Business Intelligence (BI) and Performance Management (PM) - the development and delivery of business insight for users and the management of execution based on that insight - are two solution-types that promise to bring great value to enterprises. Yet most organizations haven't yet realized the elusive bene?ts of these two important disciplines. The reasons for this are manifold. However, the primary causes are the culture of the organization and it leadership. This is a topic, which I've addressed at length in my latest book: Pro?les in Performance - Business Intelligence Journeys and the Roadmap for Change. The culture and leadership of the organization determines the importance and strategic intent surrounding the use of BI and PM. Sadly, most organizations lack the motivation to embrace transparency and accountability - or to align with the strategy of the organization - enabling execution and coordination in unison with the mission. However, once an organization and its leadership are ready to take a step towards real change - creating an environment of openness, sharing and alignment - with BI and PM as its centerpiece - the next question then becomes one of "how and where to begin"? Even with great strategic intent, missteps in the development and deployment of BI and PM and can cause disillusionment and disappointment - lending support to the naysayers of the organization - and leading to failure and abandonment of these critical programs.
This book describes - in a precise but practical way - the most recent developments in Performance Measurement and the relative Performance Measurement Systems (PMS), whose most famous one is the Balanced Scorecard model. It is unique because of the integration of PMS theory (types of performances, Key Performance Indicators, architecture and integration with ERP, Organization and Strategy) with the Business Intelligence (BI) technologies, which characterize the most advanced effective solutions. The rigorous academic approach of a well-known international expert - Professor Tonchia - is mixed with the managerial contribution of a worldwide consulting leader - Luca Quagini, CEO of SDG Group. There are very few, if any, books in the Performance Management field that describe in detail a real approach for designing and managing these systems, with the amount of detail and giving the useful, practical understanding of the underlying principles and specific processes and practices that are presented here.
