Write a three-paragraph essay describing the value and benefits of using a balanced scorecard for management control. Compare and contrast the BSC approach to financial controls. Do you agree with Dana that the BSC approach is better than using financial controls alone

The Balanced Scorecard for Management Control

Dana's company can deploy the Balanced Scorecard as a strategic management control approach which views organizational performance from four broad perspectives that are all-embracing.  These perspectives include the  Financial Perspective, the Customer Perspective, the Internal Business-Process Perspective, and  the Learning and Growth Perspective. The aim is to ensure that control is not just about one aspect of the organization, but the whole, and a balance is struck by paying equal attention to the elements that make up an organization.

According to a well-known adage, "what you measure is what you get."  The BSC approach strategically and holistically measures an organization's performance by identifying all the factors that cause improved organizational outcomes.   Therefore, the benefits of using a balanced scorecard include improved internal capacity created by a focus on improving an organization's learning and growth through the Learning and Growth perspective.  This cascades to improved internal processes which result from the internal perspective.  With improved processes, customers and other stakeholders derive better and maximum satisfaction from the organization.  This does not end here.  Satisfied customers cause improved financial results, which are distributed to an organization's stakeholders, including the government in form of taxation, dividends for stockholders, and better pay for employees, etc. These stakeholders in turn try to add value to the organization with better processes and operations, improved financing, and business opportunities.

Looking at the value package of BSC, I agree with Dana that the BSC approach is better than using only financial controls alone.  While financial controls are at the very core of resource management and operational efficiency in any organization, they do not represent the whole picture of management control.  They are the endgames and not the starting strategies for a winning organization.

Explanation:

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) utilizes a 360 degree approach to achieve effective control of resources toward attaining goals by viewing organizational performance from four broad perspectives, which cover all aspects of any organization.  The four perspectives that BSC uses are the  Financial Perspective, the Customer Perspective, the Internal Business- Process Perspective, and  the Learning and Growth Perspective.  By approaching performance evaluation and management with these perspectives, the Balanced Scorecard is able to achieve all-round management control because no aspect of the organization is left behind.

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