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Excellence – 25 years evolution
Abstract
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss/reflect on some well‐known excellence frameworks or models in order to understand the development in the contents of excellence during the last 25 years and to understand the problems or limitations which such kind of models still may have.
Design/methodology/approach
– The studies examine some leading excellence frameworks and models and discuss/identify their strengths as well as weaknesses. The chosen models and frameworks are Peters' and Waterman's eight excellence attributes (1982), Peter's and Austin's simplified excellence model (1985), lists of best practices (1998), Xerox excellence models (1990, 2002), the European excellence model (1992), Dahlgaard‐Park and Dahlgaard's 4P model (1999, 2004) and Toyota's 4P model.
Findings
– Generally, excellence models and frameworks are inspired by the Japanese practices and they recognize the importance of the soft dimension of organizational realities. However, there are tendencies to interpret these models from reductionist and positivistic view and ignore the human aspect and the soft dimension when organizations try to implement the model in their struggle to achieve excellence. 4P model and the four aspects of organizational realities can reduce these negative tendencies.
Originality/value
– The study documents how the selected leading models and frameworks about excellence have been developed and practiced during the last 25 years with identification of each frameworks background, strengths and limitations.
... The increasing prevalence of organisation-wide management standards can be understood in terms of organisational excellence theory (de Waal, 2013). This suggests that different systemic factors contribute to the achievement of sustained excellence and high levels of organisational performance (Mi Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). Organisational excellence theory draws on open systems theory. ...
... Critics argue that claims that models of organisational excellence have a universal applicability are problematic (Brunsson et al., 2012). First, different national, cultural and organisational contextual factors have substantial effects on the systemic features required to generate organisational performance (Mi Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). Second, organisational excellence theory underestimates the effect of different organisational cultures and leadership styles. ...
... Second, organisational excellence theory underestimates the effect of different organisational cultures and leadership styles. In organisations where an organisational culture that emphasises rational-measurement processes is dominant, it is possible that concern for HRD orientated features of excellent practice will be given less attention than dimensions such as the simplification and improvement of processes, measurement and continuous process optimisation (de Waal, 2013;Mi Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). Third, organisational excellence theory fails to account for other risk and decision factors that affect performance (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the implications of national and international standards for human resource development (HRD) practice. It focuses on the experiences, perceptions and learning of those involved in the social construction of standards and standardisation processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is grounded in institutional and organisational excellence theories and adopts a qualitative approach based in social constructivism. Thematic analysis of the data obtained from 13 semi-structured interviews leads to a discussion of awareness of standards, standards adoption including constraints, and impact of standards.
Findings
The findings indicate that that there has been a disconnect between the potential impact of British Standards Institute (BSI) HR standards and what has occurred in practice with little awareness of the BSI standards among practitioners.
Research limitations/implications
This paper identifies an absence of institutional isomorphism in the HR arena and highlights the potential for a “standards-practice” gap where HR standards formation processes are perceived as detracting from flexibility and innovativeness in organisational practice.
Originality/value
This study contributes a new perspective of the implications of HR standards formation from the perspective of those involved and further contributes to the wider theorisation of standards in the HRD field.
... In their famous book entitled In Search of Excellence, Peters and Waterman (1982) recognise 'productivity through people' as one of the eight attributes of an excellent business, which requires highly motivated and involved staff. More or less explicitly, any model of business excellence reflects this criterion (see de Waal, 2013;Mohammad et al., 2011;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). To motivate employees, many companies use wages. ...
... In addition to achieving the same motivational and aligning roles as incentives do, they reduce many of their recognised and dangerous dysfunctionalities, thus becoming a less discriminatory motivational tool that also enhance more cooperation amongst employees. A basic criterion of any excellence model is the human resource management, with reward and recognition being one of its essential sub criteria (see Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). Additionally, cooperation is a necessary ingredient for successful business excellent model initiatives (Dahlgaard-Park, 2012). ...
... In addition, as it is proposed by Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard (2007), all these measures have to be implemented as parts of a dynamic continuum between the micromacro level. Between both levels there are mutual interrelationships and they cannot be separated. ...
The objective of this conceptual paper is to analyse why the use of efficiency wages accompanied by informative feedback can be a substitute for the use of individual economic incentives. Efficiency wages lead to the same positive outcomes as these incentives, but without incurring their multiple dysfunctionalities, which are difficult for companies to manage. The research methodology followed is an integrative literature review of different conceptual schools of thought: economics, experimental economics and behavioural economics. The result is the design of a conceptual framework that offers a new perspective on how companies can motive more effectively employees while achieving organisational objectives. Efficiency wages can attract employees that are more productive and motivate them to be more diligent. When accompanied by informative feedback, they can also orientate employees’ behaviours towards the achievement of organisational objectives. Efficiency wages fulfil therefore the objectives of incentives, but they are a fairer and less discriminatory alternative. This paper makes two relevant contributions. First, it offers managers an alternative to the use of individual incentives, and a powerful mechanism in the achievement of business excellence. Second, it promotes the academic analysis of novel hypothesis and research perspectives, constituting thus a relevant step for further theory development.
... However, how to achieve the excellence level and sustained the competitive advantages still the main questions in the business performance. Most of the organizations have not achieved the excellence levels because the management does not have a profound understanding of what is real means to be excellence (Abdul Wahab et al., 2016;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Ojha, 2015;Yew & Ahmad, 2014). Additionally, understanding of the factors that influence operational excellence is one of the issues in pursuing excellence among the organizations. ...
... Additionally, understanding of the factors that influence operational excellence is one of the issues in pursuing excellence among the organizations. One of the reasons is because the guideline that describes how to achieve the operational excellence is remained unclear (Cesarotti & Spada, 2009;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Kwok & Tummala, 1998;Mohammad, Mann, Grigg, & Wagner, 2009Pellissier, 2009;Sharma & Kodali, 2008). The organizations require practical and detailed guidance to achieve operational excellence (Sharma & Kodali, 2008). ...
... Internal environmental factors comprised of two major elements namely hard factors (operation strategy, organizational structure and process management) while the soft factors (leadership style, organizational culture and human resource practices). The relationship and combination between hard and soft factors will lead the organizations towards the operational excellence (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Ojha, 2015;Yew & Ahmad, 2014). Additionally, the hard and soft factors are the influential elements towards excellence and have been recognized as success criteria behind excellence. ...
This paper examines internal environmental factors that influence the operational excellence of SMEs manufacturing sector in Malaysia. The objective of this paper is to measure the reliability and validity of internal environmental factors and its construct. A pilot study was conducted among 30 SMEs company in Terengganu which represented by the managerial level who are closely linked to the manufacturing operations. This study adopted a survey method by using simple random sampling method for the data collection. The reliability and validity of the instrument were examined through content validity, face validity and reliability based on expert assessment and the data was analyzed using the statistical software SPSS version 22. The result shows that the survey instrument is reliable and valid. Therefore, this study expected will help the Malaysian SMEs manufacturing sector in determining the effect of internal environmental factors on operational excellence.
... Since the 1980s and the rebirth of management through the prism of quality, total quality and total quality management (TQM) (Dahlgaard et al., 1998), excellence has been recognised as a primary challenge for organisations following an increasing adoption of quality management systems and approaches at a global scale (Oakland, 1999;Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007;Kanji, 2008;. ...
... As it has been suggested by Dahlgaard and Dahlgaard-Park, organisational excellence comes as a logical consequence of people's (individual and collective) attempts for excellence (Dahlgaard-Park, 2009;Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007), which has its mental (e.g. core values), managerial (e.g. ...
Purpose
This study aims to reflect on quality, sustainability and resilience as emerging organisational priorities within total quality management (TQM) and organisational excellence.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a conceptual approach based on reflection and theoretical studies on the philosophical foundations of quality, excellence, resilience and sustainability as cornerstones for organisational excellence. Bearing in mind that sustainable excellence rests upon a combination of systemic and soft issues that define organisational ability for resilience and sustainability, there is a need to analyse and reflect on short business cases from world-leading companies and further reflect on the fundamental principles, which have helped such companies to survive, grow and sustain. This study includes such a business case – the LEGO case. In addition, a Japanese case has been included. Japanese training material on human motivation developed in the 1980s exemplifies how company managers were trained, at that time, to understand and practice human motivation, excellence principles and tools.
Findings
Organisational excellence constitutes an evolving concept as the world becomes more chaotic and interconnected with multiple disruptive shocks. Organisational excellence challenges the inflexibilities of Newtonian mindsets, recognising the paramount importance of interactions and further underlining the significance of invisible elements such as human potentiality, motivation and values that formulate the principles of organisational excellence.
