Purpose The aim of the study is to identify best practices from Business Excellence (BE) award-winning organizations on the use of their BE self-assessment (internal assessment) and third-party assessment (external assessment including BE award assessments) for organizational improvement.Design/methodology/approach An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to gather data from 50 organizations across 17 countries with varying degrees of BE maturity. Twenty of these, representing 40% of the sample, then participated in semi-structured interviews through which their understanding of the impacts of various practices was explored in more detail. From this sub-sample, three (3) emerged as exemplars used as the case studies reported here.Findings The findings from the first and broader study of the 50 organizations demonstrate a diverse approach to BE assessments, much of which is tailored to the maturity level of each organization. BE organizations with a high BE maturity level are more likely to conduct regular self-assessments and certificate assessment. Key practices identified in the case study organizations were their unique approach to preparing the organization for assessments irrespective of the BE award criteria, the use of mock assessments to prepare for award assessments, the use of customer-led assessments, thorough action plan review process, the use of internal assessments to grow internal capabilities, participation in regular award assessments, the use of external BE assessors and experts for assessments, increased use of technology to support the assessment process, and varying assessment types by organizational BE maturity.Originality/value This research provides a specific and valuable contribution to the existing BE literature by presenting contemporary, real-world examples of best practices in BE assessment. It offers a unique perspective on how award-winning organizations tailor their strategies to meet diverse business needs and strategic objectives.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to address a critical gap in the existing literature on business excellence implementation. While various studies have examined different aspects of business excellence, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on the optimal organizational excellence architecture (OEA) for an award-winning business excellence journey. The absence of a unified framework has led to inconsistent practices across organizations. The aim of this research based on data collected from 50 organizations across 17 countries is to address this gap and present a refined OEA model.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Member organizations from the Global Excellence Model (GEM) Council participated through an online survey administered via the Qualtrics software platform. Quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS and Microsoft Excel software tools, while content analysis techniques were applied to the qualitative data to gain detailed insights.FindingsThe findings refine and extend the OEA model. These contributions lead to a refined OEA definition and open avenues for future research, enriching the current understanding of BE implementation.Originality/valueThis study introduces a novel concept of OEA to the literature on business excellence implementation. The refined OEA model provides a fresh perspective on the critical components necessary for an award-winning business excellence journey. This research offers significant value to both practitioners and academics by presenting a unified approach to BE implementation, effectively addressing the previously identified gap in BE research.

This research was undertaken to investigate how Business Excellence (BE) Custodians (BECs) within a country or region, promote BE. A review of the literature revealed a gap in the understanding of how BECs promote BE and that there is limited data on the popularity of BE worldwide. To address these issues a survey and structured interview was designed in collaboration with the Global Excellence Model (GEM) Council and 65 BECs were encouraged to participate in the research. In total, 29 BECs from 26 countries completed the survey whilst 13 also participated in optional structured interviews. BECs perceived that on average 11%–20% of CEOs and organisational heads were aware of BE and that awareness had slightly increased in the last three years, however, another key finding was that there is a lack of BE awareness data and lack in the rigour of data collection by the BECs. The promotional activity considered to be the most important to focus on and improve for the next few years and most impactful on awareness was 'marketing of BE to CEO's/senior managers/board of directors'. Best practices were identified such as collaborating with assessors to promote BE to their networks, making on-site presentations to explain BE frameworks, and carrying out BE impression surveys to estimate BE awareness levels. This research collected data directly from the BECs worldwide and investigated how they promote BE in their country/region. It provides recommendations on how BECs could improve their BE promotional activities to raise BE awareness levels.

