The KPI Institute’s professional learning programs are now available on maentae, a licensed professional learning platform offering research-backed, expert-led courses and development programs for professionals and organizations.

Through this collaboration, professionals can explore a range of training and certification opportunities across key business performance and strategy domains, including KPI Management, Performance Management, Balanced Scorecard, Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Strategy and Business Planning, Agile Strategy Execution, and Employee Performance Management.

The available programs include face-to-face, live online, and self-paced learning options, giving professionals greater flexibility in choosing formats that suit their schedules and development needs. The catalog also features practitioner-level programs and executive education qualifications in strategy and performance.

Flexible Payment Options for Learners in Saudi Arabia

Professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) can also access flexible installment payment options through Tabby and Tamara when purchasing eligible programs on maentae. These options offer an alternative way to manage course payments, making professional development more accessible to learners seeking to build their skills and advance their careers.

The KPI Institute is a global research institute specializing in business performance, with more than two decades of experience advancing research across 12 practice domains. Its work spans research publications, knowledge platforms, professional training, and advisory services for organizations worldwide.

maentae connects professionals and organizations with practical learning opportunities developed through collaborations with trusted research and industry partners. Its programs focus on real-world challenges, measurable outcomes, and the application of knowledge in the workplace.

The availability of The KPI Institute’s programs on maentae provides professionals with another channel to discover relevant courses, compare learning options, and identify training opportunities aligned with their career and organizational development goals.

Explore The KPI Institute’s available programs on maentae

The KPI Institute’s smartKPIs database now contains 21,780 documented key performance indicators (KPIs), reflecting the ongoing research conducted by The KPI Institute team into performance measurement across organizational functions and industries.

The database provides professionals with a collection of documented KPIs that can serve as a reference when identifying, selecting, and reviewing performance measures. Its content covers 16 functional areas and 25 industries, offering examples relevant to different organizational responsibilities and operating environments.

A database covering multiple functions and industries

The smartKPIs database includes indicators from a broad range of functional areas, from finance and human resources to technology, operations, and strategy. Users can search for KPIs related to Accounting, Corporate Services, Corporate Social Responsibility, Finance, Governance, Compliance and Risk, Information Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, and Marketing and Communications.

Other areas include Occupational Health and Safety, Online Presence and eCommerce, Portfolio and Project Management, Production and Quality Management, Sales and Customer Service, Strategy and Performance Management, Supply Chain, Procurement and Distribution, and Sustainability.

The database also covers 25 industries, including Arts and Culture, Construction and Capital Works, Education and Training, Financial Institutions, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism, Manufacturing, Media, Retail, Telecommunications, Transportation, and Utilities.

This classification allows users to narrow their searches according to their professional responsibilities or industry context. For example, a human resources professional can look for indicators related to workforce performance, while a manufacturing specialist can consult KPIs relevant to production and quality management.

By bringing together indicators from different areas, the database offers a reference for professionals who need to identify potential measures for their departments, review existing performance measurement practices, or develop organizational scorecards.

Documented KPIs for professional reference

The collection includes more than 7,000 premium documented KPIs. Beyond KPI names, the platform provides access to definitions and additional documentation according to the user’s subscription plan.

Documented indicators can help professionals understand what a KPI measures before considering its application within their organization. This is particularly relevant when teams are reviewing their existing measures, comparing alternatives, or developing a consistent approach to performance reporting.

However, selecting a KPI requires consideration of the organization’s objectives, operating context, and available data. Indicators found in the database can serve as reference points, while their suitability should be assessed against the specific requirements of each organization.

The database is maintained through the ongoing research activities of The KPI Institute, which develops resources for professionals working in performance measurement and management.

Subscription options for different needs

smartKPIs offers four subscription plans, allowing users to select an access level according to their informational requirements.

The Preview plan is free and provides access to 100 KPI names per year. The Starter plan costs $19 for six months and includes access to 10 documented KPIs. The Standard plan costs $99 per year and provides access to 300 KPI names and definitions. The Premium plan costs $249 per year and includes access to 500 documented KPIs.

These plans offer different levels of access to the database, depending on whether users need to browse KPI names, consult definitions, or access documented indicators for more detailed reference.

Professionals can review the available features and compare subscription options on the smartKPIs website.

With 21,780 documented KPIs across 16 functional areas and 25 industries, smartKPIs remains a research-based resource for professionals seeking performance measures relevant to their work.

To learn more, visit smartKPIs.com or view the available subscription plans.

