Consequences of Strategic Performance Measurement Systems: A Meta-Analytic Review

About 25 years ago, Kaplan and Norton (1992) introduced the balanced scorecard (BSC) with the aim of remedying the inadequacies of traditional performance measurement approaches. From then on, the adoption of strategic performance measurement systems (SPMS) has steadily increased. While scholars have proposed and empirically tested several beneficial consequences of SPMS, the empirical results are not unequivocally clear and there is still a lack of consensus. This study builds on, complements, and expands current reviews by meta-analytically examining the associations among SPMS and 13 consequences of 67 primary studies, classified into three categories (i.e., people's behavior, organizational capabilities, and performance consequences). Overall, we find positive and significant mean correlations for all examined consequences. However, even after correcting for statistical artifacts, substantial heterogeneity remains. Therefore, we explore the heterogeneity by examining various theoretical and methodological moderators. Subgroup analysis reveals significant influences of (1) national culture (in terms of individualism and power distance), (2) presence or absence of links to the reward system, and (3) industry differences.