Measures under pressure - Applicable types of performance measurements for strategy implementation at KappAhl and Skandia AFS

Abstract

In today's business environment concepts such as stakeholder value and service management have become extremely important to satisfy employees, customers and shareholders. This thesis focuses on how service companies can use different performance measurements for management control purposes to identify what types of measures are most applicable for strategy implementation. The research gets investigated from several different perspectives: consultants, academics, and case companies. The theoretical framework is adopted as a model for combining concepts of performance- and service management, while the empirical study encompasses KappAhl and Skandia AFS performance measurement systems. The emphasis is put on different types of performance measurements from a matrix point of view, which besides the three research perspectives explores the best practice (theory), the actual use (empirical) and applicability (analysis) in order to obtain high quality outcome. The basis for monitoring performance in the case companies has been based upon the Balanced Scorecard concept as being the most well-known performance measurement system. This thesis identifies not only what variables create real shareholder value, but also what types of measures deliver sustained future success to service organisations in general.