Artificial intelligence, data literacy, strategic thinking and continuous learning are among the forces changing professional careers. Research points to a growing need for workers who can combine technical knowledge with sound judgment, communication and business understanding.

Preparing for 2027 requires more than keeping up with new technologies. Professionals must also understand how employers’ expectations are changing, which capabilities are becoming more important and how to apply their expertise to organizational goals.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 draws on a survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies. Its findings indicate that 39% of workers’ existing skill sets could change or become outdated between 2025 and 2030. Meanwhile, 63% of surveyed employers identify skills gaps as a major barrier to business transformation.

These findings suggest that professionals should approach career development as an ongoing process. The following 20 trends, supported by research from international organizations, independent research institutions and government statistical agencies, highlight areas worth watching in 2027.

Artificial intelligence and digital skills

1. AI literacy becomes a workplace priority. Pew Research Center found that 21% of employed Americans said at least some of their work was done with AI in September 2025, up from 16% roughly a year earlier. Professionals can prepare by learning to use AI tools for appropriate tasks while checking accuracy, protecting sensitive information and understanding their limitations. Source: Pew Research Center

2. Human judgment remains essential in AI-assisted work. Among workers who had used AI chatbots at work, 40% said the tools were extremely or very helpful in completing tasks faster, while 29% reported similar benefits for work quality. Professionals should learn to evaluate AI-generated outputs rather than equating speed with accuracy. Source: Pew Research Center

3. Data literacy extends beyond specialist roles. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for data scientists to grow by 33.5% between 2024 and 2034. Although this forecast concerns a specific occupation, it reflects demand for specialized data expertise. Professionals in other fields can benefit from learning to interpret trends, question assumptions and communicate findings. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

4. Cybersecurity awareness becomes a broader professional responsibility. Employment for information security analysts in the United States is projected to grow by 28.5% from 2024 to 2034. Employees outside cybersecurity roles also need to understand secure data handling, access controls and common digital threats. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

5. Digital adaptability matters more than familiarity with one tool. Eurostat reported that 40% of EU citizens lacked at least basic digital skills in 2025. Learning to work with unfamiliar software, digital platforms and emerging technologies can help professionals respond to changing job requirements. Source: Eurostat, Digitalisation in Europe 2026

Analytical thinking and business performance

6. Analytical thinking remains a core skill. Seven in ten companies surveyed for the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 identified analytical thinking as an essential skill. Professionals can apply it by examining evidence, identifying the causes of problems and comparing possible solutions before making decisions.

7. Strategic thinking becomes relevant at every career level. The WEF found that 63% of surveyed employers considered skills gaps a major barrier to business transformation. Professionals who understand organizational priorities and how their work contributes to them can make better-informed decisions about time, resources and competing demands. Source: WEF, Workforce Strategies

8. KPI literacy supports better performance decisions. The WEF’s finding that seven in ten companies consider analytical thinking essential highlights the importance of interpreting evidence. Understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) helps professionals distinguish activity from results. For example, a marketing specialist can examine conversion rates and lead quality instead of judging campaign performance solely by the number of posts published. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

9. Data visualization helps professionals communicate findings. Research by the National Skills Coalition and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta found that 92% of jobs analyzed in the United States required digital skills. Data visualization is one practical application: charts and dashboards can help teams understand performance trends, identify exceptions and communicate findings to decision-makers. Source: National Skills Coalition, Closing the Digital Skill Divide

10. Evidence-based problem-solving gains importance. The WEF identifies analytical thinking among the skills expected to remain important through 2030. Professionals can apply this capability by establishing a baseline, investigating the reasons behind a performance gap and testing corrective actions. A decline in customer satisfaction, for instance, may require analysis of response times, complaint types and service processes before a team changes its approach. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

Leadership, collaboration and adaptability

11. Communication remains essential across occupations. In a Pew Research Center survey, approximately seven in ten employed adults or more considered interpersonal skills, written and spoken communication, critical thinking and basic computer skills very or extremely important for success in today’s economy. Professionals can strengthen these capabilities by writing clearer reports and adapting explanations to different audiences. Source: Pew Research Center

12. Adaptability becomes a career management skill. The WEF found that 70% of surveyed companies considered resilience, flexibility and agility core skills. Professionals can develop these qualities by responding constructively to feedback, adjusting plans when priorities change and learning from unsuccessful approaches. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

13. Creative thinking supports innovation. The WEF reported that 64% of surveyed employers considered creative thinking a core skill. Professionals can apply it by questioning established processes, generating alternative solutions and testing new approaches to recurring problems. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

