Премии качества

market share, and improved profitability. According to a report by the

Conference Board, a business membership organization, “A majority of large

U.S. firms have used the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality

Award for self-improvement, and the evidence suggests a long-term link

between use of the Baldrige criteria and improved business performance.”

Which organizations have received the award?

. 2003—Medrad, Inc., Boeing Aerospace Support, Caterpillar Financial

Services Corp., Stoner Inc., Community Consolidated School District

15, Baptist Hospital, Inc., and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City

. 2002—Motorola Inc. Commercial, Government and Industrial Solutions

Sector, Branch Smith Printing Division, and SSM Health Care

. 2001—Clarke American Checks, Incorporated, Pal’s Sudden Service,

Chugach School District, Pearl River School District, and University

of Wisconsin-Stout

. 2000—Dana Corp.-Spicer Driveshaft Division, KARLEE Company, Inc.,

Operations Management International, Inc., and Los Alamos National

Bank

. 1999—STMicroelectronics, Inc.-Region Americas, BI, The Ritz-Carlton

Hotel Co., L.L.C., and Sunny Fresh Foods

. 1998—Boeing Airlift and Tanker Programs, Solar Turbines Inc., and

Texas Nameplate Co., Inc.

. 1997—3M Dental Products Division, Solectron Corp., Merrill Lynch

Credit Corp., and Xerox Business Services

. 1996—ADAC Laboratories, Dana Commercial Credit Corp., Custom Research

Inc., and Trident Precision Manufacturing Inc.

. 1995—Armstrong World Industries Building Products Operation and

Corning Telecommunications Products Division

. 1994—AT&T Consumer Communications Services, GTE Directories Corp., and

Wainwright Industries Inc.

. 1993—Eastman Chemical Co. and Ames Rubber Corp.

. 1992—AT&T Network Systems Group/ Transmission Systems Business Unit,

Texas Instruments Inc. Defense Systems & Electronics Group, AT&T

Universal Card Services, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., and Granite Rock

Co.

. 1991—Solectron Corp., Zytec Corp., and Marlow Industries

. 1990—Cadillac Motor Car Division, IBM Rochester, Federal Express

Corp., and Wallace Co. Inc.

. 1989—Milliken & Co. and Xerox Corp. Business Products and Systems

. 1988—Motorola Inc., Commercial Nuclear Fuel Division of Westinghouse

Electric Corp., and Globe Metallurgical Inc.

When were the education and health care categories established?

Both categories were introduced in 1999. Since then, a total of 66

applications have been submitted in the education category and 61 in the

health care category.

Any for-profit or not-for-profit public or private organization that

provides educational or health care services in the United States or its

territories is eligible to apply for the award. That includes elementary

and secondary schools and school districts; colleges, universities, and

university systems; schools or colleges within a university; professional

schools; community colleges; technical schools; and charter schools. In

health care, it includes hospitals, HMOs, long-term-care facilities, health

care practitioner offices, home health agencies, health insurance

companies, or medical/dental laboratories.

As in the other three categories, applicants must show achievements and

improvements in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and

market focus (for education: student, stakeholder, and market focus; for

health care: focus on patients, other customers, and markets); information

and analysis; human resource focus (for education: faculty and staff focus;

for health care: staff focus); process management; and business results

(for both education and health care: organizational performance results).

Many education and health care organizations are using the Baldrige

criteria to good effect. For example:

. The New Jersey Department of Education permits school systems to use

the New Jersey Quality Achievement Award criteria—based on the

Baldrige Award criteria—as an alternative to its state assessment

criteria. Other states are considering a similar approach.

. The National Alliance of Business and the American Productivity and

Quality Center have developed the Baldrige In Education Initiative, a

national program to improve the management systems of education

organizations and educational outcomes.

. In April 2000, the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP) held a

nationwide teleconference, “Creating a Framework for High Achieving

Schools,” to focus on the Baldrige criteria in education. In the

foreword to a report issued in conjunction with the teleconference,

then-Governor Tommy G. Thompson of Wisconsin and 2000 chair for the

NEGP, said the Baldrige criteria for education “can provide educators

with a framework and strategies for improving their schools and

helping all children to reach high standards.”

. At the teleconference, Bob Chase, president of the National Education

Association (NEA), said, “The Baldrige process and what I call ‘new

unionism’ are a quality match. Most crucially, NEA’s new unionism and

the Baldrige process share the same bottom line, improving student

achievement.”

. Dr. Michael Wood, CEO, Mayo Foundation and Clinic, hosted a Baldrige

Health Care Summit on June 29, 2000, involving 10 leading health care

institutions in the United States.

. Special sessions on Baldrige in health care were held at the Institute

for Health Care Improvement conferences in December 1999 and December

2000.

. Motorola University hosted 120 health care leaders for a one-week

course on Baldrige and Quality Improvement in Health Care in February

2001.

. Richard Norling, CEO, Premier Inc., a leading distributor of health

care supplies, is serving as president of the private-sector Baldrige

Foundation during 2001.

