Relationship between quality

management systems and the criteria of

excellence models

Continual
Improvement

Relationship between quality management systems and

the criteria of excellence models
ISO 9001 specifies quality management system requirements that are
focused on compliance with customer requirements. ISO 9004:2000
provides guidance for the development and improvement of a quality
management system that will support business excellence.
They:
a) enable an organization to identify its strengths and weaknesses,
b) contain provision for evaluation against generic models,
c) provide a basis for continual improvement, and
d) contain provision for external recognition

Relationship between quality management systems and

the criteria of excellence models
The difference between the ISO 9000 family of quality management
systems and the excellence models lies in their scope of application.
The ISO 9000 family of standards provides requirements for quality
management systems and guidance for performance improvement;
evaluation of quality management systems determines fulfilment of
those requirements.
The excellence models contain criteria that enable comparative
evaluation of organizational performance and this is applicable to all
activities and all interested parties of an organization. Assessment
criteria in excellence models provide a basis for an organization to
compare its performance with the performance of other
organizations.

Relationship between quality management systems and

the criteria of excellence models
Continual improvement refers to the actions taken to enhance the features
and characteristics of products and/or to increase the effectiveness and
efficiency of processes used to produce and deliver them. A process
improvement cycle can include:
- defining, measuring and analysing the existing situation
- establishing the objectives for improvement
- searching for possible solutions
- evaluating these solutions
- implementing the selected solution
- measuring, verifying, and analysing implementation
- formalising changes

Deming Cycle
Deming identifies 4 phases for continual
improvement:
Plan, establish performance objectives and

standards
Do, measure actual performance
Check, compare actual performance to
objectives and standards determine gaps
Act, take the necessary actions to close the gap
and achieve the improvements

Application of cycle activities

Plan translates strategy into action
Do manage the processes as drivers of
organisational results (Products and services)
Check review the processes and how results
were achieved
Act respond to the review to consolidate
achievement and initiate the next improvement
cycle

Continual improvement and

measurement
Continual improvement through PDCA
identifies areas of improvement in the
organisation, and puts enablers and results
in a broader comparative perspective,
measuring themselves against world class
standards and focus efforts on the
customer.

Self-assessment frameworks
Total Quality Management has only recently been
defined in terms that are internationally
acceptable.
Excellence models recognise the importance of
customer satisfaction, business objectives, safety
and environmental considerations are mutually
dependent and applicable in all organisations.
These models serve to measure organisations
against themselves or to perform gap-analyses.

Self-assessment frameworks
Measurement is the prerequisite for any
improvement.
Using a model creates a structured
discipline using points to quantify
organisational results previously expressed
in qualitative terms, making the
measurement results more understandable.

Core values and concepts

Criteria are built upon:

Customer driven quality

Leadership
Continuous improvement and learning
Valuing employees
Fast response
Design quality and prevention
Long range view of the future
Management by fact
Partnership development
Company responsibility and partnership
Results focus

Value of self-assessment
Self assessment using an assessment model
provides answers to questions such as:
Where are we now
Where do we need to be
What do we have to do to get there.

These questions are answered from the employees-,

customers- and suppliers views.
Self assessment promotes organisational excellence
through regular systematic review of processes and
results, highlighting strengths and improvement
opportunities, driving continual improvement.

South African Excellence Model

Enablers:
Leadership (10%)
Policy and strategy (7%)
Customer and market focus (6%)
People management (9%)
Resources and Information management (6%)
Processes (12%)

South African Excellence Model

Results:
Impact on Society (6%)
Customer satisfaction (17%)
People satisfaction (9%)
Supplier and partnership performance (3%)
Business results (15%)

South African Excellence Model

Leadership: How the behaviour of the executive
team and other leaders inspire, support and promote
a culture of business excellence. Evidence is
needed of how leaders:

Visibly demonstrate their commitment

Support improvement by providing appropriate resources
Are involved with customer supplier chains
Recognise and appreciate peoples efforts and
achievements
Address public responsibility and practice stewardship

South African Excellence Model

Policy and strategy: How the organisation
formulates, deploys, reviews and turns policy and
strategy into plans and actions. Evidence is
needed how policy and strategy are:
Based on information which is relevant and

comprehensive
Developed
Communicated and implemented
Regularly reviewed, updated and improved.

