Using a balanced scorecard to improve the financial perspective of an organisation : a case study of the Tshwane University of Technology Polokwane Campus

[摘要] The current trend in business is that the more rapidly customers are able to receive theservices they require; the better the organisation can perform. However, customers' needsare becoming progressively more complex due to the increased number of communicationchannels and ubiquitous business information. Serving today's informed customers withtraditional business methods have proven to be too difficult for organisations that are toorigid to change. Determining how to support business stakeholders effectively andefficiently, ranging from clients to shareholders can seem daunting; yet it does not have tobe.The major objective of this study was to use a balanced scorecard (BSC) to improve anorganisation's financial perspective. A case study of the Tshwane University of Technology(TUT) Polokwane campus in South Africa was used to inform the study. This study wasmotivated by the fact that, as much as the BSC is widely being used to align organisations'operations to its mission and objectives, many organisations in the developing world stilluse traditional financial performance measurement systems. Another motivation for thestudy resulted from the fact that despite the strategic positioning of the TUT Polokwanecampus in Limpopo province, the campus is still failing to attract potential students andhigh-calibre staff.The study modified the BSC for non-profit organisations (Kaplan & Norton, 2001) to comeup with a conceptual framework that suits the TUT Polokwane campus environment.Secondary and primary data were used. Secondary data was obtained by reviewingrelevant documentation that contributed to identifying key performance measures. Thesemeasures were used to develop the instrument for collecting primary data. Primary datawas analysed quantitatively. The results of the study showed that many of thequestionnaire items were good. Three of the six hypothesised relationships between thesix constructs and the improvement of the financial perspective were fully supported, whilethe other three were partially supported. Relevant modifications were made to themeasuring items and consequently, the BSC.The modified BSC that was a result of this study can be used as a reference framework byuniversities that wish to implement it within their settings. To the management of the TUTPolokwane campus this study will serve as a standard to set the business operationscongruent to the university's mission and vision. This study recommends that futureresearch should consider using longitudinal surveys since users' perception and customerneeds change as the business environment changes. The study also emphasised theneed for continuous review and modification of the resultant BSC that will be introduced atthe campus in order to cope with the ever-increasing changes in business andtechnological developments.

[发布机构] University of Pretoria