Originality/value
The paper investigates the notions of quality, resilience and sustainability and their relation to motivation and organisational excellence within the framework of business management and TQM. A world-leading company – LEGO – will be used to exemplify the theoretical findings together with the Japanese Motivation Training Programme case.
... One of the ways to achieve excellence is by using Business Excellence Models (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007;Mohammad et al., 2009Mohammad et al., , 2012. The EFQM Excellence Model is one of the most used Business Excellence Model across European Organizations and presents itself as a practical tool to help organizations on the path to excellence. ...
... Organizations must adopt this assessment cycle and act on a cyclical basis to achieve a genuine and sustainable improvement (EFQM, 2011). The EFQM Excellence Model is the most widely used in Europe and can be considered a holistic and integrative approach, in which strategic, managerial and operational control processes are integrated into the model (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). It covers all the most essential organizational areas and defines exactly what requirements should be fulfilled in these areas. ...
This paper provides a general approach to explore an appropriateness of business excellence models (BEMs) in Czech environment and investigates whether there is a specific approach to the adoption of best management practices in organizations embedded in the EFQM Excellence Model including as a part of national quality awards (NQAs) and evaluate impact on their key performance indicators. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the BEMs approach in the Czech Republic and found the relevance with the issues of resulting from the implementation of the EFQM model and selected performance indicators. As an example was involved the Czech companies awarded in NQAs in the area of excellence between 2010 and 2016. Based on a reflection of the current situation, there is still discussion about the implications for the implementation of the EFQM Excellence Model on the performance indicators. Using a qualitative methodology, based on case studies, we conducted a detailed analysis of key performance indicators before and after of the adoption of the EFQM Excellence Model, as well the company's current state of maturity. This study is based on information gathered through an extensive literature review using print media, research databases, and we also employed the available reporting for awarded companies. We systemized the variables of business excellence with the higher impact on organizational performance. The main findings of this study are in accordance with other studies carried out across Europe, namely the fact that the internal motivations are the key factor for the implementation of the EFQM Excellence Model, support of involvement from NQAs, the key role is in willingness of top managers (or owners) and methodological helpful is an implementation of ISO 9001 certification. On the basis of selected performance indicators, the positive development of the companies was demonstrated. This study contributes to the management literature on best practices, by highlighting a consistent trend in the use of the EFQM Excellence model, and is expected to help in the development and broadening of the excellence approach in the business environment.
... Although McAdam (2000) argues that it later developed a broader set of social skills (which might have increased the fuzziness around the concept and fuelled yet another set of critiques), it became a common claim against TQM that it was too focused on "tools and techniques", leaving the social and human sides of an organisation out of the process. Although this was to a large extent due to misunderstandings over the original TQM roots, increased implementation difficulties were enumerated, including the limited involvement among lower levels the workforce (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007) and within middle management (McAdam and O'Neill, 1999;Ogbonna and Wilkinson, 2003), a problem that is itself against one of the espoused theoretical constructs of TQM: involving, empowering and motivating every worker into the process of developing and improving quality in an organisation (Zairi and Youssef, 1995;Ahire, Golhar, and Waller, 1996;Motwani, 2001). Despite being a common claim, it is important to clarify the perceptions around the motivation and engagement of the people in an organization, and understand that the problem of lack of motivation and involvement is not exclusive to the low and middle levels of organisations. ...
... At the same time, however, some works also shed light over the limitations of the concept and the operationalization of excellence Dahlgaard, Chen, Jang, Banegas & Dahlgaard-Park, 2013). In fact, despite undisputed success and resilience, the truth is that some "excellent" organisations also have failed (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007), showing how challenging it is to maintain and deploy excellence-bound strategies throughout time. ...
About 35 years ago, the word ‘excellence’ entered the business lexicon, quickly making its way into the quality community. Today, excellence has proved to be a valid quality initiative by promoting performance improvements in organisations across the world. But in the face of new industrial paradigms, it also faces challenges - some novel and disruptive; some old and with renewed strength. While in many areas, including the field of quality, discussions regarding the future are common, in the specific case of excellence these have been rare. The driver behind this work is to understand the current state and the future challenges of excellence, supporting these perspectives in a broad literature review covering its history. The results highlight the achievements of excellence, its limitations and challenges, and the key concepts that need addressing in the scope of dealing with the industrial models of the future. Altogether, it looks at the relationships between excellence and other quality initiatives, and identifies opportunities for improvement. By covering the history of excellence, and identifying solutions that can be adapted and integrated in its scope, we hope to present our contributions for sparking discussion and help the development of a robust excellence approach for the future.
... One basic reason behind their failure is that the criteria are perceived as a promotional tool rather than a quality improvement tool. Another reason is an existing management paradigm that determines the direction and focus of the model and neglects contextual realities (Curry and Kadasah, 2002;Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007;Oakland and Tanner, 2008). Cook and Verma (2002) indicated a significant positive relationship between business excellence and performance. ...
... A careful analysis of practices of the aforementioned models or awards revealed that most are prepared by viable organizations or implemented under the supervision of advisory companies; some even have government support in developed countries. As Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard (2007) stated, these business excellence models are more useful to gain a competitive advantage and realize high performance compared to an award application or promotion. However, hotels are in urgent need of establishing simple, fast, effective, and low-cost models. ...
... Moreover, achieving operational excellence is a requirement to the organizations. However, how to achieve operational excellence and sustain competitive advantages still the main questions among the organizations (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Yew & Ahmad, 2014). Many organizations seeking for the excellence but unfortunately many of them failed to achieve the excellence level due to the lack of understanding of the factors that influence operational excellence (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). ...
... However, how to achieve operational excellence and sustain competitive advantages still the main questions among the organizations (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Yew & Ahmad, 2014). Many organizations seeking for the excellence but unfortunately many of them failed to achieve the excellence level due to the lack of understanding of the factors that influence operational excellence (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). Additionally, the guidelines that describe how to achieve operational excellence is remained unclear (Mohammad, Mann, Grigg, & Wagner, 2011). ...
The manufacturing sector in Malaysia has been recognized as an important sector due to its significant contribution toward the nation's economic growth. This sector is the most significant contributor to total exports of the country and the second largest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP). However, the total shares of Malaysia's manufacturing exports in the world market declined due to competitive and globalized market condition. Consequently, it is essential to investigate the factors that affect operational excellence to remain competitive and achieving excellence in the business. This study aims to examine the internal and external environmental factors that affect the operational excellence in the Malaysian SMEs manufacturing sector. The literature have demonstrated that an investigation on operational excellence lacks particularly in Malaysian SMEs sector. In addition, the impact of internal and external environmental factors on operational excellence has received little attention in the literature especially in the SMEs sector. Therefore, the conceptual model has been developed based on a comprehensive review of the previous study. This paper presents a conceptual framework that investigates the internal and external environmental factors that affect operational excellence as well as their relationship on operational excellence in the Malaysian SMEs manufacturing sector. The contribution of this paper is to identify the influence of internal and external environmental factors towards the operational excellence. Thus, this study proposed a conceptual framework for SMEs manufacturing sectors in Malaysia.
... Excellence (Alvesson, 2011;Kaplan, 2005). The McKinsey 7-S framework identifies seven interrelated criteria which addresses culture and leadership through the criteria of shared values (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Kaplan, 2005). However, this framework is challenged by the subjective perceptions of leaders and is incapable of effectively evaluating the extent of follower internalisation of culture (Alvesson, 2011). ...
... However, this framework is challenged by the subjective perceptions of leaders and is incapable of effectively evaluating the extent of follower internalisation of culture (Alvesson, 2011). Furthermore, In Search of Excellence cited organisational examples which went on to fail, thus contesting the anecdotal veracity of the framework (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this literature review is to advance contemporary cognisance of the leadership field and its current state, through the synthesis and development of earlier contributions. A taxonomy of evolutionary eras is tendered, from which future research opportunities can be extrapolated.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper conducts a narrative literature review of significant leadership literature. There is a focus on prominent contributions which are considered to have been highly influential within the field, whilst acknowledging other notable influences.
Findings
Leadership is found to be a multifaceted and evolving field, which continues to produce further research fields. This dynamism hinders the progression of leadership to achieve integration. Eleven interrelated eras of leadership, which hold varying research value, were found. Whilst some eras superficially appear to be discredited, there is arguably scope for these to be developed in contemporary context. Currently the leadership approaches which are replete with research opportunities include servant leadership, a skills approach, and entrepreneurial leadership.
Research limitations/implications
Leadership is a vast research area with numerous contributions to its body of work, therefore, this review has focused on prominent contributions, and has not attempted to include all available literature. The dissemination of leadership literature has allowed for research gaps to emerge, and future research recommendations to be drawn.
