Strategic Management Paper

Creating an Appropriate and APA-Compliant Implementation Timeline and Balanced Scorecard using Microsoft (MS) Word

As with the previous organizational (org) chart (see Week 4 Course Supplement, Creating an Organizational Chart), MS Word is sufficient for creating appropriate and APA-compliant implementation timelines and Balanced Scorecards. However, there is potentially one minor APA formatting difference, and the implementation timeline and Balanced Scorecard may be created using different tools in MS Word. An implementation timeline can be presented as either a table or figure; figures are can be more graphically appealing, such as a Gantt Chart, but a table is easier and sufficient for our purposes. A table is presented as described below; a figure is presented like the org chart in Week 4. A Balanced Scorecard is best presented as a table, which is formatted slightly different than a figure in APA: 1. Tables are also sequentially numbered (though the numbering is separate from any figures);

however, the table number and title are placed above the table, left justified and without indenting, rather than below the table as with figures, while the attribution is still placed below the table, left justified and without indenting. In the samples below, note the table numbers are italicized, followed by a period; and the table titles use title case, and are followed by a period. As with figures, the table attribution is slightly different than what is placed in the References; in addition, the table attribution is preceded by the word, Note, which is italicized, and immediately followed by a period (like figures, there is no reference, as the table attribution is sufficient).

2. Tables are also explicitly noted in the body of the paper, such as “Table 1 presents the

implementation timeline for ABC Company;” the table should appear immediately after the paragraph in which it is mentioned, or at the top of the following page (as with figures, do not use directional indicators, such as “Table 1 is below”).

Using a MS Word Table to Create an Implementation Timeline The following steps can be used to create an implementation timeline in MS Word (as with the org chart, you may find drawing your desired scorecard with pencil/paper beforehand may make it easier to create the table): 1. Position the I-beam (insertion point) where your Balanced Scorecard is desired – be sure the

table’s Wrap Text option is set to In Line with Text. 2. In MS Word’s Insert menu, select Table, and insert a table with 7 rows and 3 columns (note

your number of rows may be more than 7 if you identify more than 6 milestones).

3. Using the sample below as a guide, enter the indicated column headings in Row 1, then position the remainder of your information in the appropriate table cells – be sure the font style/size is consistent with the rest of the paper, and use cell borders instead of colors to demarcate the information for the reader. You may also want to adjust column widths to provide more space where needed (e.g., the Strategy and Milestone columns typically require more space than the Completion column), and merging the Strategy cells across the applicable milestone rows allows you to vertically center the strategy information, which is typically clearer to the reader.

Sample Implementation Timeline (including an attribution to a company website – note the centered table and use of double-spacing throughout, except within the table)

The implementation timeline for ABC Company is presented in Table 1. Alternatively, an

indirect mention would describe the table, and then orient the reader with a parenthetical,

such as the three-year implementation timeline proposed for ABC Company includes two

milestones for each of the three proposed strategies (see Table 1).

Table 1. Implementation Timeline for ABC Company.

Strategy Milestone Completion

Globalization: Expand into 5 new markets

Expand into 2 new markets By first year Expand into 3 additional new markets By third year

Vertical Integration: Acquire major supplier

Identify acquisition target By first 6 months Complete supplier acquisition By second year

Strategic Alliance: Outsource global delivery logistics

Identify logistics partner By first 6 months

Establish strategic alliance By first year Note. Adapted, in part, from ABC Company: Vision, by ABC Company, 2016, Retrieved from

http://www.abc-company.com/about-us.html. Copyright 2016 by ABC Company.

Using a MS Word Table to Create a Balanced Scorecard

The following steps can be used to create a Balanced Scorecard in MS Word (as with the org chart and implementation timeline, you may find drawing your desired Balanced Scorecard with pencil/paper beforehand may make it easier to create the table – also refer to the Week 5 Course Supplement, Balanced Scorecard Description, for additional design guidance): 1. Position the I-beam (insertion point) where your Balanced Scorecard is desired – be sure the

figure’s Wrap Text option is set to In Line with Text.

2. In MS Word’s Insert menu, select Table, and insert a table with 7 rows and 5 columns (note your number of rows may be more than 7 if you identify more than 6 metrics).

3. Using the sample below as a guide, enter the indicated column headings in Row 1, and

indicated row headings in Column 1, then position the remainder of your information in the appropriate table cells – be sure the font style/size is consistent with the rest of the paper, and use cell borders instead of colors to demarcate the information for the reader. You may also want to adjust column widths to provide more space where needed (e.g., the Strategy column typically requires more space than the Metric or Target columns), and merging the row heading cells where quadrants have multiple metrics (i.e., span multiple rows) allows you to vertically center the row headings (i.e., quadrants names), which is typically clearer to the reader.

Sample Balanced Scorecard (including an attribution to a company website – note the centered table and use of double-spacing throughout, except within the table)

The Balanced Scorecard for ABC Company is presented in Table 2. Alternatively, an

indirect mention would describe the table, and then orient the reader with a parenthetical,

such as the Balanced Scorecard proposed for ABC Company includes six metrics across the four

quadrants (see Table 2).

Table 2. Balanced Scorecard for ABC Company.

Quadrant Strategy Measure Metric Target

Financial

Globalization: Expand into 5 new markets

Increase global sales

Revenue + 20%

Vertical Integration: Acquire major supplier

Decrease supply costs

Cost of Goods Sold - 5%

Customer Strategic Alliance: Outsource global delivery logistics

Increase customer satisfaction

Satisfaction survey: Delivery item

+ 0.5

Operation or Process

Globalization: Expand into 5 new markets

Improve sales process

Process implementation

< 6 mos

Strategic Alliance: Outsource global delivery logistics

Reduce product delivery time

Average delivery time

- 2 days

Learning and Growth

Vertical Integration: Acquire major supplier

Supply training for staff

Completion > 95%

Note. Adapted, in part, from ABC Company: Financials, by ABC Company, 2016, Retrieved from

http://www.abc-company.com/investor-relations.html. Copyright 2016 by ABC Company.