Assignment #2-Costing & Performance Management 

• Be complete yet succinct in your answers to the questions.  Using your opening statement to answer the question and then support your answer throughout the paragraph is a good approach.  Long papers do not necessarily receive more points.  The objective is to state your response clearly and fully support that response.
• Critical thinking is a component of the grade.  Look for facts in the course materials and outside research that will clarify and explain why your opinion is valid. 
• Write in APA format.  This includes a cover page and a reference page.
• Use the questions as headings.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the connection between "activity-based costing" and profits? (To answer this question, you will first need to describe how ABC works and then show how it connects to profit.)

2. What is a "balanced scorecard" and how are companies using it?

3. Should compensation systems be linked to balanced scorecard measures?   Why or why not? Give an example of a system that could be successful in internally motivating strategic alignment.

4. What is a "double-loop-learning process" and how does it apply to strategy execution?

5. Identify and describe 5 scorecard measures that would adequately measure the performance of a high tech company such as Apple.  How will these scorecard measures help in the high tech industry?