简介：HealthinstitutionsinthePeople’sRepublicofChinaareunderconsiderablechallenge.Innovationsinmanagementsystemsmaysupportthechallengetoincreasebothefficiencyandeffectiveness.Thebalancedscorecard(BSC)isonesuchinnova-tion.WehaveusedamodeltoexplorethefactorsthatmayimpactthediffusionoftheBSCinChinesegovernmenthospitals.Inparticular,weconcentrateonthreefactors—theoutercontext,thenatureoftheinnovationandthecommunicationandinfluence.TheoutercontextandthenatureoftheinnovationdoprovideaninducementtoimplementaBSC.Thestrengthofthecommunica-tionandinfluencemayaffecttheleveloftake-up.However,werecognisethattheymaychoosetheBSCnotforanyapparenttechnicalexcellencebutforthelegitimationthatWesternman-agementpracticesmaybringtolocalmanagers.