Balancing the Corporate Scorecard 2

Learners Guidance for Balancing the Corporate Scorecard 2.0

ACC 8110 Professor Licata

Balancing the Corporate Scorecard 2.0 is a discovery-based learning experience in a realistic context. It is an interactive simulation where the user must react to conditions and make decisions throughout the simulation.

Overview of the interactive simulation environment:

In Welcome Aboard Steve Tucker, chairman of GigaSoft (Sentra Softwares parent company), introduces himself and discusses the learners mission as the new CEO of Sentra Software.

In Background Information users may view a video of a consultant working with Sentras management team. You may also flip through a briefing book that will orient you to Sentras Balanced Scorecard process and provide background on Sentras market and finances. Most of the briefing material has been included in the handout provided.

In Run Sentra learners will try to guide Sentra Software through an effort to reinvent itself.

During the Simulation

Running Sentra consists of monitoring a set of 20 Balanced Scorecard metrics spread across the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives (Financial, Customer, Internal Business Processes, and Learning & Growth) and then making decisions in six areas:

hiring/firing of customer service reps;

hiring/firing of consultants;

product pricing;

spending on IT;

spending on training;

product development allocation between power features and ease-of-use features.

Decisions can be made in any or all of these six areas each quarter. Click run to implement your decisions and view the consequences. The simulation lasts for 16 quarters if you can stay alive that long!. During the simulation learners will receive lots of messages and coaching. On average it will take 4-7 attempts to succeed at navigating Sentra Software through its transition to serving a newly emerging, rapidly expanding market segment.

After the Simulation

Learners will be navigated through a Debrief section which includes both a Sentra Debrief and a general Debrief. Learners who are faring poorly will be navigated to the Sentra Debrief before they have steered Sentra through its transition, because this information will help them succeed.

HINTS

Learners that are really struggling with the simulation may want to view the Debrief section early.

By clicking P in Control Panel at the top of the screen learners can visit a screen that reviews how to change metrics on the control panel.

Knowing what to do is simply not enough in this simulation. Its essential to know when and how much of it to do, based on feedback from carefully chosen strategic indicators. And there is no way to get both the timing and magnitude right without the assistance provided by a carefully selected set of Balanced Scorecard metrics.

Sentra is a company in transition what works in Year 1 will not work in year 3.

Submission Requirements:

Learners should keep a log to document each attempt at this simulation. The log should briefly summarize strategies tried and results. Any lesson learned during an unsuccessful try should be noted. A final summary paragraph should note the number of attempts needed to successfully complete the simulation and the total time (# of hours) committed to this project. An optional Excel Decision Grid is available on my homepage to document your decisions as you navigate through the simulation. This grid is optional and should not be submitted.