Originality/value
Whilst there is an extensive body of leadership literature, there are few reviews of the literature. A comprehensive contemporary review facilitates an examination of the current complexities and state of the leadership field.
... However, this paper recognises that the concept is not new and has a long history but is conscious that it may have had different meanings to managers prior to the publication of In Search of Excellence. Previous literature on Excellence includes a comprehensive study of the evolution of Excellence (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007), an explanation of the characteristics of Excellence (Dahlgaard-Park, 2013 and a discussion on decoding the code of Excellence (Dahlgaard-Park, 2009). In addition, this paper specifically does not include the broader concept of Organisational Excellence or the models of Business Excellence (Dahlgaard & Dahlgaard-Park, 2004;Dahlgaard, Chen, Jang, Banegas, & Dahlgaard-Park, 2013) that are outside the scope of this study, which focuses only on operations and Operational Excellence. ...
... Within those that defined Op Ex there were those that stated it was related to customer value, although at lowest cost (Sulaiman, Abdullah, & Baharum, 2014;Zacharias, Nijssen, & Stock, 2016) and others to a cost minimisation strategy (Wright, 2016) where an operational excellence strategy generates standardised products without the same level of product innovation business risk. There are, however, many authors that consider that excellence, as well as Lean, TQM and CI, are all firmly linked to organisational learning and transferring knowledge from west to east and east to west (Hermal & Ramis-Pujol, 2003; Calvo-Mora, Navorro-García, Rey-Moreno, & Periañez-Cristobal, 2016; Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007;Dahlgaard-Park, 2006). ...
The term Operational Excellence is widely applied to businesses but the meaning is ill-defined and is often used as a desired goal. This paper provides a comprehensive review of Operational Excellence and starts to address the criticism of its lack of theoretical foundation. The aim of this conceptual paper is to clarify the meaning of Operational Excellent and to identify the underpinning theories and laws, or rules that guide it. Based on the synthesis of the literature using the term ‘Operational Excellence’ writings are reviewed against five criteria for a good theory. Our findings show there has been considerable research into identifying common practices and regularities of Operational Excellence but currently there is no single underlying theory of Operational Excellence that meets the criteria for a good theory. From our analysis of the literature we provide some recommendations to address the gaps found. Further research is required to develop a more robust theory of Operational Excellence that will serve to facilitate learning and innovation in next-generation management thinking. Future study is also required to identify research that has been carried out that has tested the laws identified in this study. Ideas and input from practitioners would also be required to develop the theory and underpinning laws.
... In organizational terms the basis of such an approach may already exist -albeit without the clarity provided by the neuroanatomical framework -corresponding to the practice of pushing responsibility down the line, combining firm central direction with maximum individual autonomy (what has been called "simultaneous loose-tight properties" (Peters & Waterman, 1982)), and reflected in the obsession with delayering (i.e., removing intermediate levels of managerial responsibilities wherever possible). This approach is currently the sine qua non of two of today"s most successful business operationsthe "production system model" of the Japanese car maker Toyota (Liker, 2004;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007) and the "fast aircraft turnaround model" typified by the low-fare high-value US carrier Southwest Airlines. The "Southwest model" (Flouris & Oswald, 2006), now replicated in part by the majority of low-cost airlines around the world, is based not only on high asset utilisation (aircraft operations) but more importantly on the development of high-performance relationships that characterise the organization (Gittell, 2003). ...
Insights gained from studying the human brain have begun to open up promising new areas of research in the behavioural and social sciences. Neuroscience-based principles have been incorporated into areas such as business management, economics and marketing, leading to the development of artificial neural networks, neuroeconomics, neuromarketing and, most recently, organizational cognitive neuroscience. Similarly, the brain has been used as a powerful metaphor for thinking about and analysing the nature of organizations. However, no existing approach to organizational analysis has taken advantage of contemporary neuroanatomical principles, thereby missing the opportunity to translate core neuroanatomical knowledge into other, non-related areas of research. In this essentially conceptual paper, we propose several ways in which neuroanatomical approaches could be used to enhance organizational theory, practice and research. We suggest that truly interdisciplinary and collaborative research between neuroanatomists and organizational analysts is likely to provide novel approaches to exploring and improving organizational performance.
... In management theory and practice, however, excellence is mostly conceptualised as a dynamic model for self-assessment against a provided framework. On the level of general management, many business excellence models have been developed and are in use around the globe (Dahlgaard et al., 2013;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). The Communication Monitor research series has adopted this approach for the functional level of strategic communication and public relations . ...
The 2016 edition of the largest annual study in strategic communication, corporate communications and public relations worldwide is based on responses from 2,710 communication professionals from 43 European countries.
Conducted by an international research team from renowned universities, the research provides insights about big data, algorithms and automation in communication, social media influencers, stakeholder engagement, strategic issues and development of communication channels over a decade (2007-2016), skills and competency development of communicators, characteristics of excellent communication departments and much more.
A joint project by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD) with partner PRIME Research. Lead researcher: Prof Dr Ansgar Zerfass, University of Leipzig, Germany, & BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo.
All reports for the European Communication Monitor 2017–2023 are available at www.communicationmonitor.eu
... So far, we have discussed excellence and its meaning in higher education institutions and we may conclude that organizational excellence comes as a logical consequence of people (individual and collective) attempts for excellence (Dahlgaard-Park, 2009;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007), which has its own mental (e.g. core values), managerial (e.g. ...
The Greek higher education system is currently in a process of reorganization
and transformation on the basis of clear strategic orientations that have been
formed in alignment with European and international developments, the challenges of the new national agenda for growth and the results of quality assurance.
During the last years, Greek universities have ascended in higher levels of quality
maturity as they engaged in self-assessment and external evaluation activities,
putting themselves in virtuous circles of improvement. Under new governance
and a re-established higher education authority, Greek universities face a new
challenge; the combination of the “traditional” concept of academic excellence
with a strong systematic quality management orientation and commitment.
The new identity of Greek higher education that is gradually being built may
help re-positioning Greece internationally as a place for studies and research. The
accomplishment of this noble aspiration will not be feasible without systematic
endeavors towards excellence driven by strong and inspiring leadership committed to the cultivation of quality culture, the building of stable systems of operation
and the potential of its people. Moreover, Greece will have to enhance its quality
of living (e.g. better infrastructure, less bureaucracy, equality of opportunities for
foreign students and staff), if it wishes to become an alluring international higher
education player.
The purpose of this chapter is to present current developments in Greek higher education with reference to the results of quality assurance activities and to
investigate how quality teachings may provide the framework for further transforming the identity of Greek higher education.
... Multiple researchers and practitioners believe that adopting appropriate project management tools, techniques, and software can improve a project's performance (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007;Taghinezhad et al., 2021). One of the common approaches taken by researchers and practitioners is to improve the phase-based performance (Karunakaran et al. 2019), and some of the owners and project stakeholders prefer to outsource one or more of the construction phases (Ikediashi and Ogunlana 2015). ...
This research performed phase-based studies to determine effective project management tasks, strategies, and outsourcing activities for transportation infrastructure projects. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to discover phase-based project management strategies, tasks, and activities that can be adopted or outsourced by state transportation agencies (STAs), then a survey was designed and distributed nationally through an online platform to STAs. The results of the 96 survey responses were analyzed and demonstrated that team qualifications and environmental planning are the project management strategies that STAs adopt most often. The outcomes of this study will help decision-makers and project managers assess the effects of adopting effective strategies and outsourcing some activities on delivering transportation infrastructure projects on time, within budget, and with the desired level of quality.
... There is consistent support for the existence of the positive organisation and business results of adopting BEM (Boulter et al., 2005;Gómez et al., 2017;Hendricks & Singhal, 2000). However, some 'excellent organisation did not pass the test of time' (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). Moreover, some author(s) identified limitations with the concept and the operationalisation of excellence (Dale et al., 2000;Dahlgaard et al., 2013), such as the lack of integration and cultural support for excellence. ...
This research, aims to analyse the EFQM 2020 Model, supported by a literature review and content analysis, to identify its theoretical foundations and the more relevant novelties compared with the 2013 version. The EFQM 2020 Model is based on the link between an organisation's purpose and strategy, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to simultaneously deliver performance and ensure transformation, creating enduring value for its key stakeholders and achieving remarkable results. The model adopts a strategic management lens and fits well in the Business Model description. The term excellence is no longer explicitly present, replaced by 'outstanding' (the best it can be). The model is less prescriptive compared to the 2013 version and comprises seven criteria grouped in three dimensions, Direction (why), Execution (how), and Results (what), supported by 23 Criterion Parts and 2 Results Criterion, plus 112 guidance points, and the RADAR assessment tool. Business Excellence Models are mainly designed with contributions from leaders and business experts. Nevertheless, on a theoretical level, several management theories support the EFQM 2020 Model. Although restricted to conceptual and theoretical analysis, this analysis can help academics and business leaders understand this novel model and support future empirical research.
