The Balanced Scorecard and Class Success: A Classroom Exercise for Developing Awareness of the Challenges to Successful Balanced Scorecard Implementation

Abstract

This paper presents a description and discussion of a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) classroom project that has been used to enhance student understanding of the development and validation of a BSC. The project requires students to develop a BSC to be utilized in monitoring academic success in a cost accounting class. The students are required to identify strategies, develop measures, create a strategy map and collect data associated with their BSC for academic success. Students are then required to evaluate the BSC based on data collected and offer explanations related to the strengths and weaknesses of the BSC that has been developed. The project results in students increased understanding of the complexities associated with the development of a BSC and the role of a strategy map in BSC design and validation.