companies do divest well performing units, and often retain a relationship with them, especially in the quest for innovation. This article presents an exploratory case study to examine how a company structures the divestiture of an innovative unit and how it can benefit from the innovation the unit generates. The analysis focuses on how an established company can use divestiture as a strategy to enhance the innovation of its units, and capture its value, by structuring, maintaining and nurturing a special relationship with the unbundled unit. Under new organizational arrangement, resources can be transferred from the parent to the unit, while the parent retains access to the innovation developed within the unit. This study proposes a framework that offers corporate change agents and strategists a new perspective on how to integrate innovation and corporate strategy.     

基于BSC和EVA整合战略管理的应用研究

战略管理是企业成功的关键所在。目前企业战略管理面临的一个最大问题是精心制定的战略无法得到有效的实施。本文引入平衡记分卡与经济增加值两个互补性很强的管理工具,运用层次分析法将其整合为公司全面的战略管理框架及其评价体系,以推动企业战略的成功实施。     

企业家战略--培育创新能力的企业内部战略

近几年来,在超强竞争背景下国外兴起的企业家战略,是公司努力将组织各个层次的员工培育为普遍具有企业家精神、思维和行动的战略,是努力将整个公司转变为能够发挥员工企业家精神的战略.企业家公司以异质的企业家人力资本和企业家智力资产持续创新,破坏均衡,产生竞争优势和显著的业绩.企业家战略理论研究的是公司如何获得具有创新、变革、远见卓识和承担风险的能力,是对正在兴起的内部战略理论的丰富和发展.企业家战略与核心能力理论互相补充,并且改变了某些传统的战略管理观念.     

Strategic performance measurement in a healthcare organisation: A multiple criteria approach based on balanced scorecard

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodology focuses on major critical issues of modern business organisations: the effective measurement of corporate performance and the evaluation of the successful implementation of corporate strategy. Despite the increased adoption of the BSC methodology by numerous business organisations during the last decade, limited case studies concern non-profit organisations (e.g. public sector, educational institutions, healthcare organisations, etc.). The main aim of this study is to present the development of a performance measurement system for public health care organisations, in the context of BSC methodology. The proposed approach considers the distinguished characteristics of the aforementioned sector (e.g. lack of competition, social character of organisations, etc.). The proposed measurement system contains the most important financial performance indicators, as well as non-financial performance indicators that are able to examine the quality of the provided services, the satisfaction of internal and external customers, the self-improvement system of the organisation and the ability of the organisation to adapt and change. These indicators play the role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), in the context of BSC methodology. The presented analysis is based on a MCDA approach, where the UTASTAR method is used in order to aggregate the marginal performance of KPIs. This approach is able to take into account the preferences of the management of the organisation regarding the achievement of the defined strategic objectives. The main results of the proposed approach refer to the evaluation of the overall scores for each one of the main dimensions of the BSC methodology (i.e. financial, customer, internal business process, and innovation-learning). These results are able to help the organisation to evaluate and revise its strategy, and generally to adopt modern management approaches in every day practise.     

Discussing feedback system thinking in relation to scenario evaluation in a balanced scorecard setup

Since the emergence of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) at the beginning of the 1990s, literature has intensively discussed the problems of the cause-and-effect relationships, the time-delay elements between measures and perspectives and the concepts of feedback loops. This article focuses on the use of the System Dynamics Modelling approach to deal with these three problems, an approach first suggested by Forrester back in 1958. The wide scope of application of BSC as a decision-supporting instrument continues to spur the interest in BSC. We have used an actual case as inspiration on which our model construction and our simulation scenarios are based. Our findings suggest that the idea of linking BSC and System Dynamics together based on properties of the systems dynamic nature seem to be both a natural and a relevant development. Furthermore, our simulations demonstrate the ability to: (1) provide a scheme for the translation of the strategy into operational terms and at the same time (2) offer possibilities for the decision maker to be able to evaluate the plan–do–review results based on the feedbacks, specifically in a risk evaluating context.     

