Author(s)

P. Short

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Baldrige Award criteria can be used to stimulate continuous quality improvement in all aspects of any kind of business. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was introduced in the United States in 1988 with the purpose of promoting continuous quality improvement and the sharing of successful quality techniques in U.S. industry and commerce. It has now become widely accepted as a model for quality excellence. It is both a means of recognising achievement and a powerful diagnostic tool to help companies identify their strengths and weaknesses. By recognising what they do well and what areas need to be addressed, actions may be instigated to improve the overall quality performance of the company and measure progress on the long journey to becoming the best. Whilst the principal reason for using the criteria shoul

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