 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
| Primary purpose Summary Potential benefits Who can use the tool? What resources are needed? Development, ownership and support Social enterprise examples Further sources of information Social Firm Performance Dashboard The Social Firm Performance Dashboard was developed for Social Firms and emerging Social Firms to use as an internal performance management tool for their own business improvement. It is underpinned by the three core social firm values of enterprise, employment and empowerment. It is designed to be practical, userfriendly, easily implemented, and realistic for Social Firms and emerging Social Firms to use within a busy business. It builds upon some of the basic principles of the Balanced Scorecard in a highly simplified format, with the perspectives and objectives and measures pre-prepared. The Dashboard is not a membership requirement or a reporting requirement for Social Firms. Users may want to compare their results with others but that is left to the discretion of those using the tool. Although it was developed for the Social Firms’ sector, other types of social enterprise may also consider it useful because of the ability to edit and adapt the objectives and measures within the tool. Upon starting up the CD-ROM, the user can begin with one of four key perspectives (Financial, Employee, Customer and Internal Business Processes) and select from a drop-down list of sample objectives. The wording of these objectives can be modified, and there will be ‘blank’ objectives that can be created by the user as well. As the sample objective is selected from the template, the measure to go with that objective is automatically inserted. In addition to the core ‘perspectives’, users will have the option of working with one or both of the two optional perspectives – ‘Trainees’ and ‘Environmental’. The user then completes the columns marked ‘where are we now’ sets targets and fills in the actions necessary to meet those targets. Social Firms UK encourages organisations to use the Dashboard each quarter, entering the relevant information and thinking through the results, to make the process meaningful.
Potential limitations
The Dashboard can be used by any sized Social Firms or emerging Social Firms, as well as other types of social enterprise that may edit the objectives accordingly within the software to meet their own purposes. Leadership As data is collected and entered internally, anyone within the organisation can be nominated or volunteer to complete this task. Social Firms UK recommends that one individual have overall responsibility for ensuring that data is entered regularly. Proficiencies or skills No specialised skills or prior knowledge of ‘proving and improving’ are necessary. It will help if data for some of the indicators are already being collected (e.g. finance information). The person completing the Dashboard should be comfortable using a computer and have the use of a CD-ROM drive. Staff time Social Firms UK estimates that the first use of the Dashboard can be completed over the course of two to three days in which the person responsible collects and inputs data for the various measures and creates reports. It may take some time to get accustomed to the software and methods of data collection and to set up data collection systems if they aren’t already in place. Courses, support, and information The CD-ROM will be free to Social Firms UK members; there will be an administration charge to non-members and a discounted rate for members of the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC). Every user of the CD-ROM needs to apply to Social Firms UK for a license in order to be able to operate the software. Social Firms UK’s Quality Support Manager and a range of associates may support the product on a one-to-one basis at an additional charge. The CD also offers help menus and tutorials will to make it as self-sufficient as possible. Development, ownership and support Social Firms UK developed the tool, with EQUAL funding as part of the Social Enterprise Partnership Quality & Impact Project. The licensed software is jointly owned by Social Firms UK and ADA Assessment Solutions Ltd, the software developer. It is licensed, free of charge, to members of Social Firms UK and availability is restricted to the Social Enterprise sector at various administration charges.
Other Social Firms and Emerging Social Firms involved in testing the software include:
|
