"Realizing corporate vision through balanced scorecards" Date: May 28, 2015 Level: Bachelor thesis in Business Administration, 15 ECTS Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors: Roman Alam Olof Hällman July 2, 1987 May 11, 1989 Title: Realizing corporate vision through balanced scorecards Supervisor: Magnus Hoppe Keywords: Balanced scorecards, corporate vision, key performance indicators, performance measurement, strategy. Research question: Why are balanced scorecards implemented and how are they adapted and developed? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe what reasons companies claim for implementing balanced scorecards and how these companies adapt and develop the scorecards. Method: To conduct a qualitative research, a literature review, a case study and interviews were carried out to draw the conclusions of the thesis. Conclusion: The study identified industry-, business- and organization-specific adaptations of the balanced scorecard as a performance measurement tool to link strategy and corporate vision to future decisions and actions.

Companies that want to compete in the actual business environment need to be innovative. The shortening of product life cycles and the increasing competition force the companies to successfully come up with new ideas. In previous research some quantitative studies have been done on small companies using design management, notably in Italy and Spain. Sweden is both known for its small companies and its design. The purpose of the study is to explore design management in small Swedish companies.  This thesis aims to continue exploring the field of design management especially in small companies. We outline the following research questions: “How do small companies using design management generate their ideas?” and “How do small companies using design management select their ideas?”. To find an answer, we reviewed relevant literature concerning this topic and based on this we developed a theoretical frame including our own research platform.  Concerning our methodological approach, we choose the abductive approach since it enables us answering our research questions by extending our theoretical framework for this complex topic. Our research strategy is a qualitative study and our research design is a multiple case study using semi-structured interviews.  Our empirical findings consist of four interviews divided in two sets. The interviews were conducted in London, Gothenburg and Skellefteå. The first set of interviews addressed design management consultancies with the aim to have an overview of how small companies generate and select their ideas. The second set of interviews addressed small companies in Northern Sweden. Our findings are a synthesis of the broad view of the consultants and the case specific views of the small companies’ managers.  From these interviews, we have concluded that the design management knowledge in Swedish small companies varies and is rather rare. Nevertheless, small companies can follow design management principles without knowing the term design management (what we call silent design management). Also, the small companies we have interviewed do not use always their network to innovate but also sometimes innovate to maintain and develop their network, even ending sometimes with a joint venture with external partners. Relationships between external partners and small companies’ representatives are consequently a very important factor while finding and selecting ideas. We have analyzed design as a strategic tool and design management as a way to have a long-term strategy. We have deduced from our interviews that design management can be considered as a dynamic capability, acquired in our cases by a corporate culture or internal processes. The design process seems to be more iterative in small companies because they seem to guess more and less estimate their expected outcomes. However, a clear vision streamlines the design process, especially in small companies using design management.  We gladly recommend further research in this field, to check if the results of our research are generalizable or to look for new research gaps.

This investigation examines the management concept of corporate vision in organisations. The study includes an investigation of the etymology and definitions of vision, and considers existing views of its application in management theory. Research was carried out into the foundation of independent voluntary hospices in Britain, using case studies, interviews, hospice histories, and a questionnaire survey. Information was obtained from 11 case studies and from questionnaires responses of 140 founders of seventy-two separate hospices. The principal finding is that corporate vision is a valid concept in organisations, and a definition of successful corporate vision is derived from the evidence obtained. The content of successful vision was shown to admit detailed analysis, and a feasibility test was devised which was then applied to a number of projects. The feasibility test showed a clear correlation between feasibility scoring and project time to completion. It is also shown that there are several common elements between hospice visions and the activity of a small number of successful visionary individuals both in business and charitable work. A relationship is demonstrated between leadership and corporate vision which shows that the leader is subordinate to the vision. Team structure and behaviour in hospice founding groups is shown to be at variance with those commonly found in business organisations. Hospice founders do not appear to use relative measures either for progress or success, and accept substantial changes to financial targets largely without concern. The only common factor related to failure of hospice projects is shown to be visions that were defective at the outset, in that they were not shared. The context of corporate vision is considered, and it is concluded that corporate vision as a concept is not necessarily applicable to all types of organisation.