Why are categories in education and health care needed?

Since its creation in 1987, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award has

played an important role in helping thousands of U.S. companies improve not

only their products and services, their customers’ satisfaction, and their

bottom line, but also their overall performance.

Now, organizations in other sectors vital to the U.S. economy—education and

health care—are recognizing that the Baldrige Award’s tough performance

excellence standards can help stimulate their improvement efforts as well.

Just as it has for U.S. businesses, a Baldrige Award program can help these

organizations improve performance and foster communication, sharing of

“best practices,” and partnerships among schools, health care

organizations, and businesses.

How are recipients selected?

Organizations that are headquartered in the United States may apply for the

award. Applications for the award are evaluated by an independent Board of

Examiners composed of primarily private-sector experts in quality and

business. Examiners look for achievements and improvements in all seven

categories. Organizations that pass an initial screening are visited by

teams of examiners to verify information in the application and to clarify

questions that come up during the review. Each applicant receives a written

summary of strengths and areas for improvement in each area addressed by

the criteria.

“The application and review process for the Baldrige Award is the best,

most cost-effective and comprehensive business health audit you can get,”

says Arnold Weimerskirch, former chair of the Baldrige Award panel of

judges and vice president of quality, Honeywell, Inc.

Does quality pay?

Studies by NIST, universities, business organizations, and the U.S. General

Accounting Office have found that investing in quality principles and

performance excellence pays off in increased productivity, satisfied

employees and customers, and improved profitability—both for customers and

investors. For example, NIST has tracked a hypothetical stock investment in

Baldrige Award winners and applicants receiving site visits. The studies

have shown that these companies soundly outperform the Standard & Poor’s

500.

Is it tougher for small organizations to receive the award?

The Baldrige Award’s small business recipients have proven that any U.S.

organization can improve by using the criteria’s performance excellence

framework. But, given the importance of smaller businesses to the U.S.

economy, NIST is mapping out ways to strengthen awareness of the award

program and criteria among these organizations.

Can only U.S. organizations receive the award?

Any for-profit organization headquartered in the United States or its

territories may apply for the award, including U.S. subunits of foreign

companies.

Do the award criteria take into account an organization’s financial

performance?

Yes. The criteria include many factors that contribute to financial

performance, including business decisions and strategies that lead to

better market performance, gains in market share, and customer retention

and satisfaction. Organizations are urged to use financial information,

including profit trends, in analyzing and reporting on improved overall

performance and to look for the connection between the two.

Does the award amount to a product or service endorsement for the award

recipients?

No. The award is given because an organization has shown it has an

outstanding system for managing its products, services, human resources,

and customer relationships. As part of the evaluation, an organization is

asked to describe its system for assuring the quality of its goods and

services. It also must supply information on quality improvement and

customer satisfaction efforts and results. That does not mean that a

recipient’s products or services are endorsed.

Why are the Baldrige Award recipients asked to share their successful

strategies?

One of the main purposes of the award is to pass on information about the

recipient’s performance excellence strategies that other organizations can

tailor for their own needs. Representatives from the award recipients

willingly have shared their organizations’ performance strategies and

methods with thousands.

To what extent are they asked to share their strategies?

The managers of each recipient must decide how much time and effort to

devote to activities such as speaking engagements and tours of facilities.

The requirements of the award program are minimal. Recipients are asked to

participate in the award’s annual conference and several co-sponsored

regional conferences, to provide basic materials to those who request it on

their organization’s performance strategies and methods, and to answer news

media inquiries.

Do advertising and publicity diminish the image and prestige of the award?

The law establishing the award states that an award recipient may publicize

its receipt of such award and use the award in its advertising. Promoting

public and business awareness of quality improvement is one of the prime

goals of the program, and advertising is one way to meet this goal.

Guidelines help organizations assure their advertising is appropriate in

representing their Baldrige Award recognition.

Are organizations simply chasing after the award and ignoring the lessons

of performance improvement?

The perception by some that receiving the award is the goal of U.S.

organizations is not supported by the facts. Says Earnest Deavenport,

chairman and chief executive officer of Eastman Chemical Company, “Eastman,

like other Baldrige Award winners, didn’t apply the concepts of total

quality management to win an award. We did it to win customers. We did it

to grow. We did it to prosper and to remain competitive in a world

marketplace.” Thousands of organizations are using Baldrige Award

performance excellence criteria to assess their organization and to

improve. The program has helped to stimulate an amazing movement to improve

U.S. organizations, including companies; academic institutions; and

federal, state, and local government agencies.

If this is a federal government program, why are organizations charged a

fee to apply?

Federal funding for this program is about $5 million annually and is used

by NIST to manage the program. The application fees are charged to cover

expenses associated with distribution and review of applications and

development of feedback reports. The application and review process is

considered to be a very cost-effective and comprehensive business health

audit. For an application fee ranging from $5,000 for large organizations

to $500 for non-profit education institutions, organizations receive at

least 300 hours of review by a minimum of eight business and quality

experts. Site-visited organizations receive over 1,000 hours of in-depth

review. Every applicant receives an extensive feedback report highlighting

strengths and areas to improve. An article in the Journal for Quality and

Participation said, “The Baldrige feedback report is arguably the best

bargain in consulting in America.”