This paper presents a bibliometric and thematic review of journal papers specifically related to BE frameworks (BEFs) that are used for national BE awards and advocated by the Global Excellence Model (GEM) Council. The paper will help researchers and practitioners locate relevant BE data and information more easily, and guide them on which journals in which to publish them. The research includes an assessment of the average citation rate per year and BE paper. 10,089 potential BE papers were initially identified from a keyword search of the Elsevier database, to ultimately identify 415 as BE papers. These papers were analysed and have subsequently been made available to all researchers in an excel file. This research found that: the peak in publishing BE papers was in 2019; Total Quality Management and Business Excellence is the most popular journal for publishing BE papers; the most popular research area is studying ‘Design of BEFs’ and there is potential for future research on ‘Impact of BE’; and the average number of citations per year for a BE paper is 2.1, with the most cited paper achieving an average of 29.6 citations per year. The research includes recommendations on how researchers can increase their citation rate in this area.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how business excellence (BE) custodians (BECs) design, develop and modify their BE frameworks (BEF's) and to provide a general framework for reviewing BEFs. The design process is important to understand as these BEFs are used to help organisations understand the components of BE to guide them towards world-class performance. Design/methodology/approach The first step was to identify all the BE awards (BEAs) worldwide and their BEFs by conducting a review of publicly available sources. This research was then limited to only those BEAs that was held no more than two years ago. Of these, 29 BECs (with active BEAs) in 26 countries agreed to participate in the research. Data was collected with the help of a survey and 13 BECs also undertook optional follow-up interviews. Findings In total, 56 countries and regions have 65 active BEAs with another 17 countries having BE initiatives. The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model and the Baldrige excellence framework are used by 37.7% and 14.5% of BECs worldwide, respectively. In total, 58.3% of the BECs review their BEFs once every three years or sooner, 100% of the BECs are confident in their BEFs' fundamental concepts and 96.5% in their categories. There are fewer active BEAs now and the use of BE is potentially decreasing which suggests that more effort is required by the BECs in promoting BE. Originality/value This research collects data directly from the BECs on how BECs design and develop BEFs and provides a general framework for reviewing BEFs.

This research investigates the strengths and opportunities for improvement of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) in terms of designing the Malcolm Baldrige Excellence Framework (MBEF) and its deployment (promoting the MBEF, facilitating its use, and awarding Business Excellence (BE)) within the United States. Data were collected directly from NIST and compared to the data from 28 other BE Custodians (BECs) from 26 countries to identify the BE promotion, facilitation, and award related activities that the other BECs could learn from the BPEP and the best practices that the BPEP could learn from the other BECs. It was found that BPEP’s key strengths are a) the design of the MBEF, with 34.5% of BECs adopting it, second only to the EFQM with 44.8% adopters b) the awards process is robust with NIST rating its processes in this area more highly than in other areas. The BPEP’s key opportunities for improvement were in increasing the awareness of BE and facilitating organizations to use a BE approach. Recommendations are provided on how the BPEP can be improved, with examples of practices used by other BECs.

Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate and document a new approach to best practice benchmarking called rapid benchmarking. Rapid benchmarking is defined by the authors as an approach to dramatically shorten the typical length of time to conduct a successful best practice benchmarking project. Design/methodology/approach The methodology involved a case study exploration of a multinational dairy company's best practice benchmarking approach using structured interviews and data collection to examine the speed and results achieved through its benchmarking approach and whether it was justified in naming it as rapid benchmarking. A comparison of the speed of the dairy company's approach was undertaken against 24 other organisations that had utilised the same benchmarking methodology (TRADE Best Practice Benchmarking). In addition, a literature review was undertaken to search for other cases of rapid benchmarking and compare rapid benchmarking with other rapid improvement approaches. Findings The findings revealed that the approach used by the dairy company was unique, with best practices being identified and action plans signed off for deployment within a five-day period (far quicker than the average time of 211 days reported by other organisations). Key success factors for rapid benchmarking were found to be allocating five dedicated days for the benchmarking team to spend on the project, identifying the right team members for the project, obtaining sponsorship support for the project and providing intensive facilitation support through a benchmarking facilitator. Research limitations/implications Only one company was found to use a rapid benchmarking approach; therefore, the findings are from one case study. The depth of analysis presented was restricted due to commercial sensitivity. Practical implications The rapid benchmarking approach is likely to be of great interest to practitioners, providing them with a new way of finding solutions and best practices to address challenges that need to be solved quickly or with minimal expense. For organisations that have been using benchmarking for many years, the research will enable them to re-evaluate their own benchmarking approach and consider if rapid benchmarking could be used for some projects, particularly for internal benchmarking where it is easier to apply. Originality/value This research is the first to identify and document a rapid benchmarking approach and the first to provide a detailed analysis of the length of time it takes to undertake best practice benchmarking projects (and each stage of a benchmarking project).

