Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the imperativeness of participating in the UK Excellence Award and integrating the concepts of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model as recommended by the British Quality Foundation. The study underscores the importance of participating in the UK Excellence Award regarding the recommendations of the British Quality
Foundation, which examines and makes a follow up of the EFQM Excellence model. Drawing evidence from some renowned UK organizations in performance improvement that began introducing EFQM Excellence Model after understanding and appreciating the UK excellence awards right from the application process, these organizations have improved substantially in their areas of operation.
Normally, UK organizations regard winning the UK Excellence Award as one of the UK’s great compliments that any organization can manage to achieve. More importantly, M&S and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) are among the organizations that have achieved great performance improvement by engaging in the UK Excellence Award that subsequently allows managers to understand the EFQM Excellence Model.
Introduction
The rapidly diffusing business world has been receiving a continuum of challenges ranging from unremitting customer requirements, intensifying regional and international competition on the market share, as well as changing management practices (Nabitz et al., 2000).
Management has been a key contributor to success or failure of organizations and to strengthen the competence in policy making and corporate governance, organizations are constantly integrating modern business models. The development of emerging paradigms including Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, as well the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) has been core movers to productivity and competence in organizations.
In addition, business awards and schemes including the UK Excellence Award Achievement Awards, the Lean Six Sigma Award, and the Gold Medal for Excellence are becoming exponentially significant in enhancing a competitive business world within the United Kingdom and other nations globally. This essay explores the UK Excellence Award as recommended by the British Quality Foundation.
Organization/company Background
This study aims at analyzing the benefits of the renowned UK Excellence Award in the British Quality Foundation. Perhaps, one of the most outstanding organizations that have proven significant in enhancing competence within the business world is the British Quality Foundation.
The British Quality Foundation is an organization that the UK government introduced in the year 1993 with a principal aim of assisting the UK business organizations to enhance their performance, providing awards and recognition for performing organizations, providing performance education to investors, and promoting sustainable excellence (BQF, 2013).
The British Quality Foundation (BQF) currently ranks among Europe’s largest corporate membership organizations that have propelled efforts to enhance performance and recognizer performers in the business world. BQF recognizes exceptional performance and achievement through national annual awards including the UK Excellence Award, the Lean Six Sigma Award, the Achievement Awards and Gold Medal for Excellence awards.
Business excellence model/award
This study did not analyze a business excellence model, but instead it analyzed excellence award. In respect to the interest of this analysis, of the four above-mentioned awards in BQF, the UK Excellence Award is core to this discussion. The UK Excellence Award is one of the finest award programs that have ever existed in the United Kingdom.
This kind of business excellence award started its campaigns in 1994, with an objective of recognizing organizations that have managed to demonstrate excellence in all their business operations (BQF, 2013).
For the purpose of this study, this UK Excellence Award was selected purposely to comprehend the empirical facts and enhance the arguments pertaining to the imperativeness of business models and business awards as part of movers of organizational performance. In addition, the excellence award is renowned by almost all corporate organizations within the UK (BQF, 2013).The award scheme normally undertakes an assessment of all entrants to verify their eligibility to participate in the program.
The assessment follows the protocols and guidelines of the EFQM Excellence Model, which is currently the leading Europe’s management framework, which enables organizations to evaluate their extent of distinction as well as assisting them in understanding their main potency and weaknesses (BQF, 2013).
The perceived benefits of the entrants’ assessment include the fact that managers from the organizations involved normally receive an opportunity to have the best experience of the presumed best practices and generally know how they can integrate the model successfully in their organizations (BQF, 2013).
Another benefit that comes from the assessment undertaken using the EFQM Excellence Model include managers acquiring strategic management skills as identifying organizational opportunities and means of benchmarking organizational targets.
Finally, the organization that participates in the UK Excellence Award, which is assessable through the EFQM Excellence Model, enables its management to receive an outstanding enrichment of management skills including corporate leadership, good communication skills, and team building.
Qualification for the UK Excellence Award
Unlike the business models where organizations find possible means of integrating them, the UK Excellence Award requires an organization to undergo a registration process to receive accolades and performance improvement techniques. Since the British Quality
Foundation has always acknowledged the EFQM Excellence Model as the leading Europe’s management framework, all applicants interested in participating in the UK Excellence Award undergo a thorough assessment of the EFQM Excellence Model to identify their experience in this model (BQF, 2013).
Under the acknowledgement and recommendation of the EFQM Excellence Model by BQF, this organization believes in the EFQM model for it stresses on gaining competitive advantage, business improving its performance, business increasing its profitability through enhanced productivity, streamlining its operations, bettering employee involvement, as well as customer satisfaction (BQF, 2013). BQF also believes that EFQM aids in straining on continuous improvement and improving organizational brand reputation.
Critical Analysis
The most remarkable efforts in improving performance and competence among organization arise from the interminable British Quality Foundation that supports the UK Excellence Award. In trying to understand the imperativeness of organizations participating in the UK Excellence Award, drawing empirical evidence from organizations and successful participants might aid in developing a coherent understanding the argument herein.
Since its beginning in 1994, the award scheme has managed to celebrate its winners and finalists annually with the latest ones being the winners and finalists of 2012. In a bid to enhance an understanding UK Excellence Award, this study makes a follow up of some winners and finalists of the UK Excellence Award that have been successful in integrating the principles of the EFQM Excellence Model as well.
Based on information from their library of case studies, some of the renowned multinational organizations such as Marks & Spencer, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Northumbrian Water Limited, as well as Surrey & Sussex Probation Trust have improved their performance.