May an organization hire a consultant to help prepare answers for the

Baldrige application?

Applicants for the award are asked to supply facts and data to substantiate

their claims concerning their management practices. Consultants, including

members of the Board of Examiners, may provide services on performance

management issues as well as the Baldrige Award process. However, since

there are no secret answers or even right or wrong answers to the Baldrige

application, the award cannot be received by hiring someone to fill in the

blanks.

An organization must show through facts and data that it has a world-class

management system in place and that it is continually looking for ways to

improve.

As a final check before recommending recipients, members of the Board of

Examiners visit the more outstanding candidates for the award. During these

site visits, examiners interview employees and review pertinent records and

data. The objective is to verify the information provided in the

application and to answer questions raised during the board’s review. An

organization that hired someone to fill out its application would never

make it through this rigorous review if its performance management system

was not supported by facts and data.

Is it a conflict of interest for members of the Board of Examiners to work

as consultants?

No. Members of the Board of Examiners are experts in evaluating performance

management systems. They are in demand as speakers, as information

resources, and as consultants. These activities serve as a way to make more

people aware of performance improvement techniques and the Baldrige Award.

However, since the examiners and judges on the board review applications

for the award and are involved in recommending award recipients,

precautions are taken to prevent a conflict of interest or even the

appearance of conflict. Rigorous rules are followed at every stage of the

review.

Primarily, this means all members of the board must abide by a code of

ethics requiring, among other things, that they disclose all business

affiliations that might create a conflict. In such cases, they cannot

review an application, comment on it, or make any judgments that could

affect it. It is a violation of the code for board members even to ask for

information on applications other than those to which they are assigned.

Other safeguards and checks also are built into the four-step review

process. For example, during the first step, each application is evaluated

independently by at least eight different examiners. By the time the review

is over, some applicants will have gone through over 1,000 hours of

evaluation.

Is the number of applications for the award an indicator of interest about

quality and the Baldrige Award?

The number of applicants for the national Baldrige Award is not an

indicator of overall interest in quality or the award program. Interest

continues to grow both nationwide and internationally.

For example, participation in state and local award programs has increased

steadily. In 1991, fewer than 10 states had award programs. Now, 44 states

have or are establishing award programs. Most are modeled after the

Baldrige Award, and many organizations opt to compete for them first before

considering a Baldrige Award application. Many of the Baldrige Award

recipients also have won state quality awards.

Internationally, nearly 60 quality programs are in place. Most have been

established within the past several years, and many are based on the

Baldrige Award. In Japan, home of the Deming Prize, an award that closely

resembles the Baldrige Award has been established.

Also, it is important to remember the award program is much more than a

contest. While recognizing organizations that have successful performance

management systems is the most visible part of the program, its intent is

much broader. Equally important is the award’s role in raising awareness

about quality by encouraging all U.S. businesses and organizations to set

up performance improvement programs whether or not they intend, or are even

eligible, to apply for the award.

How does the Baldrige Award differ from ISO 9000?

The purpose, content, and focus of the Baldrige Award and ISO 9000 are very

different. The Baldrige Award was created by Congress in 1987 to enhance

U.S. competitiveness. The award program promotes quality awareness,

recognizes quality achievements of U.S. organizations, and provides a

vehicle for sharing successful strategies. The Baldrige Award criteria

focus on results and continuous improvement. They provide a framework for

designing, implementing, and assessing a process for managing all business

operations.

ISO 9000 is a series of five international standards published in 1987 by

the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva,

Switzerland. Companies can use the standards to help determine what is

needed to maintain an efficient quality conformance system. For example,

the standards describe the need for an effective quality system, for

ensuring that measuring and testing equipment is calibrated regularly and

for maintaining an adequate record-keeping system. ISO 9000 registration

determines whether a company complies with its own quality system.

Overall, ISO 9000 registration covers less than 10 percent of the Baldrige

Award criteria.

Is the Baldrige Award a U.S. version of Japan’s Deming award?

The basic purposes of both awards are the same: to promote recognition of

quality achievements and to raise awareness of the importance and

techniques of quality improvement. However, the Baldrige Award:

. focuses more on results and service,

. relies upon the involvement of many different professional and trade

groups,

. provides special credits for innovative approaches to quality,

. includes a strong customer and human resource focus, and

. stresses the importance of sharing information.

Why was NIST selected by Congress to manage the award and what is the role

of ASQ?

NIST is a non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department’s Technology

Administration. NIST develops and promotes measurements, standards, and

technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade, and improve the

quality of life. NIST was selected by Congress to design and manage the

award program because of its role in helping U.S. organizations compete,

its world-renowned expertise in quality control and assurance, and its

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