Final answer:
The balanced scorecard is a management tool with four perspectives: Financial (most lagging), Internal (throughput and quality), Learning & Growth (most leading), and Customer (sales satisfaction), each offering unique insights into organizational performance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct matching of the balanced scorecard perspectives with their descriptions or activities is as follows:
- Financial - Most lagging
- Internal - Throughput and quality
- Learning & Growth - Most leading
- Customer - Sales satisfaction
The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management tool that is used to align business activities with the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organizational performance against strategic goals.
Each perspective of the balanced scorecard offers a different perception and perspective of business performance. The Financial perspective is considered 'most lagging' because it reflects the results of actions already taken. This contrasts with the Learning & Growth perspective, which is 'most leading' as it focuses on the vision and investment in the future that will drive subsequent performance improvements.
The Internal perspective, which centers on throughput and quality, addresses the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes. The Customer perspective looks at customer satisfaction and retention, which are crucial for ongoing sales and revenue.