Report from the case of Marks & Spencer Inc
Among the great organizations that have managed to conquer the business world through the EFQM Excellence Model and participating in the UK Excellence Award is Marks & Spencer, which is still one of the UK’s leading Fashion and Design Company.
Following a report documented by More (2011) describing two important British Quality Foundation (BQF) excellence and performance tools, it is clear that using the EFQM Excellence Model and participating in the UK excellence award leads to outstanding productivity. BQF Sustainability Healthcheck and EFQM Excellence Model are two important performance improvement components have proven significant to Marks & Spencer’s efforts to enhance green technologies.
From his own words, More (2011) affirms, “The first stage examines the organization’s approach to sustainability and the second focuses on the immediate cost reductions that can be delivered by energy saving” (p.13). This goal is only achievable when one considers participating in Strategic Planning Healthcheck, which aims at assisting organizations in developing strategic goals by understanding their strategic objectives, weaknesses, and their strengths.
Using tips and advice from the Strategic Planning Healthcheck, Marks & Spencer managed to acquire substantial performance from the backdrop of the green technology in a systematic process that hails from strategic planning. Empirically, through the assistance of Strategic Planning Healthcheck to achieve the green technology idea, Marks & Spencer has become one of the greatest achievers of green planning that has been an important feature in the contemporary business environment.
They designed plan A, which aimed at committing M&S towards using sustainable raw materials, improving environmental concerns, waste control, fair partnership, and health. Since then, Marks & Spencer has managed to reduce carrier bag usage in shopping by 64 per cent in general and 81 per cent in food stores alone.
In addition, through Strategic Planning Healthcheck, M&S successfully recycled 92 per cent of waste in its stores and offices and reduced packaging of cloths and gifts by 36 per cent (More, 2011). Despite plastic bags being the most recognizable emblems of packaging and carrier in shopping events across the globe, Marks and Spencer have managed to employ biodegradable material to educe harm to the ecosystem.
Through the assistance of Strategic Planning Healthcheck, M& S has been successful in developing ‘eco-stores’ in Bournemouth, Galashiels, and Pollok and managed to record 25 per cent in energy saving, approximately 92 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, 15 per cent drop in water consumption and an achievement of 80 per cent recycling rates (More, 2011).
On embracing the EFQM Excellence Model in improving performance, Marks & Spencer recognizes the imperativeness of using this model to improve organizational profitability and productivity. From the report, Marks & Spencer has managed to enhance its competitive advantage, increase its business performance, streamline its operations, enhance customer satisfaction, improve employee involvement, and maintain consistency in its performance (More, 2011).
Case of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)
One of the greatest achievers in the UK and recognizable participants of the UK Excellence Award and the EFQM Excellence Model users is the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS). GMFRS is the largest fire and rescue team with approximately 2,200 staff members and 41 fire stations in the UK.
The company started integrating EFQM Excellence Model in the year 2011. Before then, controlling fire related cases and its impact had been a constant problem for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and was traumatizing to experience great loss of lives on fire epidemic cases.
For a period of only two years of employing the EFQM Excellence Model and participating actively in the UK Excellence Award, this company has already acquired outstanding performance by reducing cases of fire outbreaks by 42 per cent and fire bereavements by about 40 per cent. Additionally, currently, the company has managed to reduce its operational costs and other miscellaneous expenditures by saving £160m annually and managing to work with 300 fewer staff.
Benchmarking performance is one of the EFQM Excellence Model components that have assisted GMFRS in improving its performance and working effectiveness. Adam Hebden, the manager concerned with Planning and Performance at GMFRS, asserts, “The Model helps us to monitor and benchmark our performance and drive continuous improvement” (BQF, 2013, Para 4).
Additionally, this manager affirmed that the EFQM Excellence Model requires organizations to undertake a constant self-assessment that aids in monitoring their performance and identifying their strengths in their areas of their improvement. Major areas of improvement within GMFRS while using the EFQM Excellence Model included the communication systems, integration of new competency framework, and measures and improvement of core behaviors and leadership.
Conclusion
The EFQM Excellence Model and the UK Excellence Award schemes are becoming the most important performance improvement approaches that organizations in the UK are anticipating. By participating in the UK excellence award that recommends the use of the EFQM Excellence Model, organizations receive a continuum of performance improvement related benefits arising from the workshop and trainings offered by the British Quality Foundation.
Participating in the UK excellence award enables organizations to understand the significance of the EFQM excellence business models. Participating in the UK excellence award gives organizations the opportunity to have their management teams assessed on their exposure to EFQM, learn how to employ EFQM, and acquire strategic skills coupled with enhancing their basic leadership skills, which are all important variables in performance improvement.
The EFQM Excellence Model assists corporate businesses to develop performance framework based on main objectives like gaining competitive advantage, enhancing productivity and profitability, increasing employee involvement, streamlining organizational operations, increasing customer satisfaction, enhancing continuous improvement, and improving brand reputation.
Reference List
British Quality Foundation (BQF). (2013). Web.
More, N. (2011). This is not just sustainability. Web.
Nabitz, U., Klazinga, N., & Walburg, J. (2000). The EFQM excellence model: European and Dutch experiences with the EFQM approach in health care. International journal of Quality in healthcare, 12(3), 191-201.
Appendices
Figure 1: UK excellence award
Figure 2: EFQM Excellence Model Criteria
Figure 3: Impact of British Quality Foundation on M&S