14. Leadership extends beyond formal management roles. Leadership and social influence were considered core skills by 64% of employers in the WEF survey. Employees can demonstrate these capabilities by coordinating projects, clarifying responsibilities, supporting colleagues and helping teams reach shared objectives. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

15. Collaboration across disciplines becomes increasingly relevant. The WEF identifies leadership and social influence, resilience and adaptability among the core skills employers seek. These capabilities are particularly useful when projects require coordination between finance, operations, marketing, human resources and technology teams. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

Career resilience and changing labor-market needs

16. Lifelong learning becomes part of career planning. The WEF reported that 50% of surveyed employers had completed training, reskilling or upskilling measures for their workforces, compared with 41% in its 2023 report. Professionals can complement organizational training by regularly reviewing their skill gaps and pursuing relevant learning opportunities. Source: WEF, Future of Jobs Report 2025

17. Reskilling prepares workers for changing job requirements. The WEF estimates that 39% of workers’ existing skill sets could change or become outdated by 2030. Workers can prepare by identifying transferable skills and learning capabilities relevant to adjacent roles, rather than waiting until their current responsibilities change. Source: WEF, Future of Jobs Report 2025

18. Combining specialized expertise with complementary skills can broaden career opportunities. U.S. employment projections show that data scientists could see 33.5% employment growth between 2024 and 2034, while operations research analysts could see 21.5% growth. For professionals in other fields, combining domain knowledge with data interpretation, problem-solving and communication can strengthen their ability to contribute to complex decisions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

19. Sustainability-related capabilities enter more career discussions. The WEF identifies environmental stewardship among the skills expected to increase in use by 2030. Professionals in operations, procurement, reporting and project management can prepare by learning how resource use, environmental impacts and sustainability measures relate to organizational decisions. Source: WEF, Skills Outlook

20. Career development becomes more intentional. With 63% of surveyed employers identifying skills gaps as a major barrier to transformation, professionals have a reason to plan their development around specific capabilities rather than collecting credentials without a clear objective. A practical plan identifies a target role, assesses current proficiency, selects relevant learning and measures progress through work outcomes. Source: WEF, Workforce Strategies

Turning career trends into professional development

The research points to a combination of technical and human capabilities. AI literacy and digital skills matter, but so do analytical thinking, strategic understanding, communication, leadership and adaptability. Professionals do not need to master all 20 areas at once. The more practical approach is to identify the skills most relevant to their current responsibilities and future career goals.

A focused development plan can start with four steps:

• Assess current capabilities. Identify strengths and gaps in areas such as data analysis, KPI development, strategic planning and performance management.
• Set a specific learning objective. Choose a capability that connects to a work challenge or a target role.
• Apply new knowledge. Practise interpreting performance data, evaluating a project or translating organizational objectives into measurable outcomes.
• Review progress. Look for improvements in decision-making, work quality or the ability to handle more complex responsibilities.

Structured professional training can help turn these goals into a learning plan. The KPI Institute offers training and certification programs in performance management, strategy and business planning, KPI development, data analysis, data visualization and related disciplines.

Professionals planning their development can explore the following 2026 training calendars to identify relevant courses:

• Live Online Training Courses 2026: Explore online learning opportunities in performance management, strategy, KPIs and data-related disciplines.
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 – EMEA: Review classroom-based training opportunities for professionals in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 – Southeast Asia: Explore in-person training opportunities in Southeast Asia.

The most effective learning choice is one that addresses a clear development need. Whether the priority is interpreting performance data, improving strategic planning or developing stronger performance management practices, a relevant course can provide a structured starting point.

The Global Performance Audit Unit (GPAU) will host the Performance Excellence Digital Forum 2026 on 9 December 2026, bringing together international leaders, academics and practitioners to examine the factors behind sustained organizational performance.

The six-hour online event will feature original research, keynote presentations, organizational case studies and expert discussions on strategy execution, performance management maturity and organizational excellence. Under the central question, What Makes Organizations Perform?, the forum will explore how organizations develop management capabilities, translate strategy into action and respond to emerging challenges, including artificial intelligence.

The program will feature several highlights:

• GPAU’s Strategy & Performance Maturity Outlook 2026: Research examining organizational maturity across five performance management capabilities, with insights into maturity levels and differences across industries.
• Strategy execution and project management: Karla Eidem of the Project Management Institute (PMI) will discuss the role of project management in translating strategic priorities into organizational outcomes.
• Organizational case studies: Albawani Holding and Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services will share practical perspectives on performance maturity and organizational improvement.
• Academic perspectives on performance: Professors Pietro Micheli and Carmine Bianchi, alongside other experts, will examine the factors behind organizational performance, strategy, performance culture and the implications of artificial intelligence.
• International perspectives and social impact: European Parliament Vice President Nicu Ștefănuță will participate in a discussion connected to GPAU’s Social Impact Through Excellence (SITE) initiative.

