Though studies abound for large organizations where use of the Balance Scorecard is quite common, literature focused
on the uses and limitations of the Balanced Scorecard in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is difficult to find. To help fill the gap, this study was conducted using one SME that failed in its attempt to implement the Balanced Scorecard with the goal of ascertaining the cause of the failure of the Balanced Scorecard. Data was collected for this study via interviews and researcher observations. Two in-depth interviews were conducted, one with the manager-owner and one with the employee who is directly responsible for the design and implementation of the Balanced Scorecard. The researcher also observed and facilitated the design and implementation of the Balanced Scorecard in the company over the same period. The results reveal that frequent change in strategy was a major factor leading to the failure of the Balanced Scorecard in SMEs.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the uses of performance measures in startup firms, including perceived importance and performance of those measures. Design/methodology/approachThe survey method is used in this study. Data are collected from founders/chief executive officers/managers of 110 startups in Thailand. The correlation analysis and analysis of variance techniques are used as the analysis tool in this study. FindingsThe results show that there is a positive relationship between the perceived importance and the performance of each metric. However, no significant differences are found in the importance and performance of each metric among the various stages of startups. Research limitations/implicationsBecause there are so few startups compared to large corporations, the sample size of this study is relatively small, which is a limitation for some statistical tests. Practical implicationsStartup should measure and monitor the correct metrics in a particular stage, instead of trying to perform well in all areas, which will lead them to lose focus, and possibly even fail. Results obtained from this study will aid startups in properly monitoring and managing their performance. Originality/valueUnlike large corporations, the performance measures used by startups vary, and depend on a startup’s stage and type. Because of the fact that there are much fewer startups than large corporations, there are a limited number of studies in this area. This research is among the first studies that try to investigate the uses of performance measure for this new type of organizations.

Purpose This study aims to develop and empirically test the balanced scorecard for public schools in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 3,351 public schools in Thailand. Structural equation modelling was used as a statistical tool to analyse the data. Findings The results showed that there are cause-and-effect relationships between students, internal processes and learning and growth perspectives in the balanced scorecard. Nevertheless, a relationship with the resources perspective was not found. Research limitations/implications The sampled schools in this study might be different from normal public schools because these schools get some support from the private sector. Thus, the generalisation of the findings should be made with caution. Practical implications The proposed balanced scorecard model that has been empirically tested in this study can be used in public schools to help manage their organisation. These schools can start with a generic model and modify it to suit their organisation. Originality/value Most of the studies on the application of the balanced scorecard for schools did not test the validity of the framework because of the lack of available data. This study was among the first to empirically test the relationships between perspectives in the balanced scorecard model for public schools. Additionally, the balanced scorecard can be a useful tool for non-managers who work in public schools.

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/ authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. SummaryPurpose -The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a strategy map on the quality of decision making.Design/methodology/approach -An experimental design is used in this study. A total of 24 participants were randomly assigned into two groups -a control group and a treatment group. Each participant completed two rounds of the experiment covering 24 decisions using a simulation game. The multiple regression technique is used as the analysis tool in this study.Findings -The results show that strategy maps do not affect the performance of participants' decision making. Research limitations/implications -This research employs the laboratory experimental design. Thus the external validity (the generalizability) is limited.Practical implications -Results obtained from this research suggest that a strategy map alone is not an effective tool to help managers make better decisions. More details, such as a correlation between strategic measures in the strategy map or guidelines for the use of the map, could help make a strategy map more useful.Originality/value -This study tests the cause and effect relationship between using a strategy map and the results of decisions made. Unlike many studies that employ the survey method in which confounding variables cannot be controlled, results from this experiment suggest that a simple strategy map alone does not improve the quality of decision making. This finding can thus be valuable to managers who are considering using a strategy map as a management tool.