... Moreover, today's competitive environment and market conditions have forced the organisation to seek long-term success by achieving excellence in the business (Abdul Wahab et al., 2019). Many organisations seeking for the excellence but unfortunately many of them failed to achieve the excellence level due to the lack of understanding of the factors that influence operational excellence (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). Additionally, the guidelines that describe how to achieve operational excellence is remained unclear (Mohammad et al., 2011). ...
This study examines the critical success factors (CSFs) of operational excellence practices in the manufacturing industry. The survey questionnaires were designed and distributed to the 50 respondents. The pilot study sample consists of 30 respondents from 50 questionnaires, with an average response rate of 60%. The reliability and validity test was conducted and the data were analysed using the statistical software SPSS version 22. The results indicate that six factors have been identified to be critical factors for operational excellence practices. Furthermore, the process management is the
most critical factor influencing the operational excellence practices
implementation success. This research concluded that the manufacturing industry should implement six critical success factors of operational excellence practices to enhance the organisational performance. Thus, further studies are recommended to investigate and validate the structural relationship between operational excellence practices and sustainable performance in Malaysian manufacturing industry.
... This movement, with its many spin-offs, has sustained till date and needs to be reinvigorated manifold if India is to become a leading economy in the near future. Several authors have chronicled the success of such efforts in India and abroad (Adebanjo et al., 2011;Muthuraman and Jayaraman, 2014;Rajpal and Sagar, 2003;Park and Dahlgard, 2007;Ionic a et al., 2010;Muthuraman, 2003;Goh and Ridgway, 1994;Ahire et al., 1996;Ojha, 2000;Dubey and Lakhanpal, 2019;Kapur, 2010). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to find out the reasons why companies achieve different results in following different business excellence (BE) models. This has been done using a case study method, selecting to illustrate the actions taken and the results achieved by two role model companies, one following the Malcolm Baldrige model (MBM) and the other following the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design adopted is as follows: examine the literature of Total Quality Management (TQM) and BE, with specific reference to practices and happenings in Indian industry, to identify the key themes; analyse the research questions RQ1and RQ2 as mentioned above, using the learnings from the literature survey in a qualitative way. The analysis is done using chronological developments in TQM, BE and linking them with the happenings in Indian industry in a cause–effect way; develop a “source to sink” framework to track the various actions implemented by companies to drive BE in their quest to performance excellence, and to analyse the root causes for the success of the actions; illustrate the conclusions through two case studies, of two different companies from India, on the varied results achieved from following two different BE models, one, the MBM by Tata Steel, and, two, the EFQM by BHEL, both award-winning companies, for instilling “excellence” in performance; and develop a model to correlate the observations from the companies using two constructs, identifying latent variables and actions that have been taken to address the outcomes of the variables.
Findings
The findings show that the actions taken by the companies are different, under the two models. The reasons for these different actions have been described, and the impact of these on the latent variables and outcomes have been tracked. There are six reasons why the results are different.
Research limitations/implications
The study has highlighted the efforts by two role model companies. These are “comparisons of the best in the business” in their respective industries. However, one needs more studies to verify and establish whether the six reasons described are the ones which are most impactful. More companies need to be studied, and, based on the outcomes, one can establish the “best choice of the BE model” for Indian companies.
Practical implications
The results of the study show that using different BE models can affect the results. A non-optimal choice may lead to longer time and lower results.
Social implications
Excellent companies are sustainable, which means that they eliminate waste, operate in an environmentally friendly manner and address social issues. Speedily achieving excellence can lead to faster use of sustainable operations.
Originality/value
The work is original in the following ways: data collection through assessment teams; experience through personal engagement; identifying six reasons and two constructs which could lead to different results.
... In the twentieth century, the greatest importance attributed to quality led to the investigation, formulation, and publication of various definitions for the concept, highlighting such illustrious authors as Joseph Juran, Philip Crosby, Walter Shewhart, Edwards Deming and Kaoru Ishikawa (António and Teixeira, 2009). Today, many organizations are "searching" for excellence, but not many organizations have been able to achieve this goal, seemingly because management does not have a profound understanding what it really means to be excellent (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). To improve services and to achieve quality and excellence, ideas and a good education system are describet in . ...
p> Purpose: The aim of this study is to obtain a diagnosis regarding the implementation of QMS (Quality Management System) according to ISO 9001 in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of Angola.
Methodology/Approach: The research was conducted through a questionnaire proposed to survey selected 55 institutions. Fifty completed questionnaires were received, representing the sample of this work. The statistical analysis SPSS version 22.0 for Windows was used for the treatment of the data.
Findings: The results of the study show that of the 50 Angolan HEIs surveyed, only 20% of them have the Quality Management System implemented. As main benefits of the implementation of the QMS in HEIs of Angola, we can highlight: Improvement of the quality of teaching; Improvement of student satisfaction; Improvement of confidence of students and other stakeholders; Improvement in student assessment; Improvement of teacher competences.
Research Limitation/implication: The main limitation of the study lies in the fact that of the 50 Angolan HEIs referred, only 20% of them have the Quality Management System implemented, which shows that there is still much work to be done in this area.
Originality/Value of paper: Higher education in Angola has had an evolution in terms of demand and access. Due to the quantitative development of higher education in Angola, it is necessary to be accompanied by qualitative growth, which implies the reinforcement of the need for quality management.
... Thus, Quality Management System (QMS) when implemented correctly, understood and accepted by all, it offers very important benefits for organisations (Santos et al., 2019a;Zgodavova et al., 2017;Marques et al., 2018;Batista & Santos, 2015;Bravi et al., 2019;Costa et al., 2019) where customers are increasingly demanding (Bravi et al., 2017;Doiro et al., 2017) to improve quality of life (Félix et al., 2018). Today, many organizations are "searching" for excellence but not many organizations have been able to achieve this goal, seemingly because management does not have a profound understanding of what really means to be excellent (Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard, 2007). To find the path to excellence, many organizations integrate their different management systems, i.e., Quality Management, Environmental Management and Safety Management, improving quality of products and saving resources, including human and financial resources (Carvalho et al., 2018;Santos et al., 2011;Santos et al., 2017). ...
Quality Management has been one of the most dominating and pervasive managerial approaches all over the world during the last three decades. The questionnaire of this study included different information, of where we can highlight: the perception of the importance having implemented the ISO 9001 standard; the most used quality tools/techniques in the professional activities. As main conclusions we can highlight: women attach great importance to the implementation of the ISO 9001 standard, namely as regards on customer satisfaction, in the competitiveness of the Organization and in the relationship with customers and give less importance in individual performance, in motivation of professionals and in the evolution of sales. Men value the implementation of the ISO 9001 more, namely regarding to the relationship with customers, in the management mode and they give less importance to the evolution of sales and to the motivation of professionals.
... McDoland et al. (2002) concluded that excellence is the product of advanced mixture of strategic elements using different paradigms of quality business transformation. Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard (2007) reviewed and evaluated leading excellence models to assess the development in the excellence contents during the last 25 years in terms of the models strengths, problems, and limitations. ...
This study aims at providing a deeper understanding of current status of organisational excellence (OE) from executives' perspectives in Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). More specifically, the study investigates OE benefits, tools, challenges, and evaluation criteria from executives' perspectives in GAM. The study employs the qualitative case study design; semi-structured interview is conducted as data collection instrument. Seven executives from GAM were selected for interview based on the purposive sample. Thematic and textual analysis of each interview transcript has been employed. To build a holistic view of the case study, cross-interview analysis has been adopted to highlight the study themes. The study concludes that OE has not been implemented effectively in GAM, although there are planned methodologies for each implementation dimension. Moreover, the common challenge encountered by OE implementation is lack of top management support and low available resources. The study recommends that continuous evaluation of customer satisfaction can be pursued by GAM based on clear, measurable, and reliable criteria. The study provides important lessons in applying OE models for practitioners and policy makers in governmental organisations generally and GAMS particularly.
... McDoland et al. (2002) concluded that excellence is the product of advanced mixture of strategic elements using different paradigms of quality business transformation. Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard (2007) reviewed and evaluated leading excellence models to assess the development in the excellence contents during the last 25 years in terms of the models strengths, problems, and limitations. EFQM defined excellence as an organisational outstanding practice that is adopted to achieve nine essential dimensions, namely, customer focus, management by process and facts, continuous learning, partnership development and public responsibility, result orientation, leadership and constancy of purpose, people development and involvement, and innovation and improvement (EFQM Guidelines, 1999;Al-Dhaafri et al., 2016). ...
