The creators of the Balanced Scorecard apply their proven approach to corporate level strategy and offer a framework for aligning all of a company's individual business units with the organizations' overall strategy to ensure optimal business performance. Most organisations consist of multiple business and support units, each populated by highly trained, experienced executives. But often the efforts of individual units are not coordinated, resulting in conflicts, lost opportunities, and diminished performance. This work argues that the responsibility for this alignment lies with the headquarters. Preface vii 1. Alignment: A Source of Economic Value 1(28) 2. Corporate Strategy and Structure: Historical Perspective 29(14) 3. Aligning Financial and Customer Strategies 43(34) 4. Aligning Internal Process and Learning and Growth Strategies: Integrated Strategic Themes 77(42) 5. Aligning Support Functions 119(50) 6. Cascading: The Process 169(24) 7. Aligning Boards and Investors 193(28) 8. Aligning External Partners 221(24) 9. Managing the Alignment Process 245(14) 10. Total Strategic Alignment 259(32) Index 291(10) About the Authors 301