Example Cases

Valuable lessons can be learned from the following organisations:

West Lothian Council Housing Services, UK
Excellence leads to award

In 2003, with the aim of further improving the delivery of service excellence to its community through robust partnership working and a dedicated workforce, the West Lothian Council Housing Services (WLCHS) in Scotland, a local government housing manager, developed a tailor-made self-assessment tool. The tool was developed by amalgamating criteria from several business improvement models and standards, including the EFQM Excellence Model, Charter Mark and the Investors in People Standard. All staff took part in annual assessments and the process was introduced throughout the organisation as a whole. To complement the self-assessment, a successful Tenant Participation Strategy was launched in 2005. These initiatives built a reputation of excellence, created a culture of assessment and review within Housing Services, and instilled the principle of continuous improvement throughout the organisation. WLCHS was subsequently recognised in national performance leagues as one of the best housing providers in Scotland, and won the Scottish Awards for Business Excellence in 2006. [30]

Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business (MCB), USA
Baldrige Award winner achieves excellent results

In 2004, the Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business (MCB) at the University of Colorado, in the United States, won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. MCB`s mission was to deliver excellent undergraduate business programmes in keeping with its values, which focused on the pursuit of excellence and a philosophy of continuous improvement. MCB decided to build excellence into one undergraduate program rather than mediocrity into many. MCB used a high-touch programme (faculty to student interaction with small class sizes), wide-tech strategy (investment in the latest technology), and professional depth criteria (hiring instructors with proven business experience and doctoral level degrees). The college had a student-centric model and encouraged organisational collaboration in line with its mission and goals. MCB continually improved student academic performance scores; after earning the National Quality Award, the faculty and students achieved their best performance ever, attaining its highest overall Educational Testing Service (ETS) score in the 2004-2005 year at nearly the 95th percentile [31]

Stoner Inc, USA
Applying Baldrige model leads to 400% sales increase

In 2003, Stoner Inc., in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, won the Baldrige National Quality Award in the small business category. Stoner’s activities included the following:

1. Leadership: Communication with all team members was achieved using the Stoner excellence system.
2. Strategic plans were created and continuously improved by assessing data from business results, stakeholders, and benchmarking sources.
3. Customer and Market Focus: Extensive customer research was carried out and all levels of the company had frequent contact with customers.
4. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management: Some 100 measures were collected and 15 world-class companies were benchmarked to provide competitive data/fresh ideas for new products.
5. Human Resource Focus: Comprehensive training, open communications, personal feedback, and a bonus incentive program kept staff motivated.
6. Process Management: Core business processes were continuously improved.
7. Business results included:

• 400% growth in sales from 1990
• Twice the revenue per year per team member compared to similar small businesses. [32]

Clarke American Checks, USA
Business Excellence leads to turnaround in business fortune

Clarke American, a large US manufacturing company, had a major business crisis in the 1993-1994 fiscal year. Since then, as a result of the successful implementation of quality management using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award principles, Clarke American has received the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the Baldrige Award in the manufacturing category in 2001, and an annual sales growth from $5.8 million US to $270 million US. A new leadership model has been created to include:

1. Developing a First in Service (FIS) business strategy.
2. Defining a vision and strategy for growth.
3. Deploying FIS tools, process management and a balanced business plan.
4. Redesigning its approach to the market with a partner and customer focus.
5. Creating a team based learning organisation.
6. Making strategic investments to expand its offerings.

Clarke American through using the Baldrige model created a focus on developing a balanced business plan and value pricing for growth with an emphasis on customer and market focus.[33]

Pick Salami and Meat Processing Company, Hungary
Focus on TQM leads to multiple excellence award wins

In 1993, the management at Pick Meat, a Hungarian salami and meat processing company, embarked on a three-year project to implement ISO 9001, as well as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Quality Analysis and Critical Control Point (QACCP). Management also wanted to put in place essential elements of TQM, including teams, an idea system, and structured documentation of processes that were accessible by intranet. A permanent team was made responsible for the whole TQM effort, and other teams formed that encompassed procurement, production, sales and marketing, management systems, IT and human resources. A process of gathering customer and stakeholder comments and integrating them into the system was initiated. A plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle, considered essential to business management, was designed and included a company-organised customer club, made up of frequent users of Pick products, to provide structured feedback. Feedback was facilitated through surveys and pools, two-way communication, a toll-free customer service line, a three-language Internet site and feedback related to quality awards. In its quality drive Pick paid special attention to the protection of the environment, the reduction of any nuisances associated with its operations and initiated good manufacturing and hygiene practices (GMP and GHP), well-developed plant processes, well-organised technology, and detailed documentation of the processes, products and means of production. The company’s ISO 9001 system was registered in 1995, and later improved and audited to ISO 9001:2000. Pick achieved improved financial performance, improved market performance and good feedback from customers, consumers, employees and society. Pick won the Hungarian National Quality Award in 1999 and was recognised for excellence by the European Foundation for Quality Management in 2001 and 2002. [34]

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