The balanced scorecard in the education sector: A literature review

Abstract

Several studies with quantitative, qualitative or theoretical approaches have been carried out, focusing on the application of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in the educational sector. However, despite the literature on the subject, it is difficult to draw an overview of the use of the BSC in this sector. In order to fill this gap, our research carried out a systematic literature review (SLR) on the BSC methodology implemented in the educational sector. The Web of Science and Scopus databases are used as a source of article collection. A bibliometric analysis was performed using 65 articles extracted from these databases. The results suggest that the most discussed topics within the study are: 1) the diversity of the BSC in the education sector; 2) strategic management with the BSC; 3) statistical methods to manage the BSC and 4) the strategy map of the BSC. The qualitative approach was dominant in the analysed studies, but the reasonable number of studies with quantitative approaches is worth attention. The study contributes to the literature by reviewing prominent cited references and documents that cited them and the results provide the landscapes and research gaps for the main lines of research for further development.

Keywords:

• Balanced Scorecard
• Performance Management
• Performance Measurement
• Education Sector
• Literature Review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by Foundation for Research Support and Scientific and Technological Development of Maranhão–FAPEMA, SECTI, State Government of Maranhão, under the Grant [BD-02692/20]. AQ21

Notes on contributors

Isaias De Jesus Alvares Mendes Junior

Isaias de Jesus Alvares Mendes Junior is researcher at NECE - Research Unit of the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal and manager at the Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Maranhão, São Luis, Brazil.

Maria Do Céu Alves

Maria Do Céu Alves is professor of accountancy at the University of Beira Interior and researcher at NECE - Research Unit of the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.