Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results [Hardcover]

Paul R. Niven (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0471078727 | ISBN-13: 978-0471078722 | Edition: 1st

This book explains how an organization can measure and manage performance with the Balanced Scorecard methodology. It provides extensive background on performance management and the Balanced Scorecard, and focuses on guiding a team through the step-by-step development and ongoing implementation of a Balanced Scorecard system. Corporations, public sector agencies, and not for profit organizations have all reaped success from the Balanced Scorecard. This book supplies detailed implementation advice that is readily applied to any and all of these organization types. Additionally, it will benefit organizations at any stage of Balanced Scorecard development. Regardless of whether you are just contemplating a Balanced Scorecard, require assistance in linking their current Scorecard to management processes, or need a review of their past measurement efforts, Balanced Scorecard Step by Step provides detailed advice and proven solutions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Paul Niven's latest book Balanced Scorecard Step by Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results was written to fill the considerable void that exists between Balanced Scorecard theory and application" (BetterManagement.com, March 2002)

From the Inside Flap

Balanced Scorecard
Step-by-Step:
Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results

The information age is upon us. This new era of globalization, unprecedented customer knowledge, and instant communication has significant implications for the measurement systems modern organizations use to track their course. Financial numbers alone can no longer tell the complete story of what is necessary to transform powerful intangible assets such as innovation and human capital into real value. The Balanced Scorecard has emerged as the preeminent tool in helping thousands of organizations translate strategy, align employee action, and harness the power of today's value-creating intellectual assets.

Hailed as one of the seventy-five most influential business ideas of the twentieth century, the Balanced Scorecard is a proven methodology for organizational success as evidenced by its extensive and successful use around the globe. This remarkable tool provides the crucial link in turning strategy into action at every level of the organization and translates all-important intangible assets such as intellectual capital, customer relationships, and innovation into real value.

The profoundly simple, yet disciplined approach of the Balanced Scorecard allows an organization to execute its strategy and balance the historical accuracy and integrity of financial numbers with the drivers of future success by developing performance measures in four interrelated perspectives: financial, customer, internal processes, and employee learning and growth. Used as a strategic management system, the Balanced Scorecard provides real-time learning about an organization's strategy and what is necessary to successfully compete in today's business environment.

Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step presents detailed, real-world advice on how any organization-regardless of size or structure-can develop a winning performance management system. This practical and comprehensive resource guides the reader through the complete Balanced Scorecard journey, from creating powerful new performance measures that drive the execution of your strategy to the tools necessary to make the Scorecard the cornerstone of your management processes.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 334 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (March 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471078727
• ISBN-13: 978-0471078722
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #561,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

PAUL R. NIVEN is an author, management consultant (The Senalosa Group), and noted speaker on the subjects of strategy formation and execution. As both a practitioner and consultant he has developed successful Performance Management systems for clients large and small in a wide variety of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, public sector, and nonprofit agencies. His most recent book is "Road Maps and Revelations," a business fable designed to help organizations develop simple yet powerful strategic plans. In August 2006 the second edition of Paul's book "Balanced Scorecard Step by Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results" was released. The first edition of this text has been translated in over fifteen languages around the globe. Paul's other books include "Balanced Scorecard Step by Step for Governments and Nonprofits" second edition released by John Wiley & Sons in April 2008, and "Balanced Scorecard Diagnostics" which was released in April, 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should Charge $250,000 Or More For This Book..., June 18, 2003

By 

Robert G. Barnwell "Robert G. Barnwell" (New York City) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results (Hardcover)

This book gives you the power to say "Thank you, but no thank you" to the legions of high-priced consultants (like myself) who offer to help design, establish and implement your company's balanced scorecard.

While Robert Kaplan did write the introduction, he and Norton must be very dissappointed that they didn't write this book -- I'm certainly sorry that I didn't write it. Author Paul R. Niven provides all the tools, methodologies and steps necessary to create and execute your own balanced scorecard. He's held nothing back. It's all here. Whether you lead a local non-profit or are the CEO of a Fortune Global 500 corporation (like my clients), Niven has provided detailed step-by-step instructions for both of the key phases of the balanced scorecard project:

I. Planning Stage:
Step One: Develop objectives
Step Two: Determine appropriate organizational unit(s).
Step Three: Gain executive sponsorship.
Step Four: Build your balanced scorecard team.

Step Five: Formulate your project plan.
Step Six: Develop a communication plan.

II. Development Stage:
Step One: Gather and distribute background material.
Step Two: Develop mission, values, vision, and strategy.
Step Three: Conduct extensive interviews.
Step Four: Develop objectives and measures.
Step Five: Develop cause-and-effet linkages.
Step Six: Establish targest for your measures.
Step Seven: Develop the implementation plan.

This book is fantastic. In fact, I'm thinking about placing a bulk order for the book to give to all my clients. On second thought, why give away all the "secrets?" Seriously, this is one of the best business and management books I've read this year. Overall grade: AAA+++/Highly Recommended.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!, June 4, 2002

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results (Hardcover)

In Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step, Paul R. Niven expands upon the balanced scorecard methodology he originally developed with Dave Norton 10 years earlier. Balanced Scorecard is designed to focus an entire organization on implementing and improving its strategy. In this book, Niven puts the Balanced Scorecard approach into practice, focusing on the details of implementation and the role of leadership in establishing and maintaining the program. We from getAbstract recommend this book for any executive looking for nuts-and-bolts knowledge about a performance measurement system that grew into a comprehensive management philosophy.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maximizing Scorecard Results, March 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results (Hardcover)

As a recently retired Bank Executive, I have to say that I wish this book had been published when I was still working, as it would have helped me and others at the Bank in developing a better understanding on how to obtain ALL of the benefits of the scorecard process. It's clear to me after reading Niven's book that we really didn't do a thorough job of implementing the Scorecard process, yet interestingly enough, we managed to enjoy many benefits which otherwise would have alluded us! We didn't use any outside expertise to assist us with installing the system and I think, in retrospect, this may have been a mistake. Niven's book is very well written and I was impressed with the many sources he referenced. The book can be of considerable value to those contemplating the implementation of the Scorecard as well as those who are using it now but are unsure of how well they've done in implementing amd maintaining it. Niven's approach to explaining all aspects of the process makes for easy reading to the layman. A must read for all executives!