Additional discussions will address performance management frameworks, maturity assessments and the role of emerging technologies in organizational performance. By bringing together research and professional experience, the forum will provide an international platform for examining how organizations approach performance excellence across different sectors and contexts.

The event is open to professionals, researchers, organizational leaders and practitioners interested in strategy, performance management and organizational excellence.

The Performance Excellence Digital Forum 2026 will take place online on 9 December 2026, from 12:30 to 18:30 Riyadh time (GMT+3). Attendance is free.

Register for free and explore the full program: https://gpaunit.org/performance-excellence-digital-forum

Employee performance is becoming harder to measure as the nature of work changes. Roles are becoming more interconnected, skills are evolving rapidly, and organizations are asking employees to contribute beyond narrowly defined job outputs.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 found that 39% of workers’ existing skill sets are expected to be transformed or become outdated between 2025 and 2030. The report also identifies analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, leadership and social influence among the core skills employers consider important.

For Employee Performance Management (EPM), this raises a practical question: Can organizations continue to assess performance effectively when what constitutes good performance is changing?

Results are only one part of performance

Targets and KPIs remain central to performance management, but they do not always capture the full contribution of an employee.

The CIPD’s 2026 performance management evidence distinguishes between task performance, behaviors and other aspects of contribution. It also notes that where work relies heavily on teamwork, organizations may need to incorporate team-based goals or behavioral objectives rather than relying exclusively on individual targets.

This becomes particularly relevant as collaboration and human skills remain important alongside technological capabilities. The World Economic Forum identifies collaboration, leadership, resilience and analytical thinking among the skills employers expect to remain important as work evolves.

The challenge is defining what good performance looks like

A performance system can only be as effective as its criteria.

Employees need to understand what is expected, how performance will be assessed and how their objectives connect to organizational priorities. The CIPD recommends aligning individual and team objectives with organizational strategy while recognizing that different types of work may require different approaches to measurement.

For complex roles, rigid targets may not be sufficient. Learning objectives, competencies and behaviors can provide additional evidence of performance, particularly where outcomes depend on collaboration or changing circumstances.

Managers have to interpret the data

Performance management does not end with collecting ratings and KPIs.

Managers have to interpret results, provide feedback and determine what action is appropriate. The CIPD identifies people managers as central to performance management, with responsibility for connecting organizational and individual objectives, giving feedback and holding employees accountable. It also describes performance management as a continuous cycle rather than an isolated event.

That makes managerial capability an important part of the system. Clear criteria and data can support better decisions, but managers still need to understand the context behind the numbers.

Performance systems also need to account for changing skills

The skills an employee needs today may not be the skills the organization will need several years from now.

The World Economic Forum reports that 59 out of every 100 workers are expected to require training by 2030, reflecting the scale of anticipated workforce reskilling and upskilling needs.

For EPM systems, this creates a stronger connection between performance assessment and employee development. Competency frameworks, feedback and development objectives can help organizations identify not only whether employees are delivering current responsibilities, but also where capability needs to develop.

Building the capability

Designing an EPM system around objectives, performance criteria, competencies, feedback and improvement requires more than an appraisal form. The Certified Employee Performance Management Professional and Practitioner certifications from The KPI Institute cover EPM system architecture, strategic alignment, performance processes, criteria and competencies, as well as calibration and bias mitigation. For professionals responsible for designing or applying employee performance systems, the programs provide a structured framework for connecting performance management with organizational goals and practical workplace requirements.

Sustainability reporting has moved from a voluntary communications exercise to a regulatory obligation. Under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), thousands of companies now face detailed, audited disclosure requirements on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance — with similar expectations building through the ISSB standards internationally.

For many organizations, the instinct has been to treat this as a reporting problem: build the disclosures, satisfy the auditors, move on. A growing body of research suggests that framing is too narrow — and that organizations already running a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) are better positioned to meet these requirements as a matter of strategy rather than compliance.

Compliance is the floor, not the framework

A 2025 study in Management Decision makes this case directly. Examining how companies can operationalize the CSRD, the researchers propose implementing its requirements through a sustainability balanced scorecard, arguing that the exercise should integrate sustainability with corporate governance rather than sit alongside it as a separate disclosure workstream. Their proposed framework moves through four steps — identifying material themes, assessing current capability, formulating strategy and then reporting — deliberately placing reporting last, as an output of strategic work rather than its starting point.