基于经营绩效评价表的经营绩效评价体系

本文具体介绍了20世纪90年代在美国兴起,并迅速推广应用的企业经营绩效评估法——BSC(BalancedScorecard)法,并着重探讨了BSC法的核心与优势。BSC是建立在“综合平衡观”、“战略观”基础上的综合绩效评估体系,它除了传统的财务绩效衡量指标外,还融合了三类非财务绩效衡量指标,包括顾客导向、企业内部业务流程、学习创新与成长等长期性绩效指标。BSC突破了传统绩效评估的局限性,也超越了单纯的绩效评价功能,它把传统意义上的业绩评价还原于企业的竞争能力,把管理绩效和长远发展规律紧密联系起来,是对传统绩效评价观念与模式的一次重大改革。     

Coordinating business strategy and technical planning

Business managers face the decisions discussed in this article regularly. Without a systematic framework, the business context for these decisions is more difficult to establish and to communicate in a company. Where technology is the life-blood of the company, the strategic decision-makers can ill-afford to have the technological resources allocated in a suboptimal fashion. Nor can they afford a business strategy which does not recognize the implications of their technological assets. This article describes an approach to technological strategy formulation that has successfully achieved this.     

INNOVATION STRATEGY AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN MANUFACTURING COMPANIES: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

An innovation strategy for the manufacturing function covers four areas: a firm's desired innovation leadership orientation (i.e., being a leader versus being a follower), its level of emphasis on process and product innovation, its use of internal and external sources of innovations, and its intensity of investment in innovation. We examine two models of the association between manufacturing companies' innovation strategy and their financial performance. The first examines the variations in company financial performance as a function of the simultaneous effect of the dimensions of innovation strategy. The second is a sequential model that suggests a causal sequence among the dimensions of innovation strategy that may lead to higher performance. We used data from a sample of 149 manufacturing companies to test the models. The results (1) support the importance of innovation strategy as a determinant of company financial performance, (2) suggest that both models are appropriate for examining the associations between the dimensions of innovation strategy and company performance, and (3) show that the sequential model provides additional insights into the indirect contribution of the individual dimensions of innovation strategy to company performance. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results for managers.     

基于演化博弈的PPP项目绩效支付机制仿真与优化

PPP建设模式的关键核心之一是依绩效付费，绩效付费机制的科学合理性是PPP模式实施成功的保障。基于演化博弈理论及系统动力学研究PPP项目绩效支付机制，分析绩效监督机构与项目公司双方演化稳定均衡策略。研究发现存在三种演化稳定均衡策略，两种不稳定均衡策略。针对五种演化状态运用系统动力学对其进行仿真。仿真发现三种稳定均衡策略仿真结果与理论分析一致，两种不稳定均衡策略中的一种是不存在的均衡策略，另一种是呈规律波动的不稳定均衡策略。针对绩效支付机制中呈波动不稳定均衡策略，引入动态绩效支付进行优化，使其演化为稳定均衡策略。并理论验证了引入动态绩效支付使波动不稳定均衡策略变成稳定均衡策略的有效性。为政府有关部门设计及完善PPP项目绩效支付机制提供一定的参考。     

Strategic credibility—The basis of a strong share price

Strategic credibility has to do with how favourably key stakeholders view the strategic foundations of the firm. Does the company have a solid strategic capability? Is corporate strategy responsive to emerging opportunities, organizational goals and resources? Does the company have an effective strategic planning process? To be able to answer these questions affirmatively is important. To be able to convince key stakeholders that outstanding corporate performance is planned rather than accidental is even more significant. The company that utilizes corporate communication to create and sustain a positive strategic image is well on its way to achieving strategic credibility. A record of strategic effectiveness, when skillfully articulated to company stakeholders, can pay off in improved relations with the financial community, stockholders and company employees.     

CHANGING MANUFACTURING STRATEGY

This paper demonstrates an approach to successfully managing change of manufacturing strategy. It first introduces the issues and management guidelines, and then describes how one company used this approach to achieve dramatic benefits from changing its manufacturing strategy. A third part of the paper elaborates on how the company made the approach work.     

The limits of price leadership: needs-based positioning strategy and the long-term competitiveness of Europe’s low fare airlines

This article argues that a strategy of low operating costs and cheap prices is not sufficient in and of itself to establish long term competitive advantage for a growing company. Companies also need to leverage their distinctive corporate capabilities and unique experiences. In the case of service sector companies such as airlines, capabilities derive from the relationship which exists between the company, its employees, and its customers, as well as the reputation which is gradually established on the basis of reliability and quality of service. Unique experiences arise from the corporate culture and route network which an airline builds over time.     

