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The Panel of Judges for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest recognition for organizational performance excellence, has selected 16 organizations for the final review stage for the 2010 award. Starting next month, teams of business, education, health care and nonprofit experts will make site visits to two organizations in the manufacturing category, four in small business, one in service, one in education, seven in health care and one in nonprofit. This is the first year since the addition of the newest category, nonprofit (in 2007), in which organizations from all six categories will receive site visits.
The Baldrige Program received 83 applications in 2010 (three manufacturers, two service companies, seven small businesses, 10 educational organizations, 54 health care organizations and seven nonprofit/governmental organizations). The applicants were evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. Examiners will provide 300 to 1,000 hours of review to each applicant receiving a site visit, and all applicants will receive a detailed report on the organization's strengths and opportunities for improvement.
The 2010 Baldrige Award recipients are expected to be announced in late November, 2010.
Named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987. The award—managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in collaboration with the private sector—promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 80 organizations have received Baldrige Awards.
Thousands of organizations use the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence to guide their enterprises, improve performance and get sustainable results. This proven improvement and innovation framework offers organizations an integrated approach to key management areas.
For more information on the Baldrige National Quality Program, see www.nist.gov/baldrige.