Performance measures go beyond financials.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: Measurement

Business factors such as profit optimization, better business planning and improved operational visibility are key factors, along with corporate governance, in driving business performance initiatives, according to a survey by the Business Performance Management (BPM) Forum. Seventy percent of respondents have also moved beyond financial data to incorporate marketing and customer information in performance assessment, suggesting a more holistic and comprehensive approach.

These findings are part of an in-depth poll of members of the BPM Forum, an organization formed last year that includes more than 230 business executives and thought leaders. Its lofty aim: to address the growing challenge of performance management, corporate accountability and compliance in global enterprises.

The survey results point to a shifting landscape in BPM, in which performance accountability is increasingly entrenched in the executive suite. Ninety-five percent of respondents are somewhat or extremely sensitized to the need for better business performance management, and 76 percent look to the president, CEO or CFO for BPM mandates.

Not surprisingly, 73 percent of respondents said they are somewhat or very concerned, as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, about the processes, tools and methodologies used by management to track performance. While this figure is lower than the 85 percent of corporate...