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the mechanisms for managing coordinated benchmarking projects and the outcomes achieved from such coordination. While there have been many independent benchmarking studies comparing the practices and performance of public sector organisations, there has been little research on initiatives that involve coordinating multiple benchmarking projects within public sector organisations or report on the practices implemented and results from benchmarking projects. This research will be of interest to centralised authorities wishing to encourage and assist multiple organisations in undertaking benchmarking projects. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a case study methodology. Data were collected on the coordinating mechanisms and the experiences of the individual organisations over a one-year period. Findings The findings show successful results (financial and non-financial) across all 13 benchmarking projects, thus indicating the success of a coordinated approach to managing multiple projects. The study concluded by recommending a six-stage process for coordinating multiple benchmarking projects. Originality/value This research gives new insights into the application and benefits from benchmarking because of the open access the research team had to the “Dubai We Learn” initiative. To the authors’ knowledge the research was unique in being able to report accurately on the outcome of 13 benchmarking projects with all projects using the TRADE benchmarking methodology.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the activities of the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO). The study identifies the various roles and activities of the APO and evaluates how well it performs in these roles. The study also investigates the impacts of the APO on the productivity initiatives of National Productivity Organisations (NPOs) in 16 Asian countries. These productivity initiatives are important in enhancing productivity performance and national competitiveness in the countries of interest. Design/methodology/approach The study collects data from stakeholders in the NPOs in 16 countries. A Likert-scale questionnaire was used to collect data from two types of respondents - NPO CEOs and NPO professional/technical staff. Data were analysed by comparing the responses across the participating countries. Findings The result shows that there was general satisfaction with the mission, vision and strategic direction of the APO. With respect to the operational performance of the organisation, the study showed that there were some differences in perception of the performance of the APO although the overall perception was positive.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate a benchmarking project carried out by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) as part of a structured benchmarking initiative. The project was based on the TRADE benchmarking methodology and this paper examines the tools, activities and outcomes that relate to each stage of the adopted methodology. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on case study methodology. Data were collected from various sources including analysis of project reports written by DEWA’s benchmarking team reporting on their activities during the project. Data were also collected from four project presentations given at different stages of the project. In addition, the research team held three meetings with the DEWA benchmarking team at different stages of the benchmarking project. Findings The results show the key challenges and successes faced during each stage of the benchmarking project. It indicates the actions taken to overcome the challenges and the role played by internal and external stakeholders in facilitating the success of the benchmarking project. Practical implications The study presents information that would guide organisations that wish to carry out a benchmarking project – and particularly those implementing benchmarking for the first time. The study provides a summary of the key lessons learnt by DEWA’s benchmarking team as a guide for other organisations. Originality/value Academic research has not adequately examined and analysed the stage-by-stage elements of a benchmarking project from the perspective of the implementing organisation. This study addresses this gap by detailing and analysing the experiences of a benchmarking project by tracking the stage-by-stage activities of the benchmarking team.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the basic problem of ingroup favoritism in a setting of high task interdependence is addressed through an intervention strategy combining different approaches. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports on evidence from extensive field-based case research. It focuses on the holistic description of a single high-performance logistics setting and discusses the distinct but interrelated managerial approaches against the backdrop of behavioral theory. Findings Most notably, the authors examine how culturally specific factors such as people’s social ingroup-outgroup categorization is reduced through a continual rotation of jobs. Work relationships are purposefully depersonalized and consequently socially reframed through reference to the corporate philosophy. Likewise, behaviors, roles and responsibilities are redefined based on a purposeful reinterpretation of the corporate philosophy. The authors evaluate these desired behaviors against the background of the perceptions of work group members and describe how these guide actual behaviors. Practical implications The insights of this study exemplify how adverse behavioral effects that may occur in some socio-cultural contexts may be avoided through the appropriate design of operations. Originality/value This study employs a holistic approach to provide valuable insights into both practitioners and academics in the field of OM to counteract detrimental behavioral effects in real-world operations.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of how organisations successfully deploy business excellence (BE) by comparing the tools and strategies implemented by organisations at different levels of BE maturity. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a combination of a questionnaire, discussion groups and interviews with respondents including private sector organisations across India, Japan, Republic of China, Singapore and Thailand. These countries were selected due to them being considered as having the most advanced BE organisations in Asia by the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) that commissioned the study. Once triangulated, the quantitative data were analysed through use of the IBM SPSS Statistical software package. Findings – The study has shown that on average, organisations with higher BE maturity outperform their less mature counterparts. The study also revealed that organisations with a high BE maturity were more likely to use specific tools and were more likely to use some of these tools more effectively. Finally, the study identified differences in strategic approaches to BE between organisations with high and low BE maturity. Research limitations/implications – Only five Asian countries were considered due to resource limitations. However, the study of 74 organisations represents one of the most comprehensive to date with 30 of these organisations being award winners. Practical implications – The findings offer guidance to those organisations wishing to progress from a low level of BE maturity to a more advanced level. The findings have already assisted the APO and its 20 member countries in the development and implementation of strategic interventions at a regional and national level. Originality/value – No other study in Asia has been conducted on such a large sample of BE-orientated organisations. The study was also unique in its focus on the tools and strategies that should be used for successful BE deployment. In addition, the study is one of only a few in Asia that has studied the results of BE on organisational performance.

