Two Faces Of Janus: A Critical Perspective On The Balanced Scorecard

Bugünlerde, danışmanlık firmaları, yönetim guruları, işletme okulları ve popular basın gibi yönetim bilgisi üretim ve tüketim süreçlerinin arz tarafında saf tutan aktörler sayısız yönetsel aracı, baş döndürücü bir süratte icat etmekte ve yaymaktadırlar. Bu yönetim bilgisinin örgütlerce hiçbir suale lüzum görülmeden, takıntılı bir davranışla benimsenmesi iki ana sakınca doğurabilmektedir. Birincisi, bu araçları her türlü yönetsel sıkıntıya merhem olacak bir ilaç gibi algılayan ve onların ana felsefelerini idrak edemeyen bilginin kullanıcıları, bu yönetim bilgilerinden umdukları ölçüde fayda sağlayamayabilir ve kıt kaynaklarını sorumsuzca heba edebilirler. İkincisi, sıklıkla mutlak anlamda eleştiriyi hak etmeyen yönetsel araçlar, örgütlerin yanlış tercihlerinden ötürü “yönetim modası” hüviyeti ve nihayetinde kötü bir şöhret kazanabilirler. Bu durum, tekniklerin kimi müspet özelliklerinin de gözden kaçırılmasına neden olabilir. Bu çalışmada son 20 yılın en kayda değer yönetsel yeniliklerinden bir tanesi olarak yüceltilen Balanced Scorecard (BSC), kuramsal ve metodolojik açıdan mercek altına alınmaktadır. Çalışmanın maksadı kesinlikle BSC’nin itibarını zedelemek değildir. Ancak, sorgusuzca aracı kutsayan ortodoks BSC yazınına aksi istikamette, BSC’nin tartışmalı noktalarına yani Janus’un diğer yüzüne ışık tutarak, tekniğin cari ve potansiyel kullanıcılarının zihinlerinde ayakları daha yere basan, daha gerçekçi bir portreye kavuşmasına yardımcı olmaktır.

Janus’un İki Farklı Yüzü: Balanced Scorecard’a Eleştirel Bir Yaklaşım

Nowadays, the actors such as consultants, management gurus, business schools and popular press who frequently hold a place on the supply side of management knowledge production processes, invent and diffuse countless managerial tools at a rattling rate. Adoption of these devices by those with obsessive demand without any questioning may engender two main problems. Firstly, the users who perceive these tools as panaceas for all managerial illnesses and do not commonly grasp their core philosophies, may not benefit from these practices to the extent anticipated and they may squander their scant resources irresponsibly. Secondly, managerial devices, while not deserving complete criticism, may gain notoriety as the latest fashions or fads due to inappropriate selection by organizations and positive sides of these tools can be overlooked. This study examines some theoretical and methodological points of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), which has been glorified as one of the most important managerial innovations of the last two decades. The main purpose of the current study is not to discredit the BSC but rather to create a more down to earth picture of the technique in the minds of actual and potential users by enlightening them about controversial facets of BSC, the other face of Janus, contrary to the orthodox BSC literature which unreservedly sanctifies the tool.

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