This study aims at providing a deeper understanding of current status of organizational excellence (OE) from executives perspectives in Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). More specifically, the study investigates OE benefits, tools, challenges, and evaluation criteria from executives perspectives in GAM. The study employs the qualitative case study design; Semi- structured interview is conducted as data collection instrument. Seven executives from GAM were selected for interview based on the purposive sample. Thematic and textual analysis of each interview transcript has been employed. To build a holistic view of the case study, cross- interview analysis has been adopted to highlight the study themes. The study concludes that OE has not been implemented effectively in GAM, although there are planned methodologies for each implementation dimension. Moreover, The common challenge encountered by OE implementation is lack of top management support and low available resources. The study recommends that continuous evaluation of customer satisfaction can be pursued by GAM based on clear, measurable, and reliable criteria. The study provides important lessons in applying OE models for practitioners and policy makers in governmental organizations generally and GAM particularly.
Keywords: Organizational Excellence; Qualitative Approach; Interviews; Greater Amman Municipality; Case Study; Governmental Sector; Jordan.
... Higher education is experiencing change worldwide, and new mental models are emerging regarding service delivery and customer satisfaction (Heinonen et al. 2010;Collins & Park 2016); the same is true for private Pakistani universities. Universities must start learning from quality-based customer experiences to build an excellent business model for a university (Kanji, Malek and Tambi 1999;Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard 2007). Does such a model exist for the newly established private universities of Pakistan, and if it exists, how does it work to provide satisfaction to its customers, and builds the image and reputation for the university simultaneously? ...
ABSTARCT Globalization and privatization of higher education across the globe have an immense influence over the delivery of service called 'higher education'. Private universities are in search of Business Excellence Models (BEMS) in competitive global world. They are struggling to build their image and reputation so that they can attract customers and public funding. University image has much to do with establishing the brand in market to attract quality students and faculty and it can be best assured through service quality and student satisfaction. Brown and Mazzarol (2009) have suggested that the university reputation or the institutional image has strong relationship with the perceived loyalty and belongingness with the institution. According to them the student satisfaction had weak and indeterminate link with the service quality of both types "human ware" (people and processes) and "hardware" (tangibles and facilities).A quantitative study was conducted in seven private Pakistani universities to assess students' perceptions of service quality and the process of reputation-building. The study examines the interaction of students' perception about the image and satisfaction with service delivery to procure customer satisfaction models predicting future sustainability of the market for the universities. Results suggest that leadership marks the difference; it is the planning and delivering of the most obligatory service-higher education-which is making the desired outcomes reachable to customers and earning outreach to the future market.
... According to Mohammad et al. (2011), the most widespread models are those currently used in quality award programs, such as the Baldrige National Quality Program and the European Foundation for Quality Management. These models are based on the premise that one way to achieve better performance is implementing best management practices (Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2007). Bloom and Van Reenen (2007) presented the results of their research carried out during 10 years with over 10,000 managers in 21 countries, in which the increase of one point in management practices (in a scale from zero to five) is associated with a 6% of yield increase, a 71% of market share growth and a 2.3% of sales growth. ...
This study analyses the relation between management practices and the per-
formance of Brazilian port authorities. In order to do so, a survey-based evaluation tool of
the quality of management practices was developed. In addition, a set of operational and
financial performance indicators of such port authorities and their ports was calculated.
The differences in operational and financial performance between port authorities with a
high and a low quality of management practices were analysed by Student t-tests and the
relation between management practices and port performance was accessed through linear regression analysis. The results indicated that the better managerial practices have a positive impact on port authorities’ financial performance but have no significant impact on ports’ operational performance. The study also found that port authorities controlled by States and Municipalities have better financial and operational results and use more management practices than those managed by the Brazilian Federal Government.
Purpose
In 2025, the Journal of Management History ( JMH ) will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. At this juncture, it is important to know its evolution and contribution to the management field. This paper aims to analyse the past and present of the JMH by examining its available research corpus covering more than 18 years using a quantitative and structured literature review technique.
Design/methodology/approach
For the purposes of this paper, the research corpus of the JMH was retrieved from Scopus and analysed using various bibliometric techniques. Specifically, the authors analysed the performance of JMH research and identified the most contributing authors, institutions and countries. The authors also used bibliographic coupling and keyword co-occurrence techniques to establish the knowledge structure of the JMH research corpus.
Findings
The analysis highlights the primary constituencies, such as the most productive author, the most impactful individual paper, the top contributing institute and country and co-authorship trends. In addition, the authors structured the intellectual capital of the JMH and organised it into nine clusters. In addition, periodic analysis of keywords suggests the evolution and progression of scholarly debates in the JMH .
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to have analysed the research corpus of the JMH , available on Scopus, using a systematic and quantitative literature review technique. The findings of this analysis will be useful to the editorial board and other JMH stakeholders, including scholars.
Strategy execution remains a critical challenge for organizations worldwide, with up to 67% of well-formulated strategies failing due to poor implementation. This study addresses the lack of comprehensive strategy execution frameworks by developing and validating the CADAP (capability, agility, design, alignment and people) strategy execution framework. Through a systematic bibliometric analysis of 40 years of literature, we identified eight influential frameworks and conducted research on their limitations. Employing a rigorous combination of inductive and deductive approaches, along with gap analysis, we conceptualized a new framework—CADAP strategy execution framework, consisting of five dimensions: capability, agility, design, alignment and people. We substantiated our framework using natural language processing on 534 articles from four top-tier journals and validated it through a case study of a global bank divestiture. Results demonstrate that CADAP provides a holistic approach to strategy execution, with organizations effectively implementing it, showing improved adaptability and performance in complex environments. Overall, this study contributes to management literature by offering an empirically grounded framework for strategy execution, providing a roadmap for organizations to navigate modern business complexities and foster resilience in the global marketplace. Finally, the limitations and possible future research directions are discussed.
This article offers critical reflections on In Search of Excellence. Located within a discussion of ‘the historical turn’ and offered as a ‘counterhistory’, the article argues that the excellence project has had a profound and enduring impact on management education and on the manner in which we understand and elaborate the problems and processes of management. The article suggests however that the excellence project persists as a form of knowledge and prevails as a set of idealized practice because critics and educators have failed to engage meaningfully with the managerial practices of those organizations vaunted as ‘excellent’. Building upon newspaper archives and longer forms of journalism to provide a novel, critical analysis of the practices of those organizations vaunted as ‘exemplars of excellence’, the article offers tools for a critical pedagogy of business excellence.
Quality is core for all organisations, particularly training departments. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, the researchers aimed to investigate leaders’ attitudes and commitment to quality management of training within corps training units within the South African (SA) Army. In the quantitative study, 229 respondents were distributed a survey instrument. At the same time, 49 participants who completed the survey instrument also partook in focus group interviews at six of the SA Army’s corps training units. Merged findings of both datasets confirmed that quality management of training was adversely affected by higher-level (formation and SA Army headquarters) leaders within the SA Army and that corps training unit officers’ attitudes affected their commitment to quality management of training adversely, which also affected the quality management of training in corps training units adversely. This research may benefit other organisations; by changing leaders’ undesirable attitudes, commitment may improve, and overall quality management of training.
Purpose
This paper aims to present a hybrid approach to measure the efficiency of virtual contact centers (VCCs) started during the pandemic and benchmark them for service performance. The results are used to plot the VCC's efficiency score (performance) and customer perception (Importance) to propose appropriate strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the survey method, 854 responses were collected from customers who used VCC services during the pandemic. This data was then employed to assess the performance of VCCs using SERVPERF and DEA methods, followed by the development of the model for performance analysis.
Findings
Results reveal the ranking of different VCCs started during the pandemic for the telecom company using SERVPERF and DEA methods. Further, the performance analysis model highlighted the strategies appropriate for each VCCs.
Practical implications
The findings add to the body of knowledge on how multiple service units of a large organization can assess service efficiency utilizing a combination of SERVPERF-DEA. The present work also contributes to the performance analysis field by proposing a model to assess the service centers and provide improvement guidelines.
Originality/value
The work is one of the first to assess the service efficiency of the VCCs started during the pandemic by using a unique hybrid approach of SERVPERF and DEA. This approach provides a direction to whom to benchmark and to what degree service quality should be improved. Further, the study proposes a unique performance analysis model based on performance scores and customer perception.
