Malcolm Baldrige Criteria – A Business Excellence Model

NIST, the body which oversee the Malcolm Baldrige Award scheme announced in his webpage that Seventy apply for 2009 Malcolm Baldrige Award.

Seventy organizations have taken the first step toward the 2009 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest recognition for innovation and performance excellence. Applicants include two manufacturers, four service companies, five small businesses, nine educational organizations, 42 health care organizations and eight nonprofits/governmental organizations.

The 70 applicants will be evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. Examiners provide each applicant with 300 to 1,000 hours of review and a detailed report on the organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement

Source: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tb2009_0602.htm#baldrige

From the response of so many organziations, it is obvious that they did it for good deed. First of all, they must have implemented the Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria vigorously as the criteria is the basis for a Baldrige Assessment. Furthermore, these organizations knew that besides to be awarded the best in their category, they have to exhibit continuous improvement to the Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria to keep current. They also knew that even they are not awarded the winner, the process of the assessment would bring valuable learning and experience for them to further enhance the implementation of the criteria. The Assessment Report granted at the end of an assessment is a valuable asset to the organizations.