Malcolm Baldrige Award
receipients were announced at a IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 25, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined President George W. Bush in announcing the 2008 recipients of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence.
The 2008 Malcolm Baldrige Award recipients included the followings threee categories of organizations:
Cargill Corn Milling North America, Wayzata, Minn. (manufacturing)
Poudre Valley Health System, Fort Collins, Colo. (health care)
Iredell-Statesville Schools, Statesville, N.C. (education)
There were 85 applicants for the 2008 Baldrige Award and the top three 2008 Malcolm Award recipients were selected. As a procedure, all of the applicants were evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven categories of the Baldrige Criteia namely:-
1) leadership
2) strategic planning
3) customer and market focus
4) measurement, analysis and knowledge management
5) workforce focus
6) process management
7) results
The Malcolm Baldrige Award Assessment evaluation process for each of the recipients included about 1,000 hours of review and an on-site visit by a team of examiners to clarify questions and verify information in their written application reports.
The Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP) and the Malcolm Baldrige Award promote innovation and performance excellence across the country and around the world in a number of ways.
The use of the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, the guide designed to help organizations of all types improve their operations, is widespread. Over 10 million copies of the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence—described by one industry CEO as “probably the single most influential document in the modern history of American business”—have been distributed since 1988, and about 2 million copies are downloaded annually.
Nearly 5,000 public and private-sector leaders have served on the independent board of examiners that reviews applications for the Baldrige Award. Each applicant receives 300 to 1,000 hours of feedback from these experts.
More than 40 U.S. states and more than 45 countries worldwide have implemented programs based on the Baldrige criteria.
The 2008 Baldrige Award recipients are expected to be presented with their awards in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., early next year.
Named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. businesses. Originally, three types of organizations were eligible: manufacturers, service companies and small businesses. Congress expanded the program in 1999 to include education and health care organizations, and again in 2007 to include nonprofit organizations (including charities, trade and professional associations, and government agencies). The award promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 75 organizations have received Baldrige Awards.
The Baldrige program is managed by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in conjunction with the private sector.
As a nonregulatory agency of the Commerce Department, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.
Source: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/2008baldrigerecipients.htm