Operational Excellence (OpEx) is understood by the quest to continuously improve performance. While used by organizations worldwide, the capacity of OpEx programmes to make organizations successful in unstable business environments has been challenged. This article aims to answer the research question of what the nature of the relationship between OpEx and Organizational Agility truly is. The authors have previously proposed a theoretical framework supporting the link between Operational Excellence, Organizational Culture, and Organizational Agility. While built on a strong conceptual background, this framework lacked empirical validation. Following the conclusion of ten industrial case studies, this article provides a summary of the key findings obtained in each case and integrates them into an updated conceptual model. As key findings, this study shows how Operational Excellence enablers and cultural orientation have an important role in the development and scaling up of Organizational Agility capabilities, highlighting how different contexts may influence these dynamics. This article offers a better understanding of the balance needed to maintain high operational performance levels while dealing with change. It connects and upholds the importance of Organizational Agility and of the cultural paradigm in the management of Quality in technical and technological organizations.
Purpose
This study aims to develop and implement an initial framework for assessing progress in lean implementation within an higher education institution (HEI). It includes developing preliminary findings regarding the impacts of lean implementation in the HEI case organization and comparing outcomes from this assessment to outcomes from other published sources.
Design/methodology/approach
Existing literature on lean, particularly in an HEI context, was used to develop a preliminary lean assessment framework for HEIs. Quality and continuous improvement literature were also compared to the proposed assessment framework to further validate the approach. This assessment framework was then utilized to evaluate lean implementation at a large public university (LPU) in the U.S.
Findings
The paper presents the framework as well as the major findings from the Large Public University (LPU)’s assessment. The assessment findings are further compared to other HEI quality measures and lean assessments done in other industries. Overall, the findings suggest that the assessment framework provides valuable insight to HEI organizations implementing lean.
Originality/value
The research intends to support lean assessment standardization efforts by proposing a preliminary lean assessment framework for the HEI, grounded in research trends, research findings, identified gaps in the research, and case study outcomes. To the research team's knowledge, this is the first lean assessment framework proposed for HEIs and also contributes to research gaps related to service industry frameworks and those containing both practices and outcomes. The framework can be used by other researchers as a foundation for additional conceptual and empirical developments on the topic and by researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and assess lean implementation progress in the HEI.
Breve revisão da história da Qualidade, e um olhar sobre o seu futuro centrado na sustentabilidade e sociedade.
Capítulo do Livro: "A qualidade que está por vir", São Paulo, SP: Qualidade em Quadradinhos (2021)
Investigates the strengths and opportunities for improvement (OFIs) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) in relation to designing a Business Excellence Framework (BEF) and deploying it within the United States. The deployment includes promoting the BEF, facilitating its use, and providing an awards process to assess and recognise performance excellence.
Data were collected from NIST and 28 other BE Custodians (BECs) in 26 countries, with the help of a 62-questions survey, while 13 BECs also undertook optional follow-up interviews.
BPEP’s key strengths included: the design of the Malcolm Baldrige Excellence Framework (MBEF) and the robustness of the awards process. Key opportunities for improvement related to increasing awareness of BE; and facilitating organisational use of a BE approach. Recommendations are provided on how the BPEP can be improved, with examples of practices used by other BECs.
Purpose
It is widely accepted that business excellence comes from firm-specific factors. However, it is still unclear how institutional relatedness – the degree of embeddedness with the dominant institutions that confer resources and legitimacy, influences the business excellence of the firm. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of three kinds of institutional relatedness, i.e. home government ties, initial public offerings (IPOs) and alliances with foreign firms, on the business excellence of Chinese firms.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a sample of firms enlisted on the “Most Respected Companies” rank in China during the period 2002–2015 and their paired firms who are absent from the list, by means of ordinary least square regression estimator, to explore the relationship between institutional relatedness and business excellence.
Findings
The empirical results suggest that IPOs and alliances with foreign firms significantly strengthen firms’ business excellence. Furthermore, home government ties have positive effects on outbound IPOs and alliances with foreign firms but hinder business excellence.
Originality/value
This study extends the business excellence literature by characterizing institutional rather than firm-specific factors from an institution-based view. It also enriches research on outcomes of institutional relatedness through investigating empirically its impact on business excellence. The findings provide new insights into the dual role of home government ties in achieving business excellence.
The present paper aims to determine the concept and the advantages the Performance Focused Activity Based Costing (PFABC) and then to show its implementing reflection to achieve the institutional excellence in the Iraqi environment. Babylon bank was considered as a case study to show the ability of applying the (PFABC) and subsequently to achieve the institutional excellence and then the bank objectives. The financial and cost data has been considered for the year of 2016, the personal interviews with the bank chair of departments have also considered for collecting the primary data. After analyzing the data, many conclusions have been drawn. For instance, as the PFABC can help the bank to reach the institutional excellence through a comparison among the sub-departments and determine the profitable department with least variances to be considered as a leading department for
Die Bedeutung von Qualitätsmanagement und Business Excellence hat für Unternehmen unter intensiveren Wettbewerbs- und unsicheren Umweltbedingungen deutlich zugenommen. Das gilt für die Unternehmenskommunikation in einem besonderen Maße, da Kommunikationsverantwortliche häufig intern um Ressourcen und Einfluss mit anderen Abteilungen ringen und sich extern mit anderen Kommunikationsabteilungen messen müssen. Der Beitrag führt zunächst in die Grundlagen von Business Excellence ein und zeigt anschließend die Entwicklung der Exzellenzdiskussion in der Unternehmenskommunikation auf. Dabei werden praktisch erprobte und wissenschaftlich validierte Exzellenzmodelle für Unternehmenskommunikation vorgestellt und diskutiert.
Purpose
The evolution of management underlines the importance of the human, systemic, technological and contingency element and their interaction along with an amplified awareness of organizations for achieving excellence. This paper aims to discuss whether the fusion of digital, biological and physical world leads to a new excellence perspective and to investigate the potential value of informative neuroscientific findings for setting the foundations for smart services.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a literature review regarding the advances of neurosciences and its implications for business. Their usefulness and potential contribution for the provision of smart services are investigated.
Findings
The fusion of technological evolution and biological sciences may potentially give birth to a new excellence conceptualization complemented by genetic data whose consequences are hard to predict. Neurosciences offer insights for various human behavior areas that can be used by business practitioners, to refine their thinking and management style and build brain-friendly organizational contexts. The combination of using neuroscientific evidence and technology in service systems sets the foundations for an “intelligent” provision of services in a quality context.
Originality/value
The paper investigates the conceptual development of excellence within the receding context of the “smart era” and the potential contribution of neurosciences for the provision of smart services with reference to quality pioneers’ theories and ideas.
The present challenging environment determines organizations to differentiate themselves from their competitors finding creative solutions. Business Excellence Models (BEMs) is the appropriate instrument for organizations to create authentic competitive advantages. In dynamic and changing environments characterized by technological changes, a sustainable advantage requires strong dynamic capabilities and integrated elements of BEMs. A comparative analysis of BEMS evolution presented in the paper reflects the challenges and opportunities for further improvement in organizations. Excellence models have been used successfully also in business education. Business education reflects the added value to sound economic development, balancing social and economic interest (Emiliani, 2004). In general, it refers to competitive and motivated academic staff, quality of teaching and learning activities, leadership and management commitment, sustainability of university-business relationship, internationalization strategy and comprehensive curriculum adapted to business environment. There are a lot of environmental forces in different national environments that are placing the excellence dimension on higher education agenda. At the same time, limitations of BEMs models and the nature of higher education institutions put a lot of challenges on leadership and management of these organizations. The objective of the paper is to present and analyse the application of excellence models in higher education institutions and identify creative solutions for management performance.
The main aim of this paper is to prepare a comprehensive list of benefits offered by Integrated Management System (IMS) discussed in the previous literature. This paper had followed a methodology for literature review based on the keyword search in the electronic database of Web of science, Science direct, Scopus and Emerald. Findings of this literature review have unveiled several important and interesting benefits offered by the integrated management system and wider scope of integration. Several studies have confirmed the listed benefits of integrated management system, namely, Quality Management System (QMS) according ISO 9001, Environmental Management System (EMS) according ISO 14001 and Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) according ISO 45001/BS OSHAS 18001. Moreover, this study has highlighted some dimensions of future study in line with the analysis of benefits of integrated management system.
Purpose
The practice of lean management (LM) principles has given firms, from a variety of sectors, quantum jumps in productivity and performance. India is at the cusp of a major leap in economic growth, and adoption of LM is a must for ramping up the rate of growth of the GDP speedily, if the government is really intent on achieving its objective of becoming the third or fourth largest economy soon. This paper aims to study the status of implementation of LM in the LM Leaders (LML’s) in the Indian industry, to understand if they are ready to accept the challenges ahead.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an exploratory research study. To study the level of maturity of LM in Indian industry, the authors selected the LM Leaders in the Indian industry (LMLII). By using a well-known survey instrument – the Lean Self -Assessment Tool (LESAT), Version 2.0 – designed and developed by MIT, the authors conducted a longitudinal survey over the period 2013 to 2016, a four-year duration. Surveys were conducted every year.
