To provide a management system that was better at dealing with today's business pace and to provide business managers with the information they need to make better decisions, Kaplan and Norton developed the Balanced Scorecard.
Note that the Balanced Scorecard is a management system — not a measurement system. Yes, measurement is a key aspect of the Balanced Scorecard, but it is much more than just measurement; it is a means to setting and achieving the strategic goals and objectives for your organization.
So, what is the Balanced Scorecard? In short, it's a management system that enables your organization to set, track, and achieve its key business strategies and objectives. After the business strategies are developed, they are deployed and tracked through the Four Legs of the Balanced Scorecard. These four legs comprise four distinct business perspectives: The Customer Leg, the Financial Leg, the Internal Business Process Leg, and the Knowledge, Education, and Growth Leg. These four legs of the Balanced Scorecard are necessary for today's business executives and managers to be able to plan, implement, and achieve their business strategies:
Customer Leg: Measures your customers' satisfaction and their performance requirements — for your organization and what it delivers, whether it's products or services. Financial Leg: Tracks