Benchmarking’s scientific contributions

Executive Summary • Benchmarking is much more than a comparison of performance. • Benchmarking focuses on learning from the experience of others and can be defined as "identifying, adapting, and implementing the practices that produce the best performance results." • Benchmarking is a powerful method for breakthrough thinking, innovation, and improvement, and for delivering exceptional bottom-line results. • New benchmarking methodologies aim to ensure that benchmarking projects result in major benefits, both financial and nonfinancial. • New tools available on the internet make benchmarking easier.