Findings
Survey results show an improvement in the overall average of “current state” scores between the years 2013 and 2016, indicating that LMLII’s have improved upon their LM adoption during these years. However, there is a striking gap between “where the industry wants to be” and “where it currently is”. This could drive future improvements. Based on the survey results, this paper draws lessons and proposes action points on how to improve the adoption and diffusion of LM principles and practices in the LMLII. Factors which need to be addressed to reinvigorate the practice of LM have been identified and classified as urgent, immediate and short term.
Research limitations/implications
While many “snapshot” studies have been done to study LM in Indian industry, a longitudinal study has not been done. Moreover, previous studies administer questionnaires to one company (case study method) or a group of companies in a sector of the industry. Thus, there was a research gap. A longitudinal study will help us take a holistic approach. In addition, studying LMLII will provide data from the most serious adopters of LM. Both these will add value to the current research on LM in Indian industry. The results will also help the LMLII’s to further improve the practice of LM in a systematic and rigorous way. However, as the study is limited to the LMLII, it would not be possible to apply the knowledge to the Indian industry as a whole. For doing so, one would need a larger, more representative sample.
Practical implications
Using this paper, LMLII’s can develop practices which will improve customer satisfaction and reduce waste in manufacturing. They can ramp up LM intensity to make further quantum jumps in performance.
Social implications
LM, in addition to improving the output/input ratio (producing more for less), also emphasises waste reduction, customer satisfaction and efficient operations. All these three factors are essential for sustainable and happy society.
Originality/value
The work is original. This is the first longitudinal survey of lean practices in the Indian industry to study cross-sectional practices, and the results will propel the Indian industry to intensify the practice of LM.
Managing an organization without evaluating and measuring performance is like steering a ship without navigation tools. The task of controlling among five managerial tasks requires the existence of a system for evaluating and measuring performance. Models of excellence with a holistic attitude and by creating a comprehensive system for assessing the organization, determine the level of organization and its processes in different dimensions and extract the strengths, the areas for improvement and appropriate corrective actions. The excellence model used in the current research is the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The EFQM model is a tool that generates an image of the organization's performance in nine areas, five of which are enablers and four of which are the field of results. The purpose of the present research is to find an appropriate response to these issues, which how does the gap analysis and performance evaluation of companies is done according to the European Foundation for Quality Management? How is the current status (performance) of Isfahan Regional Electric Company according to the European Foundation for Quality Management? And how can we reduce the gap between the desirable situation and the current state of Isfahan Regional Electric Company (according to the European Foundation for Quality Management)? Accordingly, the present study is applied-evaluation in terms of purpose, and, is a field-survey research in terms of information gathering method and is inferential- descriptive in terms of information analysis. In general, the research consists of three steps that the first step is the design of the EFQM questionnaire and the formation of a centralized group within the company that is consists of four people to analyze the gap between the desirable situations of Isfahan Regional Electricity Company. In this step, the validity and the reliability of the questionnaire are confirmed according to the standard of the EFQM questionnaire. The statistical population is all employees of Isfahan Regional Electric Company, and sampling is a judgment in which four experts of the company are selected as judges. The information analysis in this step is descriptive and is done with Excel software. The second step is to distribute the second questionnaire among the internal and external experts and to identify the importance of each of the factors in creating the gap. In this step, the validity of the questionnaire is confirmed according to the opinions of the academic experts and the reliability of the questionnaire is confirmed by calculating the Cronbach's alpha. The statistical population is all electrical industry experts in the ministry of power and power plants and regional electricity companies, and the sampling is done clustered random in which twenty experts are selected. In this step, data analysis is done in two levels of descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software. The third step is the formation of a centralized group to provide solutions to reduce the gap between the desirable and current situation of Isfahan Regional Electric Company. This step is like the first step in which, the statistical society is all employees of the regional electricity company of Isfahan, and the sampling is a judgment that the same centralized group is re-elected. At first, the research findings indicate that staff’s management criterion, partnerships and resources criterion, customer results criterion, society results criterion and key performance results criterion have a significant gap with the desired status. In the next stage, the significance of all the weaknesses associated with these five criteria is determined, and the analyses show that the five criteria are not significantly different in terms of importance with each other and their differences are very slight. Finally, based on the severity of the importance (coefficient of variation), eight of the important weaknesses are highlighted, and for addressing these weaknesses and consequently to reduce the company's gap, improvement strategies are being made.
Many managers are frustrated by a bewildering array of advice about what works in the workplace. This volume contributes to a growing consensus about effective workplace practices. The collection combines detailed studies of single industries (automobile assembly, apparel, and machine tools) with cross-industry studies of financial performance. Compared to most past investigations, the research here has better measures of both workplace practices and organizational performance. The contributors find that systems of innovative human resource management practices can have large effects on business performance. Success does not come from any single innovation, but from a coherent system encompassing pay, training, and employee involvement. Although a majority of contemporary US businesses now have adopted some innovative work practices, only a small percentage of businesses have adopted a coherent new system. A concluding chapter outlines barriers to diffusion and discusses public policies to remove barriers and enhance dissemination of effective management.
This paper challenges the prevalent notion that American managerial discourse has moved progressively from coercive to rational and, ultimately, to normative rhetorics of control. Historical data suggest that since the 1870s American managerial discourse has been elaborated in waves that have alternated between normative and rational rhetorics. We sketch out the surges and contractions in the rhetorics of industrial betterment, scientific management, welfare capitalism/human relations, systems rationalism, and organizational culture/quality. Standard theories of ideological change are shown to be inadequate for explaining either the general pattern or the timing of the surges. We propose and find preliminary support for a theory that combines cultural constraints and material forces. Specifically, the tendency for innovative surges of managerial theorizing to alternate between rational and normative rhetorics of control appears to be rooted in cultural antinomies fundamental to all Western industrial societies: the opposition between mechanistic and organic solidarity and between communalism and individualism. The timing of each new wave is shown to parallel broad cycles of economic expansion and contraction.
Purpose
– The authors analyze the principles and results of lean production and compare the lean production philosophy with the six sigma quality process and the principles of total quality management (TQM). At the end of the paper, it is discussed how to build the necessary company culture for having success with these principles/management philosophies.
Design/methodology/approach
– Literature search and comparative analysis complemented with a Danish case on wastage in a core process.
Findings
– It is shown that the lean production philosophy and the six sigma steps are essentially the same and both have developed from the same root – the Japanese TQM practices. The improvement process from six sigma, the DMAIC process, can be regarded as a short version of the Quality Story, which was developed in Japan in the 1960s as a standard for QC‐circle presentations. We conclude that the roadmaps of lean production and six sigma quality are examples of new alternative TQM roadmaps. We also conclude that especially with lean production and six sigma quality there seems to be too much focus on training people intools and techniques and at the same time too little focus on understanding the human factor, i.e. how to build the right company culture.
Originality/value
– The detailed and historical analysis of six sigma quality, lean production and TQM combined with a focus on the human factor and the needed corporate culture.
Total quality management (TQM) has been universally accepted because of its ability to re-rationalize the need for modernist devices of production while posing as a method for facilitating worker empowerment. TQM has been explicitly positioned as an essential element for the survival of the US' manufacturing sector and implicitly suggested as the only alternative to the exportation of manufacturing and thus the super-exploitation of Third World workers. As a result of these efforts, TQM has become the sole grand narrative within the environment of production. TQM does not exist as a conspiracy to de-humanize the worker but merely as a program where the interests of the workers are subjugated or trivialized in relation to what Lyotard (1984) calls the "performativity" requirements of the firm. TQM seeks to perfect control systems that produce and enforce uniformity within the products, parts, workers, suppliers, and the overall system of production. The problem is that a majority of this control, in line with Taylor's (1911) principles, is directed toward workers' bodies, souls, and spirits.
The most common social phenomenon of Western societies is the organization, yet those involved in real-world managing are not always willing to reveal the intricacies of their everyday muddles. Barbara Czarniawska argues that in order to understand these uncharted territories, we need to gather local and concrete stories about organizational life and subject them to abstract and metaphorical interpretation. Using a narrative approach unique to organizational studies, Czarniawska employs literary devices to uncover the hidden workings of organizations. She applies cultural metaphors to public administration in Sweden to demonstrate, for example, how the dynamics of a screenplay can illuminate the budget disputes of an organization. She shows how the interpretive description of organizational worlds works as a distinct genre of social analysis, and her investigations ultimately disclose the paradoxical nature of organizational life: we follow routines in order to change, and decentralize in order to control. By confronting such paradoxes, we bring crisis to existing institutions and enable them to change.
