Critical Evaluation of the Discounted Cash Flow-Method as a Value Based Performance Measurement Concept

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Controlling, grade: 1,3 (A), European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (Economics), course: Seminar: Budgeting and Performance Measurement, language: English, abstract: This paper will evaluate the Discounted-Cash-Flow-Method (DCF) as a certain value based performance measurement system (VBPMS). Therefore criteria of evaluating performance measurement systems (PMS) in generally will be created (Chapter 2). This strategy will guarantee the fundamental comparability of the derived features of the DCF with these of other PMS (including non-VBPMS, too). Chapter 3 will emphasize a fundamental feature of VBPMS, the shareholder orientation. After a detailed investigation of the DCF in chapter 4, its criteria will be evaluated in chapter 5. Finally a quintessence closes this paper (chapter 6). 2 Criteria for evaluating performance measurement systems In this chapter criteria of value based performance measurement systems will be developed. Therefore the sense of performance in connection with enterprises will be explained, at first. Finally, the term 'performance measurement system' (PMS) will be defined in order to point out there criteria. 2.1 The performance of an enterprise Performance of an enterprise stands for its achievement, its power or its output 1 . To describe this term exactly, it is important to get an impression of the objectives of an enterprise (see Figure 7.1).The objectives of an enterprise are derived from its mission 2 . The mission of a company stresses its basic function in society. Qualitative aims, called goals, are derived from the mission. If they are expressed in a way that can be measured, they are called objectives. Shareholder wealth maximisation is the traditional objective of firms 3 . In general, 'any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization's objectives' 4 (Stakeholder) can influence its mission and therefore its objectives. And some of them do so, as one can realise for example by investigating the success of the Balanced Score Card 5 as a performance measurement instrument that emphasises the objectives of several stakeholders 6 . Obviously, not every Stakeholder can by considered. Only the interests of a few key-stakeholders will be regarded by the target system of a firm. Shareholders are one of the considered key-stakeholders because of their influence on the process of creating the mission (consider the rights of co determination of the general business meeting and the supervisory board 7 at share companies; the influence of the shareholders on partnerships is trivial).