Question

Title: National Baldrige Quality Award

Describe the changes to the 2015 award.

Answer 1

National Baldrige Quality Award or the Malcolm National Baldrige Quality Award (MNBQA) is the US award established in 1987. The objective was to raise awareness about quality management and control. It also aims at giving recognition to US companies that have achieved successful implementation of quality management systems. It is the highest presidential honor in the country for performance excellence in business.

Named after the late Secretary of Commerce, Malcolm Baldrige, the award is given in 6 categories, namely:

1. Manufacturing

2. Service companies

3. Small business

4. Education

5. Healthcare

6. Non-profit

The 2015 awards observed 3 changes in the eligibility criteria for the organizations to apply for this high honoured awards. These changes are based on customer and stakeholder inputs:

1. Allow prior Bladrige award receivers to reapply after 5 years irrespective of any changes to eligibility requirement.

2. Allow an organization to waiver the standard requirements of quality if they have shown a high level of maturity and superior performance metrics. Thus, an organization need not be a previous Alliance program honoree to apply for Baldrige award.

3. Base the eligibility of the organization to apply for Baldrige Quality Award on its ability to respond to the criteria for performance excellence rather than its size or share.

Apart from the existing norms, these changes were introduced in the 2015 MNBQA Awards.