That sequencing matters. Organizations that build ESG metrics only to satisfy disclosure rules tend to end up with indicators that are audit-ready but strategically disconnected — numbers that describe activity without informing decisions.

A well-established extension of a familiar framework

The idea of adapting the BSC for sustainability is not new; the “sustainability balanced scorecard” (SBSC) has been studied for over two decades. A 2025 bibliometric review of 247 publications on the subject found that the SBSC consistently strengthens organizations’ capacity to align sustainability goals with core strategic objectives, while also flagging persistent implementation barriers — chiefly, the difficulty of choosing sustainability indicators that are both meaningful and comparable across business units.

Sector-specific applications reinforce the pattern. A 2024 study of fast-moving consumer goods companies proposed a method for operationalizing ESG-adapted corporate strategy through the BSC’s four perspectives, translating climate and sustainability targets into the same cause-and-effect logic FMCG firms already use to manage financial and customer outcomes. Separate research on Indonesian manufacturing firms found that integrating ESG considerations into BSC design produced positive, statistically significant improvements in sustainability performance across all four scorecard dimensions — evidence that the framework does not need to be reinvented to absorb ESG, only extended.

It is not only a private-sector question

The pressure to link sustainability reporting to genuine strategic management extends beyond corporations. A 2025 study of local government organizations examined how municipalities are implementing ESG indicators within their balanced scorecards, finding that institutions incorporating sustainability into their performance frameworks — rather than treating it as a separate policy initiative — reported stronger policy coherence and citizen engagement. Leadership commitment and stakeholder participation emerged as the critical success factors, echoing what the private-sector research also finds: the framework only delivers value when it is genuinely used to manage strategy, not simply populated with new metrics.

The strategic risk of getting this wrong

None of this suggests ESG integration is straightforward. The same body of research is candid about where organizations struggle: selecting indicators that are material rather than merely available, avoiding a proliferation of metrics that dilutes strategic focus, and ensuring that sustainability targets are cascaded through the organization with the same discipline applied to financial ones.

That is precisely the discipline a well-designed Balanced Scorecard system is meant to enforce. The organizations best placed to meet ESG reporting obligations without derailing focus are, generally, the ones that already have a structured way of connecting objectives, KPIs and initiatives across the business — and are extending that same structure to sustainability, rather than building a parallel system for it.

Building the capability

As reporting requirements tighten and stakeholders — investors, regulators, customers — expect sustainability performance to be managed with the same rigor as financial performance, the ability to design and cascade a scorecard that genuinely integrates ESG becomes a strategic capability, not an accounting task.

The Certified Balanced Scorecard Management System Professional program from The KPI Institute equips participants to design, implement and cascade a Balanced Scorecard system built to hold up under exactly this kind of pressure — where strategy, KPIs and reporting obligations all need to move as one.

Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations make decisions, allocate resources and respond to opportunities. But as the business environment becomes more dynamic, how should organizations adapt the way they execute strategy?

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond experimentation and into the core of business operations. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 found that 86% of employers expect AI and information-processing technologies to transform their businesses by 2030. At the same time, the Forum identifies resilience, flexibility and agility among the core skills expected to remain important as organizations adapt to technological and economic change.

This combination creates a strategic challenge.

Organizations can use AI to process information faster, identify patterns and support decisions. But they still need the organizational capability to translate those insights into action.

And when the assumptions behind a strategy change, execution may need to change with them.

This is where agile strategy execution becomes particularly relevant.

AI can accelerate decisions. What happens next?

AI can give organizations access to new sources of information and new ways of working. Yet adopting AI does not automatically translate into better organizational performance.

A peer-reviewed study published in the International Journal of Information Management examined data from 205 supply-chain executives in the United States and found that AI assimilation was associated with organizational agility, customer agility and firm performance. The researchers also found that organizational and customer agility partially mediated the relationship between AI assimilation and firm performance.

The finding suggests that the organizational response to AI matters alongside the technology itself.

More recent research reinforces the connection. A 2025 study in Industrial Marketing Management examined 246 B2B firms in Australasia and found that AI-enabled systems can support innovation through improved decision-making performance, while strategic agility plays a significant role in the relationship between AI adoption, decision-making and innovation.

The implication for strategy professionals is straightforward: AI may improve the information available for decision-making, but organizations still need the ability to respond effectively to what that information reveals.

Agile does not mean changing strategy every time something changes

Agility is sometimes reduced to the idea of moving quickly or changing direction whenever something new happens.

