The balanced scorecard of a new destination product: Implications for lodging and skiing firms

Abstract New product development (NPD) is a counter-seasonal strategy able to reduce demand fluctuations, especially during the seasonal tails. No previous study has analysed this field through the lens of balanced scorecard (BSC). This explorative paper contributes to this gap and considers two research questions: i) How is a destination NPD process operationalized using the four BSC perspectives? ii) What is the relevance and content of each perspective in this particular field? The study deploys a longitudinal analysis of the Skipassfree product, launched by Livigno (Italy) in 2007. Over a decade, this product generated a significant uplift both in terms of hotel guests (+108%) and ski company clients (+248%). The proposed framework is built around 22 codes and incorporates a fifth BSC perspective (the destination context). “Learning and growth” is the most significant perspective with “alignment” being a key attribute, which suggests the relevance of innovation and stakeholders’ involvement.