Module 1 – Case
THE BALANCED SCORECARD & THE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE
Assignment Overview
In this module’s case assignment you will be introduced to
the balanced scorecard concept and will begin to consider how organizations
link strategy with the balanced scorecard approach. We will look at the
interrelationship of strategy and the balanced scorecard approach in more depth
later on in this course. For now, however, it is good to understand the
fundamentals of the BSC and to consider examples of how organizations have
integrated the BSC approach into their daily operations in a fashion that reflects
the strategy of the respective organizations.
To prepare for this case assignment you are to start by
reading the required readings identified on the background page. You’ll note
that one of those articles includes:
Martello, M., Watson, J., & Fischer, M. (2008).
Implementing a balanced scorecard in a not-for-profit organization. Journal of
Business & Economics Research. 6(9), 67-80. Retrieved from
http://journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/JBER/article/view/2471/2517
This is the case study you will be evaluating for this
assignment. Note that there is an option to download the PDF file rather than
using the PDF viewer on this page. This may save you some aggravation.
After reading this article, formulate an argumentative essay
around the following thesis statement:
Cattaraugus County Rehabilitation Center did an effective
job of implementing a balanced scorecard approach in a fashion that reflects
their organizational mission and vision.
If you do not think
this thesis is accurate, you can argue that the Center did not do an effective
job.
Assignment Expectations
Your analysis should be structured in terms of the following
four perspectives (you will be using essentially this same comparative
evaluation framework for the first four modules of this course):
Introduction: In this part of your essay you will need to
set up your argument by introducing your topic and presenting your position or
thesis statement somewhere in this introductory paragraph.
Analysis: In this section you will present several arguments
arguing in favor of your thesis statement. Make sure you discuss how the Center
used the score card quadrants to align with organizational strategy (or how it
failed to do so).
Conclusion: Wrap up your argument with a clear and cogent
synopsis of your findings. Do your best to convince your reader (aka, your professor)
as to your position.
Additional Instructions: Your argumentative essay should be
3 to 4 pages in length (not counting your title page or references). You must
include a list of references. APA formatting is preferred. Do not paste in
sections of text into your essay. All of your work must be written in your own
words. It’s OK to use a short quote now and again, but quotations must be in
quotation marks and properly cited. In-text citations should be used anytime
you are borrowing somebody else’s ideas, or information. That is to say, if you
are borrowing a thought from a publication from G. Jetson’s article written in
2010, that section of text must be followed with (Jetson, 2010). Quotations,
data, and general ideas (put into your own words) should all be cited.