For strategy execution, that interpretation is too narrow.

Agility can instead mean having a structured way to sense changes, evaluate their implications, take action and adjust implementation while maintaining strategic direction.

Consider an organization that launches a strategic initiative based on a particular customer process. Six months later, an AI capability makes part of that process significantly faster or less expensive. The strategic objective may still be valid, but the initiative supporting it may no longer be the most effective way to achieve it.

An execution-oriented organization needs to be able to recognize that difference.

Recent research supports this broader view of agility. A 2025 study published in Industrial Marketing Management found that organizational learning can contribute to strategic agility in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments, with the researchers emphasizing continuous learning, decentralized decision-making and adaptability.

Agility, therefore, is not simply about speed. It is about the organization’s capacity to respond intelligently to changing conditions.

The execution problem is also a coordination problem

Strategy does not execute itself.

A systematic review in the European Management Journal describes strategy implementation as a dynamic and complex process through which managers and employees turn strategic plans into reality. The review identifies managerial actions, organizational conditions and dynamic managerial capabilities as important elements of effective implementation.

That means execution involves considerably more than approving a strategic plan.

People need to understand what the strategy means for their work. Resources need to be aligned with priorities. Different functions need to coordinate their efforts. Leaders need to monitor progress and intervene when implementation begins to diverge from strategic intent.

This becomes even more important when technology is changing rapidly.

A peer-reviewed study on strategy implementation and organizational agility found that organizational agility can influence managerial discretion, which in turn supports strategy implementation and unit performance.

In practical terms, organizations need enough structure to maintain strategic alignment—but enough flexibility to allow decision-makers to respond when circumstances change.

What should organizations actually monitor?

This is where performance measurement enters the picture.

A strategy needs more than objectives and initiatives. Leaders also need evidence that implementation is moving in the intended direction.

KPIs can provide that visibility.

When appropriately connected to strategic objectives, KPIs can help organizations monitor implementation, identify performance gaps and determine where management attention may be required.

In a rapidly changing environment, however, measurement should not become purely retrospective.

A significant change in a KPI can prompt a broader strategic question:

Does the original plan still make sense?

This creates a feedback loop between strategy and execution. Performance information does not simply tell an organization whether it achieved a target; it can also provide evidence for deciding whether an initiative, resource allocation or implementation approach needs to change.

This view is consistent with research published in Long Range Planning on strategy implementation, which conceptualizes implementation through practices including structure and process matching, resource matching, monitoring, framing and negotiating.

The result is a more dynamic understanding of execution: strategy provides direction, while implementation generates information that can inform subsequent strategic decisions.

Agile strategy execution is becoming a practical discipline

Recent research is also beginning to connect agile principles directly with strategy deployment.

A 2025 study published in Management Research Review examined strategy development and deployment within an automotive company through 39 semi-structured interviews. The researchers identified challenges involving process integration, communication, information quality, strategy mentality and coordination, and proposed an agile framework for strategy development and deployment.

This is significant because agile principles have often been associated with project or product development rather than the broader process of executing organizational strategy.

The emerging research suggests that the same underlying challenge exists at the strategic level: how can organizations maintain direction while responding effectively to new information and changing conditions?

For professionals responsible for strategy and performance, that requires a combination of planning, measurement, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and change management.

Building the capability to execute strategy

The Certified Agile Strategy Execution Professional (C-ASE) from The KPI Institute is designed around this challenge.

The program introduces a proprietary framework for strategy implementation and combines best practices with practical advice, process maps and implementation tools.

Participants develop capabilities to:

• Use strategy planning tools
• Deploy KPIs to monitor strategy implementation
• Engage the right stakeholders in strategy execution
• Monitor strategy implementation
• Drive organizational change

The live-online certification involves 40 hours in total, including four hours of pre-course requirements, 20 hours of live online sessions delivered over five consecutive days, three hours for an Individual Learning Map, a one-hour certification exam and 12 hours of after-course requirements.

Participants also gain access to the international Certified Agile Strategy Professional Community and can pursue international recognition for their strategy execution skills.

The next question for strategy professionals

AI is changing what organizations can do. It is also changing the speed at which assumptions can become outdated.

The strategic challenge, therefore, is not simply adopting AI. It is developing the organizational capability to turn new information and capabilities into coordinated action—and adjust that action when circumstances change.

That is where agile strategy execution becomes relevant.

For professionals working in strategy, performance management and organizational transformation, developing this capability can help strengthen the connection between strategic objectives, initiatives, KPIs, stakeholders and organizational change.

