Contemporary organisations are based more on intangible assets than tangible ones. The notion of the importance of knowledge work has also drawn attention to the management of knowledge workers. To survive in competition, contemporary organisations need managerial processes that support leadership. There are several tools that suit this purpose. This study has its focus on using performance measurement in the knowledge work context. The study is based on a series of action research projects conducted in Finnish knowledge work organisations during the period 2001 – 2003. The study is normative in nature, as it aims to prove the usability of performance measurement and also to provide guidelines for applying performance measurement frameworks.