Balanced scorecard: trends, developments, and future directions

Abstract Balanced scorecard (BSC) is widely studied and practiced. As research on the BSC has matured since its introduction in 1992, it is timely to assess its progress and outline future directions. This study synthesizes extant research and presents avenues to advance the BSC. To accomplish these objectives, we undertake a review employing a bibliometric and systematic methodology on a corpus of 1294 BSC-related studies. The review reveals that the more than 30-year history of BSC research has followed a bell-curve trajectory, with publications appearing in high-quality, multidisciplinary journals and contributions from numerous author groups worldwide. Moreover, the review highlights the evolution of major themes and topics on the BSC, encompassing customer orientation, financial management, integrated reporting, strategic performance management, sustainable development, and systems thinking. Sustainability BSC has also gained prominence due to sustainability firmly establishing itself as a global agenda and grand challenge. Taken collectively, this review serves as a one-stop resource for gaining a state-of-the-art understanding of the trends, developments, and future directions of the BSC.