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Introduction
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is the premier award for business
excellence and quality achievement in the United States. Since 1988, 49
organizations have received this recognition for demonstrating ever-increasing
value to their customers, organizational effectiveness and learning. Along
the way, thousands of companies have used the Baldrige criteria to assess
performance and measure their progress relative to a recognized compilation
of best practices.
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) was established by Congress
in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses. The award is
named after Mr. Malcolm Baldrige, who served as Secretary of Commerce
from 1981-1987, and whose managerial excellence contributed to long-term
improvement in efficiency and effectiveness of government. The award promotes
quality awareness, recognizes the quality and performance achievements
of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies
which ensure business excellence. It has five categories: manufacturing,
service, small business, education and health care. The award is not given
for specific products or services.
The Baldrige program is managed by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of
the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, in conjunction
with the private sector. The MBNQA is given to U.S. organizations that
have exemplary achievements in seven areas: leadership, strategic planning,
customer and market focus, measurement, analysis
and knowledge management, human resources focus, process management,
and business results. These seven areas affect all key stakeholders, including:
communities, customers, employees, shareholders and suppliers.
All applicants for the Baldrige Award undergo a rigorous examination process
that ranges from 300 to 1,000 hours of outside review. Final-stage applicants
are visited by teams of examiners to clarify questions and verify information.
All applications are reviewed by an independent board of examiners primarily
from the private sector. Each applicant receives a report citing strengths
and opportunities for improvement.
Baldrige Criteria
Organizations are evaluated along 7 dimensions known as the Baldrige
Criteria:
| 1. |
Leadership
- The Leadership Category examines how the
organization's senior leaders address values, directions and performance
expectations, as well as a focus on customers and other stakeholders,
empowerment, innovation, and learning. Also examined are the organization's
governance and how the organization addresses its public and community
responsibilities. |
| 2. |
Strategic
Planning - The Strategic Planning Category
examines how the organization develops strategic objectives and action
plans. Also examined are how chosen strategic objectives and action
plans are deployed and how progress is measured. |
| 3. |
Customer
and Market Focus - The Customer and Market
Focus Category examines how the organization determines requirements,
expectations and preferences of customers and markets. Also examined
is how the organization builds relationships with customers and determines
the key factors that lead to customer acquisition, satisfaction and
retention and to business expansion. |
| 4. |
Measurement,
Analysis, and Knowledge Management - The
Measurement, Analysis and Knowledge Management Category examines how
the organization selects, gathers, analyzes, manages, and improves
its data, information and knowledge assets. |
| 5. |
Human
Resource Focus - The Human Resource Focus
Category examines how the organization's work systems and employee
learning and motivation enable employees to develop and utilize their
full potential in alignment with the organization's overall objectives
and action plans. Also examined are the organization's efforts to
build and maintain a work environment and an employee support climate
conducive to perform excellence and to personal and organizational
growth. |
| 6. |
Process
Management - The Process Management Category
examines the key aspects of your organization's process management,
including key product, service, and business processes for creating
customer and organizational value and key support processes. This
Category encompasses all key processes and all work units. |
| 7. |
Business
Results - This category examines the organization's
performance and improvement in key business areas - customer satisfaction,
product and service performance, financial and marketplace performance,
human resource results, operational performance and governance and
social responsibility. Also examined are performance levels relative
to those of competitors. |
Links
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
NIST manage the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program and as
you would expect the web site contains a wealth of material including
the history of the award, FAQ's, details of previous award recipients
as well as help on getting started with Self-Assessment for excellence...
Getting
Started with the Criteria for Performance Excellence
FREE Download - Learn about the ten steps for self-assessment for any
organization using the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. Review
reasons for considering a self-assessment and determine if you are ready.
Further resources for self-assessment and action are also included...
The
Criteria for Performance Excellence
FREE Download - 80 page detailed publication covering all aspects of the
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award process...
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