Institutional Metrics for the United States Marine Corps

This paper describes an early-stage investigation into approaches and tools to collect, manage, and deliver institutional metrics to the senior command of the United States Marine Corps. The paper describes how contemporary approaches to institutional metrics and supporting tools from more traditional organizations were adapted to Marine Corps priorities. The study explores current institutional metrics strategies with a particular emphasis on the balanced scorecard approach, deemed most relevant because of its focus on strategic alignment and its applicability to noncommercial organizations. The literature on performance measurement for industry, not-for-profit organizations, and government/military institutions is reviewed along with Marine Corps strategy publications, campaign plans, and other doctrinal documents as the basis for a set of sample metrics to act as a ‘strawperson’ for further development. The different software metrics tools that may be used to manage the information required to support institutional metrics programs are reviewed as are approaches to managing a successful institutional metrics program.