Explore the Certified Agile Strategy Execution Professional →

Picture the last strategy offsite your organization ran. The whiteboard full of ambitions. The slide deck with the five-year vision. The applause when the CEO said “this is the year we execute.” Now, picture where that plan is today.

If your company looks anything like most, it’s sitting half-finished in a folder nobody opens.

That’s not a guess.

According to Harvard Business School Professor Robert Kaplan, co-creator of the Balanced Scorecard, 90% of organizations fail to execute their strategies successfully. Read that twice. Most strategy work in most companies simply dies somewhere between the whiteboard and the results dashboard.

The real problem isn’t strategy

Ask around and you’ll hear the usual excuses: bad market timing, weak leadership buy-in, a distracted team. A 2026 benchmark of 180 strategy and operations leaders tells a more specific story: 86% of companies have employees who cannot actually name their organization’s strategy, and only 7% of leaders say more than three-quarters of their teams’ daily work connects back to it. In 93% of companies, a meaningful share of daily work simply isn’t serving the strategy at all. People aren’t failing to execute strategy. They’re failing to even see it.

Academics have spent decades trying to pin down exactly how bad this gets, and the honest answer is: it varies more than any single number suggests.

A review published in the Journal of Management & Organization found implementation failure estimates ranging from 28% to 90% across the literature, largely because most of the evidence behind those headline figures is outdated, fragmented, or thin. What the research does agree on is this: writing a good strategy is rarely the hard part. Making it survive contact with the organization is.

What this means for business planning professionals

Here’s the uncomfortable part: none of this is a strategy-writing problem. Every failed plan in these studies started with a strategy someone believed in. What separates organizations that execute from the ones that don’t is the discipline of planning practice — clear ownership structures, cascading goals people can actually name, review rhythms that catch drift before it becomes failure, and metrics built to be used, not filed.

That discipline is a learnable craft, not a personality trait some executives happen to have. It’s built through structured frameworks, KPI design, and planning methodologies that hold up once the offsite excitement fades.

If you want to move from writing plans to making them stick, this is exactly what The KPI Institute’s Strategy and Business Planning certification is built around. Bring the practical toolkit back to your organization. Sign up for the course →

The KPI Institute recorded 44,900 participants across its educational programs as of the latest mid-year attendance record. Behind that figure is a community of professionals who have taken part in courses covering strategy, performance management and related areas through different learning formats.

The programs have reached professionals across multiple regions worldwide, with the Middle East accounting for the largest share of participants, followed by APAC, Africa, Europe, South America, and North America.

What are participants learning?

The KPI Institute serves professionals with different learning preferences, with face-to-face courses attracting the highest participation, followed by live online and pre-recorded formats. This mix reflects a combination of classroom-based and digitally accessible learning.

Certification represents an important part of the institute’s professional development offering, covering areas related to performance management, KPI management, strategy and business planning, data, and organizational performance.

Its international reach is reflected in activity across 60 countries, with more than 3,000 courses delivered as of the latest available data. This geographic spread highlights the accessibility of the company’s learning and certification offerings to professionals across different markets and organizational contexts.

Participation has also shown steady growth over the reporting period, increasing month by month from January through July. The latest available figure reached 44,900 participants, reflecting continued expansion of the institute’s global learning community.

The course portfolio covers a broad range of disciplines in strategy, business planning, performance management, and KPI development. Participants can develop skills in Strategic Planning, Strategy Execution, Business Planning, the Balanced Scorecard, Performance Management, Performance Measurement, Performance Management Systems, and Performance Maturity.

The portfolio includes specialized learning in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), KPI Measurement and Reporting, KPI Target Setting, KPI Selection, and KPI Management, as well as Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). Together, these courses help professionals translate strategy into measurable objectives, establish appropriate performance measures, design management systems, and use performance information to support organizational improvement.

Moreover, the portfolio extends into employee performance, data, analytics, and decision-making, addressing the practical capabilities needed to manage and interpret performance information. Courses cover Employee Performance Management, Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Benchmarking, and Performance Reporting, alongside topics that strengthen the use of evidence in organizational decision-making. Participants learn how to work with performance data, identify meaningful patterns and comparisons, communicate insights effectively, and apply structured approaches to monitoring and improving results. Across the portfolio, the focus is on giving professionals practical frameworks, methods, and tools that can be applied directly to organizational performance and professional practice.

What graduates say

Participants have highlighted the practical and engaging nature of the learning experience. Meshal Almotairi, Senior Dietitian at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, described the course as “a great learning and revision tool,” noting that the quizzes helped reinforce understanding and that the knowledge gained was valuable enough to share with colleagues.