This paper investigates the awareness, use and effectiveness of improvement initiatives in organisations of different sizes and in different countries. In particular, comparisons are made between large firms and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), between organisations in the developing and developed worlds and between organisations in China and India and the rest of the developing world. A questionnaire survey of 453 organisations across 44 countries was conducted with the findings indicating that there are significant differences in comparability of tools. For some tools there are no significant differences between developed and developing countries as well as between large organisations and small organisations. For other tools, there are significant differences with organisations in developing countries, in general, more aware and more likely to use business improvement initiatives when compared to organisations in developed countries. Similarly, organisations in China and India have a higher awareness of and are more likely to adopt improvement initiatives when compared to the rest of the developing world. Finally, larger firms are more aware and more likely to use improvement initiatives when compared to SMEs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the different tools and techniques used by organizations at different levels of business excellence (BE) maturity. Organizations across the five Asian countries of China, India, Japan, Singapore and Thailand participated in a survey, discussion groups and interviews. The results suggest that organizations with high BE maturity significantly outperform those with lower levels of BE maturity. It was found that the two different sets of organizations used both different tools and different strategic approaches to BE; this information can be of great use to those wishing to understand how to improve their level of BE maturity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness, usage, perceived effectiveness and potential future use of improvement tools and techniques via two sets of comparisons: between public and private sector organisations, and between manufacturers and service organisations. The need for the study was driven by the current lack of understanding of the extent of improvement tools and techniques adoption on a global scale. A questionnaire survey of 453 respondents from over 20 countries was conducted and the quantitative data were analysed through use of the IBM SPSS software package. The study’s findings indicated that there are no significant differences between both sets of organisations for the majority of improvement tools and techniques. However, this study has shown that public sector organisations are more likely to adopt some improvement tools and techniques in comparison to their private sector counterparts. Similarly, service organisations are also more likely to adopt some improvement tools and techniques than their manufacturing counterparts. These results contradict the conventional perception that improvement tools and techniques are used more often by the private sector and manufacturing organisations.

This paper examines the use of business excellence (BE) across Asia. The study investigates the effectiveness of BE in those organisations that adopt it and also the approaches these organisations use in order to adopt BE. 74 organisations were surveyed across India, Japan, Republic of China, Singapore and Thailand and this data was triangulated with the results of 21 discussion groups and 13 interviews with senior executives of organisations that had won BE awards. The findings indicate that BE is seen as an important initiative and that winning BE awards is a key objective for organisations in the Asian region. There are, however, a number of barriers to BE adoption which include a failure to fully educate the majority of staff in BE, a lack of development of a BE culture and a lack of resources.

This study explores the use of improvement tools between public and private sector and manufacturing and service organizations. In total 453 organizations across 8 different countries responded to a questionnaire with the data being analyzed through use of the IBM SPSS Statistics software package. The results revealed a number of differences between the sectors and industries as well as similarities between the public sector and the private sector and between the service industry and the manufacturing industry.

This study explores business excellence (BE) in Asian organizations by comparing the performance and toolset of organizations highly mature in BE (those with competent or advanced BE tools and techniques) with those less mature in BE. 74 responding organizations across Asia completed a questionnaire and the data were triangulated with data from discussion groups and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that those highly mature in BE significantly outperformed their less mature counterparts in a number of business areas. The study also discovered a number of approaches to improving an organization’s level of BE maturity.