ABSTRACT
Classic facts originated through meticulous research and were then committed to paper, pages, books and libraries. Database facts started with the introduction of 'data processing', which committed organisational facts to punched cards - pieces of stiff paper that contained digital data represented by the presence of holes. This was the point at which data and process became inseparable, the point at which business systems became, by definition, the sum of their data and the processing parts. As knowledge is shaped by its medium, systems are shaped by their data, and data by their systems. Balanced scorecards and strategy maps are powerful conceptual models of how a business creates value through each and every activity. A business that understands customer, internal and learning perspectives can begin to understand their impact on financial outcomes. Financial indicators, including product revenues, are lagging indicators. Motivated and satisfied employees are a well-proven leading indicator of customer satisfaction.