Ibrahim Neyaz, Director of Business Process Management & Strategic Information Department at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, similarly emphasized the practical focus, saying the course helped him understand KPIs and how to implement them within his organization. He particularly valued the real-life exercises, which enabled him to analyze how KPIs could be developed for different departments and aligned with strategic objectives.

The organizational impact of the learning is also reflected in the experience of Ferenc Gabor, Managing Director of Process Solutions S.R.L. Following training in the Balanced Scorecard and KPI areas, Gabor said his organization was “very pleased with the quality of the course and training” and was applying the knowledge gained within the company. These experiences point to the practical application of the institute’s training beyond the classroom, from strengthening individual understanding of performance concepts to supporting organizations in applying structured approaches to strategy and performance management.

For professionals looking to build similar capabilities, the full range of courses is available here:

• Live Online Training Courses 2026: https://kpiinstitute.org/Live_Online_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar_a.pdf
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 (EMEA): https://kpiinstitute.org/MENA_UK_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 (Southeast Asia): https://kpiinstitute.org/SEA_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf

Considering a strategy and performance management certification can raise practical questions about registration, time commitment, certification requirements, interaction, support, resources, and technical requirements.

The KPI Institute’s FAQ for its 2026 worldwide live-online certifications addresses these questions.

How do I register for the course?

Similar to the open face-to-face programs, the online programs have an application and admission process in place. Participants are required to fill in the application form and process the payment for the course in order to register. A confirmation email will be sent once the registration has been completed.

How much time should I expect to allocate to complete all course requirements?

The total expected time is 40 hours. This includes:

• Pre-course requirements: 4 hours
• Live online sessions: 20 hours, 4 hours per day, for 5 consecutive days
• Individual Learning Map and exam preparation: 3 hours, 0.5 hours per day after each live session, and 0.5 hours for the final recap before the exam
• Certification Exam: 1 hour
• After-course requirements: 12 hours

What will I receive upon completing the program?

The certification process is finalized only when all three stages of the learning experience have been completed. Participants will receive the following:

• Certificate of Completion: After completing the pre-course activities and passing the Certification Exam
• Certificate of Attendance: After participating in the online training course
• Certified Professional diploma: After successfully completing all three stages of the learning experience
• CPD Certificate of Attendance: Once Professional status has been successfully obtained

Will I be able to interact with the facilitator and other participants?

Yes. The learning experience is designed to encourage interaction. The facilitator will address participants’ questions and provide feedback during the sessions, as well as share best-practice information on the topics being discussed.

Participants will also be encouraged to share their own experiences and work and participate in group discussions during the online course and through the E-Learning platform before and after the course.

What support can I expect throughout the program?

Participants can expect support throughout the program. Content-related questions will be addressed by the facilitator, certification process queries by the Education Team, and technical questions by IT specialists.

Challenges during the course can be addressed through the E-Learning platform, email, phone, or during the live online sessions.

What resources will I get access to?

To help participants implement the knowledge they have gained in their organization and support further learning on the topic, the following resources will be made available:

• Premium Subscription on smartKPIs.com for 6 months, providing access to 500 fully documented KPIs and over 20,000 KPI examples
• One research report from the Top 25 KPIs series
• Free access to all webinars from the 2014 to 2016 Performance Management series
• Performance Management Toolkit containing Excel-based templates for Desired State of Evolution, Strategy Map, Scorecard, Dashboard, Portfolio of Initiatives, KPI Documentation Form, KPI Report Form, and Initiative Description Form
• The KPI Infographic
• The Performance Management in 2012, 2013, and 2014 reports
• Catalogues and Fact Sheets
• VideoDoodles
• Training slides and course notes

What technical requirements are needed to join the course?

Joining the platform is simple, and participants do not need advanced technical skills. They simply need to click on a link to open the app and join. After that, they select “use computer audio” and are ready to participate.

If I have attended face-to-face training before, can I get a 1:1 session with a consultant?

Yes. 1:1 sessions with subject matter experts can be organized on request, regardless of whether participants have attended a past public or in-house course.

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Check out the schedule of the strategy and performance management courses for the rest of 2026:

• Live Online Training Courses 2026: https://kpiinstitute.org/Live_Online_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar_a.pdf
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 (EMEA): https://kpiinstitute.org/MENA_UK_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf
• Face-to-Face Training Courses 2026 (Southeast Asia): https://kpiinstitute.org/SEA_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf