Hi Marek,
Some thoughts to share with the SD community about my experience with
the BSC and SD modelling.
You obviously know about the Harvard Business School Balanced
Scorecard CDROM which uses a management flight simulator as the front
end to an underlying systems dynamics model. There have been two
versions published (both developed by HPSInc.). Version 1.0 has a
more detailed SD model than version 2.0 of the CDROM and I have to
say a far better description of the underlying SD model. (From some
earlier reading I suspect the model is probably based on a "real
life" consulting assignment of HPSInc or Norton and Kaplan).
I have used both versions for teaching the Balanced Scorecard to
executives in a large Asian conglomerate. By themselves the CDROMs
can be very frustrating to learn from. However, properly facilitated
(as a strategic management tool) with relevant presentations and
guided use of the CDROM, this is a fun experience for participants.
The only problem is that we get to the SD model only at the end of
the program, not at the beginning. Interestingly, this only whets
their appetite to learn more about SD because they see the usefulness
of modelling!
Which brings me to the pointy part of your query; SD models and
simulators are not easy to introduce as part of the information
system. Firstly, executives have to be led to understanding that
proper modelling of their business is an important shared view of how
their business works. Secondly, the Balanced Scorecard can be used
in many different ways in reality and there are many different ways
of implementing it. (In this one company, I have seen the BSC
implemented as a an executive compensation system and as a business
performance reporting tool but not as a business planning tool yet).
Not once yet have I seen people using SD to develop their business
model prior (or even after) developing their BSC.
You may want to contact Nils-Goran Olve, Jan Roy and Magnus Wetter
from CEPRO Management Consultants in Sweden who have written a book
called "Performance Drivers: A Practical Guide to Using the Balanced
Scorecard" published by Wiley (1999) for information on what they
have done with clients.
You may also want to contacy HPSInc. as they have run at least on BSC
Workshop using the SD methodology with real clients.
Hope thats useful information.
Regards,
Lambros Karavis.
Karavis & Associates
5/101 Beleura Hill Rd.
Mornington VIC 3931
Australia
Phone: (+61) 414 997 997
Fax/Voice Mail: (+61) 3 9923 6999
eMail:
lkaravis@karavis.com