Integrating the Content and Process of Strategic MIS Planning with Competitive Strategy*

This paper presents a framework that links strategic MIS planning and business strategy and relates it to competitive advantage and company performance. To achieve this objective, the paper first delineates the dimensions of strategic MIS planning, focusing on both content and process issues. The notion of fit within dimensions, between sets of dimensions (process and content), and between MIS planning and competitive strategy is also introduced. Next, employing the Miles-Snow typology of business strategy, the paper posits normative differences in the dimensions of strategic MIS planning along different business (or competitive) strategies. The implications of our study for both decision makers and scholars are discussed. Propositions that tie competitive strategy, strategic MIS planning, and company financial performance are then presented. The paper concludes by providing direction for future research.     

Corporate planning in an international environment

In any company, corporate planning centres on deciding what kind of business it should be in, and the philosophy which should govern its method of operation. When the company is an international one, then not only does its organisational structure require closer attention, but another dimension is added to its strategy—that of choosing the countries in which to operate. This article is concerned with two aspects of management: organization and control and the factors influencing the selection of a country for investment purposes.     

When Municipality is Partner in Business: A Mapping of Italian Experience

Municipal ownership of companies in Italy is a common phenomenon that underlines the attitude of local bodies towards the supply of particular local services, frequently with a correlation of public and private interests. This article addresses key features of the companies involved. The focus is on their location, legal status, spread of ownership, work, governance and economic performance, as a lead into more comprehensive future research on how municipal ownership can affect company performance and markets in different service areas and territories.     

The Ecological Footprint: A Metric for Corporate Sustainability

From a business perspective, one of the emerging debates is how can businesses contribute to the objectives of sustainable development. This article presents the ecological footprint accounting tool and demonstrates its usefulness in measuring and monitoring corporate sustainability. The application of the ecological footprint is based on a case study of the city of Liverpool whilst its usefulness to businesses is demonstrated with data available in the environmental reports of various companies. For companies, the ecological footprint is able to take a given environmental impact and through its methodology convert this impact into a land measurement (hectares). Once all environmental impacts are considered and measured, the ecological footprint becomes the total area of land required to support a company in terms of the resources they consume and the waste that they produce. An ecological footprint analysis can highlight how near or far a company is from being sustainable and identify those aspects that have the greatest ecological effect. The usefulness of the ecological footprint is the use of a land measurement that enables it to be readily and easily understood by all that have a vested interested in a company's environmental performance. The metaphorical resonance of the ecological footprint is seen as one of a number of powerful attributes.     

Shop floor characteristics influencing the use of advanced planning and scheduling systems

The purpose of this article is to investigate how the manufacturing process, the shop type and the data quality, i.e. the shop floor characteristics, influence the use of advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems in production activity and control (PAC). The methodology implemented is a multiple case study at three case companies. Each company has different shop floor characteristics, but all use a scheduling module in an APS system, which supports production scheduling. A theoretical framework is developed suggesting how APS system are used in the PAC activities, and which major aspect to consider. The case analysis shows that the scheduling module in APS system, foremost supports sequencing and dispatching. In particular, the shop type is influenced by the decision of how often the APS runs and what freedom is given to the shop floor. The manufacturing process influences how the dispatch list is created. Contrary to the literature presuming that APS systems are most suitable in job shop processes, it is found that the manufacturing process is not a crucial factor when deciding whether APS systems are an appropriate investment. It is found that the level of data quality needed in the APS system depends to a large extent on how the dispatch list is used. For example, is the dispatch list used as a guideline, not a regulation, the need for accurate data in the module is reduced. This article extends the previous literature concerning APS systems by analysing how APS systems influence PAC as a whole and increase the understanding of the challenges of using APS systems in PAC.     

The impact of corporate outsourcing on company value

Companies worldwide are expanding their use of outsourcing for services and products. This article appraises what is known about the impact of outsourcing on company value, and the emergent picture is not an unblemished one. Company managers frequently complain about the downsides, some companies have retrieved what they had sourced out, failures can be seen here and there, and the long-term potential consequences of outsourcing too much are yet to be seen. Still, the weight of the research evidence indicates that, when well designed and well managed, outsourcing reduces operating cost, enhances competitive strategy, and enlarges shareholder value.