Performance Excellence: The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award Criteria

Abstract

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) recognizes U.S. companies that excel in quality management practices and performance excellence. The Baldrige Award does not exist simply to recognize product excellence, nor does it exist for the purpose of “winning.” Its principal focus is on promoting high-performance management practices throughout the economy that lead to customer satisfaction and business results. The award promotes the awareness of quality as an increasingly important element in competitiveness, an understanding of the requirements for performance excellence, and sharing of information on successful quality management practices and the benefits derived from implementation of these strategies. Up to two companies can receive a Baldrige Award in each of the categories of manufacturing, small business, and service. In 1995, pilot programs in education and health care were instituted. See Table 2 for a list of award winners. This article describes the following award winners: ADAC Laboratories; Trident Precision Machining; and others.