How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skilful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend, precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.
Most TQM failures can be attributed to lack of consultancy of purpose, lack of adequate leadership, and failures of pilot improvement teams. To get on the right track, senior executives must first accept ownership of TQM efforts so they can lead their companies to success.
In this paper some of the main management control theories are reviewed and six dominating paradigms are identified. The identified management control paradigms are compared and analysed in relationship with the European Excellence Model (EEM) in order to investigate whether the EEM can be adopted as a management control model. Based on the analysis, advantages as well as disadvantages of the EEM as control model are discussed.
Offers a postmodern, deconstructive analysis of total quality
management (TQM) theory and practice. Problematizing TQM, uncovers
unchallenged assumptions and implicit power relations cloaked by
management science's veil of objectivity and value-neutrality. Tracing
these assumptions and power relations to the life-worlds of TQM
organizations, regrettably discovers an obsequious and dehumanized
subjectivity of TQM workers. These alienated TQM workers are inscribed
in a seamless and inescapable network of totalitarian power relations
epitomized by authoritarian admonitions of “the one right
way”, “quality is Job 1”, and “quality or
else”. As hegemonic TQM ideology insidiously permeates all aspects
of social life, witnesses an unparalleled threat to the basic individual
rights of a liberal democracy. Proclaiming the “death of
TQM”, optimistically discusses preliminary suggestions for an
emancipatory post-TQM theory and practice.
The diverse schools of organizational thought are classified according to micro and macro levels of organizational analysis and deterministic versus voluntaristic assumptions of human nature to yield four basic perspectives: system-structural, strategic choice, natural selection, and collective-action views of organizations. These four views represent qualitatively different concepts of organizational structure, behavior, change, and managerial roles. Six theoretical debates are then identified by systematically juxtaposing the four views against each other, and a partial reconciliation is achieved by bringing opposing viewpoints into dialectical relief. The six debates, which tend to be addressed singly and in isolation from each other in the literature, are then integrated at a metatheoretical level. The framework presented thus attempts to overcome the problems associated with excessive theoretical compartmentalization by focusing on the interplay between divergent theoretical perspectives, but it also attempts to preserve the authenticity of distinctive viewpoints, thereby retaining the advantages associated with theoretical pluralism.
An abundance of much publicized TQM failures have tarnished the
good name of total quality management. Rob Evans, chief executive at ODI
Europe, argues that these are problems with implementation, rather than
with TQM itself. Uses Nestlé Chocolate and Confections, ABB
Zamech and Hybritech as examples of companies which are capitalizing
from taking the TQM track. Concludes that the success of TQM depends on
the level of dedication exhibited by senior management.
Describes Karl E. Weick's role in developing organizational communication research and illustrates how others have adopted and utilized some of his pivotal concepts. Summarizes ways in which ongoing research has enhanced understanding of organizing as communicating, organizing as sense-making, and organizational culture. (SG)
Winners of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the Deming Prize, and the European Quality Award are held up as models of how organizations should be managed. Unfortunately, what may be good for them can be disastrous for other organizations. This report is based on one of the world’s largest international management practice databases and provides statistically sound conclusions that can change the way you think about best practices, benchmarking, and the way you are managing your organization’s improvement efforts. Even if you are doing the right things, the organization will not be successful unless it is prepared to embrace change.
The quality cost in total quality management is one of the most important aspects of the development of a quality management system. In this article a model of a quality management system has been developed incorporating the quality cost of the organization. Finally to evaluate the quality management system of some printing industries a new indirect method of measuring total quality cost has been introduced to estimate the total cost.
Proposes a model of social systems based on general systems research, cybernetics, and information and communication theory. Contains reviews and critiques of important sociological approaches. Harvard Book List (edited) 1971 #677 (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examines how organizations identify and respond to conditions of stability and change and classifies responses as appropriate or dysfunctional. Using case study and historical survey approaches, the authors formulate conclusions about organizations themselves, individual organization members, and sub-organizational combinations of members. These three perspectives correspond to the organization's goals, individual career aspirations, and internal politicking. Technical progress and development of new organizational forms proceed in tandem; advancement in either field augurs movement in the other field. The inventor requires a suitable milieu and new technology enables further sophisticated forms of organization. Matching the rise of modern industrial concerns, technological research and development has been increasingly professionalized and financially supported by large corporations and government. Firms in (then) newly created industries, such as electronics, face a unique difficulty. Unlike counterparts in established fields, new firms in these industries must respond to rapidly changing market conditions without the benefit of a management experienced in the exigencies of that sector. The authors examine common new-industry responses to planning needs. These include the transfer of technical staff to the sales force and assignment of user needs research to research and development staff. Two important organizational approaches are identified. The mechanistic approach, suitable for stable industries, is marked by precise definition of member function and is highly hierarchical. The organic approach is more appropriate to industries undergoing change and is characterized by fluid definitions of function and interactions that are equally lateral as they are vertical. (CAR)
In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge. Yet, few managers understand the true nature of the knowledge-creating company-let alone know how to manage it. According to this 1991 article by Japanese organizational theorist Ikujiro Nonaka, the problem is that most Western managers define knowledge-and what companies must do to exploit it-too narrowly. They believe that the only useful knowledge is "hard" (read "quantifiable") data. And they see the company as a kind of machine for information processing. Nonaka shows us another way to think about knowledge and its role in business organizations. He uses vivid examples from highly successful Japanese companies such as Honda, Canon, NEC, and Sharp. Managers at these companies recognize that creating new knowledge is not simply a matter of mechanistically processing objective information. Rather, it depends on tapping the tacit and often highly subjective insights, intuitions, and ideals of employees. The tools for making use of such knowledge are often soft"-such as slogans, metaphors, and symbols-but they are indispensable for continuous innovation. The reasons Japanese companies are especially adept at this holistic kind of knowledge creation are complex. But the key lesson for managers is quite simple: Much as manufacturers worldwide have learned from Japanese manufacturing techniques, companies that want to compete on the knowledge playing field must also learn from Japanese techniques of knowledge creation.
Sumario: What culture is and does -- The dimensions of culture -- How to study and interpret culture -- The role leadership in building culture -- The evolution of culture and leadership -- Learning cultures and learning leaders
To find the secrets of business success, what could be more natural than studying successful businesses? In fact, nothing could be more dangerous, warns this Stanford professor. Generalizing from the examples of successful companies is like generalizing about New England weather from data taken only in the summer. That's essentially what businesspeople do when they learn from good examples and what consultants, authors, and researchers do when they study only existing companies or--worse yet--only high-performing companies. They reach conclusions from unrepresentative data samples, falling into the classic statistical trap of selection bias. Drawing on a wealth of case studies, for instance, one researcher concluded that great leaders share two key traits: They persist, often despite initial failures, and they are able to persuade others to join them. But those traits are also the hallmarks of spectacularly unsuccessful entrepreneurs, who must persist in the face of failure to incur large losses and must be able to persuade others to pour their money down the drain. To discover what makes a business successful, then, managers should look at both successes and failures. Otherwise, they will overvalue risky business practices, seeing only those companies that won big and not the ones that lost dismally. They will not be able to tell if their current good fortune stems from smart business practices or if they are actually coasting on past accomplishments or good luck. Fortunately, economists have developed relatively simple tools that can correct for selection bias even when data about failed companies are hard to come by. Success may be inspirational, but managers are more likely to find the secrets of high performance if they give the stories of their competitors'failures as full a hearing as they do the stories of dazzling successes.
Lean six sigma leads xerox
- A Fornari
- G Maszle
Fornari, A. and Maszle, G. (2004), " Lean six sigma leads xerox ", available at: www.asq.org/pub/ sixsigma/past/vol3_issue4/ssfmv3i4xerox.pdf Gagliardi, P. (1990), " Artifacts as pathways and remains of organizational life ", in Gagliardi, P. (Ed.), Symbols and Artifacts: Views of the Corporate Landscape, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 3-38.
Companywide Quality Control – Its Background and Development
- Y. Kondo
Understanding human needs and core values - the prerequisite for building people and organisational excellence
- S M Dahlgaard-Park
Management control theories and the European business excellence model
- S M Dahlgaard-Park
The Human Dimension in TQM – Training, Learning and Motivation
- S.M. Dahlgaard-Park
Reflection on TQM for the new millennium
- S M Dahlgaard-Park
- B Bergman
- B Hellgren
Learning from failures”
- S M Dahlgaard-Park
- C Noronha
The effective implementation of organizational excellence strategies on key performance results
- L Boulter
- V Singhal
- J J Dahlgaard