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

Paul R. Niven (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0471780499 | ISBN-13: 978-0471780496 | Edition: 2

PRAISE FOR Balanced Scorecard Step-By-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results, Second Edition

"As a practitioner and thought leader, Paul Niven is superbly bridging the gulf between BSC theory and application through hands-on experiences and real-world case studies. The book provides a practical road map, step-by-step, to plan, execute, and sustain a winning scorecard campaign. Easy to read . . . tells a powerful story with lessons learned/best practices from global customer implementations. Must-read for anyone interested in BSC or grappling with how to create a strategically aligned organization."
—Vik Torpunuri, President and CEO, e2e Analytix

"In Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step, Second Edition, Paul Niven provides an intuitive and incredibly effective blueprint for transitioning strategic ambition to execution. Paul's pragmatic approach provides leaders with a tool for managing a company's journey from strategic ideas to world-class performance. The Balanced Scorecard is a masterful tool for guiding companies through transformation, and I speak from personal experience when I say Paul's blueprint works! It is the most effective guide I have seen. Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step will serve any leader well if their ambition is to efficiently engage their teams in achieving a set of strategic goals."
—Allan A. MacDonald, Vice President, Sales and Customer Solutions Bell Canada National Markets

"Paul Niven has done it again!!! With this book, he has further operationalized the enlightened Balanced Scorecard concept into a fully functional system that optimizes business execution and performance!"
—Barton Johnson, President, Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation, The Reverse Mortgage Specialist

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) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Organizations worldwide have employed the Balanced Scorecard and yielded swift benefits—including increased financial returns, greater employee alignment with overall goals, improved collaboration, and an unrelenting focus on strategy, to name just a few—from this revolutionary methodology. Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step, Second Edition enables your organization to reap these rewards with a strategy-focused plan including steps on: determining your guiding rationale for using the scorecard; testing your mission; building a strategy map; developing measures and targets; placing the scorecard at the center of your management system; and sustaining your success.

Updated and enhanced with the latest Balanced Scorecard topics, this influential book empowers your organization to turn strategy into performance at every organizational level and translate your intangible resources, such as innovation, customer relationships, and intellectual capital, into real value. The Second Edition of Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step includes updated case studies as well as new and expanded coverage on:

• Strategy maps, the powerful communication tools that convey to the entire workforce (and beyond) what is most critical in executing the organization's strategy
• The linkage between the Balanced Scorecard and corporate governance
• The critical importance of "strategy-centered" management meetings
• The emerging trend of the Office of Strategy Management
• The latest trends in Balanced Scorecard implementation methodology
• Post-implementation guidance

Sharing his extensive experience in developing Balanced Scorecards for Fortune 500, public sector, and not-for-profit organizations, Paul Niven takes you 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. Whether you are a CEO, CFO, CIO, a vice president, a division or department manager, or a business consultant, Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step, Second Edition allows you to efficiently execute your organization's strategy and successfully compete in today's business environment.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471780499
• ISBN-13: 978-0471780496
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,247 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!