Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Measuring What Matters: A qualitative study of KPI Use in Swedish Retail SMEs
Jönköping University, Jönköping International Business School.
2025 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

This thesis investigates how Swedish retail Small and Medium Enterprises select and implement Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and how they balance financial and nonfinancial KPIs to manage short-term and long-term performance. In an increasingly competitive retail industry, SMEs face pressure to improve performance while navigating limited resources and rapid market changes. Kaplan and Norton's Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is applied as a theoretical framework to examine to what extent financial and non-financial KPIs are integrated into the strategic planning process across seven Swedish retail SMEs. Using a qualitative, multiple-case study design and semi-structured interviews with key decision-makers at the participating firms, the findings reveal significant variation in KPI practices and maturity levels. While all firms demonstrate a strong alignment with the financial metrics, non-financial KPIs are less systematically implemented but present an increasing awareness of their importance. The study emphasizes a general trend toward more balanced and structured performance management among more mature firms, although challenges remain in formalizing strategic alignment. The study provides insights into understanding the practices of SME performance management and offers practical guidance for fostering sustainable growth in the retail sector among SMEs.  

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025. , p. 71
Keywords [en]
Key Performance Indicators, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Strategic Planning, Performance Measurement, Balanced Scorecard (BSC), Retail
National Category
Business Administration Economics and Business
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-68276OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-68276DiVA, id: diva2:1966145
Subject / course
JIBS, Business Administration
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2025-06-24 Created: 2025-06-09 Last updated: 2025-10-13Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

fulltext(1302 kB)255 downloads
File information
File name FULLTEXT01.pdfFile size 1302 kBChecksum SHA-512
6ab4f6cf4ae8ce84da8fcb0b7af90f29842569b870075f6d8100464ba1c93126bf935bc0dc3ead269b54f23fff9d498b92fd38c7e22feb7d8a2db278ed6f33c5
Type fulltextMimetype application/pdf

By organisation
Jönköping International Business School
Business AdministrationEconomics and Business

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar
Total: 256 downloads
The number of downloads is the sum of all downloads of full texts. It may include eg previous versions that are now no longer available

urn-nbn

Altmetric score

urn-nbn
Total: 466 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf