Robert S. (Bob) Kaplan

Bob Kaplan, dean of the Tepper School of Business from 1977-1983, is recognized as the co-developer of both activity-based costing and the balanced scorecard (BSC), considered key contributions to the field of management theory and practice. He has written, taught, and consulted widely on linking cost and performance management systems to strategy implementation.

Kaplan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Cornell University.

He began his academic career in 1968, becoming a member of the Tepper School's faculty and assumed the role of dean in 1977. He left in 1983 to join the faculty of Harvard Business School.

Kaplan has authored or co-authored 14 books and more than 250 papers, including five prize-winning books, translated into 28 languages, on the BSC strategy execution system.

Among his honors, Kaplan has received honorary doctorates from several international universities, was elected to the Accounting Hall of Fame, received the 1988 Outstanding Accounting Educator Award from the American Accounting Association, and the 1994 CIMA Award from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK).