The Influence of a Strategy Implemented Using the Balanced Scorecard Method on the Effective Integration of Change within the Teaching Process at an Institution of Collegiate Business Education

Abstract

Implementation of serious change in the didactic process is a considerable challenge. In some circumstances it can even become a necessity, as it does at many Polish universities, due to changes made to the higher education law in 2011. Universities are obliged to transition from the model of teaching based on the amount of contact hours to an educational model, which goal is to achieve set learning outcomes. For a well managed university this necessity could become an opportunity. The implemented changes should cover the teaching methods and the use of modern didactic tools, assessment and even the student’s methods of study. These changes lead to a partial standardization, which in turn could increase quality. A subsequent effect could be the increased satisfaction of students and the improvement of the competitive situation, which is of utmost importance to a private university operating in a market shrinking due to demographic changes. Our goal is to show how such a change can be introduced within the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) strategy. The examples illustrating the described solutions are taken from the experience of a Polish business university – The Poznan School of Banking. Thanks to the utilization of the BSC, the change of the educational model to one aimed at achieving learning outcomes is realized in a complex manner. This is made possible by looking at the task from multiple perspectives: client’s, organization’s growth, processes and financial. For each of them, goals are defined, as well as actions needed to reach these goals. This process takes place with the participation of academic staff, and with use of various participation methods, which has considerable meaning due to the social aspects of the implementation of change. Another key issue here is that the implanted change is tied and in line with the mission and vision of the university. Thanks to the holistic perspective on this challenging task taken under BSC, it is possible to take into consideration the interests of the multiple stakeholders, various pitfalls and risks can be spotted, we can plan structural and organizational solutions at different organizational levels that will enable success. As a result, it turns out that the new educational model requires among others: new processes in the field of HR, new positions with responsibilities for new functions and tasks which emerge in the didactic process (for example, assessment of learning outcomes), as well as control of costs of didactics functioning under that new model. The biggest advantage of the BSC is the introduction of metrics to task. The proper selection of metrics allows university authorities to evaluate how effectively is the change implemented, and to what degree does it help in reaching the strategic goals and the realization of the mission.