South African Excellence Model

Customer and market focus: how the organisation
determines requirements and enhances
expectations of customers and markets. Evidence
is needed how:
Customer and market intelligence is determined
Customer and market intelligence is used
The organisation maintains accessibility to customers

and manages complaints

Customer satisfaction is determined.

South African Excellence Model

People management: How the organisation
releases the full potential of its people. Evidence
is needed of how people:
Resources are planned and improved
Capabilities are sustained and developed
Agree targets and continuously review performance
Are involved, enabled, empowered and recognised
And the organisation have an effective dialogue
Are cared for.

South African Excellence Model

Resource and information management: How the
organisation manages and uses resources and
information effectively and efficiently. Evidence is
needed of how:

Financial resources are managed

Information resources are managed
Comparative data and information are selected and used
Partnering and supplier relations and materials are managed
Buildings, equipment and other assets are managed
Technology and intellectual property are managed.

South African Excellence Model

Processes: How the organisation identifies,
manages, reviews and improves processes.
Evidence is needed of how processes:

Key to the success of the organisation are identified

Are systematically managed
Are reviewed and targets are set for improvement
Are improved using innovation and creativity
Are changed and the benefits are evaluated
Are designed, managed and improved
Are managed in relation to suppliers and partners.

South African Excellence Model

Impact on society: What the organisation is
achieving in satisfying the needs and
expectations of the local, national and
international community at large (as
appropriate). Evidence is needed of:
Societys perception of the organisation
Additional measurements of the organisations

impact on society.

South African Excellence Model

Customer satisfaction: What the
organisation is achieving in relation to the
satisfaction of its external customers.
Evidence is needed of:
The customers perception of the

organisations products, services and customer

relationships
Additional measurements relating to the
satisfaction of the organisations customers.

South African Excellence Model

People satisfaction: What the organisation
is achieving in relation to the satisfaction
of its people. Evidence is needed of:
The peoples perception of the organisation
Additional measurements relating to people

satisfaction.

South African Excellence Model

Supplier and partnership performance.
Evidence is needed of:
The organisations perception of supplier and

partner products, services and relationships.

Additional measurements relating to the
performance of the organisations suppliers
and partners.

South African Excellence Model

Business results: What the organisation is
achieving in relation to its planned objectives and
in satisfying the needs and expectations of
everyone with a financial interest or other stake
in the organisation. Evidence is needed of:
Financial measurements of the organisations

performance
Additional measurements of the organisations
performance.

The Enablers
The assessor scores each part of the
Enabler criteria on the basis of the
combination of two factors:
The degree of excellence of your approach
The degree of deployment of your approach.

Scoring
Score 0 if:
Approach is anecdotal or non-value adding

Score 25% if:

If some evidence of soundly based approaches
and prevention based systems
Subject to occasional review
Some areas of integration into normal
operations

Scoring
Score 50% if:
Evidence of soundly based systematic

approaches and prevention based systems

Subject to regular review with respect to
business effectiveness
Integration into normal operations and
planning well established
Clear evidence of soundly based systematic
approaches and prevention based systems

Scoring
Score 75% if:
Clear evidence of refinement and

improvement of business effectiveness

through review cycles
Good integration of approach into normal
operations and planning

Scoring
Score 100% if:
Clear evidence of soundly based systematic

approaches and prevention based systems

Clear evidence of refinement and improvement of
business effectiveness through review cycles
Approach has become totally integrated into normal
work patterns
Could be used as a role model for other organisations

The results
The assessor scores each part of the results
criteria on the basis of the combination of
two factors:
The degree of excellence of your results
The scope of your results

Scoring
Score 0% if results are:
Anecdotal.

Score 25% if:

Some results show positive trends and some
satisfactory performance
Some favourable comparisons with own targets

Scoring
Score 50% if:
Many results show strongly positive trends

and or sustained good performance over at

least 3 years
Favourable comparisons with own targets in
many areas
Some comparisons with external organisations
Some results caused by approach

Scoring
Score 75% if:
Most results show strongly positive trends

and or sustained excellent performance over at

least 3 years
Favourable comparisons with own targets in
most areas
Favourable comparisons with external
organisations in many areas> Many results are
caused by approach.

Scoring
Score 100% if:
Strongly positive trends and or sustained excellent

performance in all areas over at least 5 years

Excellent comparisons with own targets and external
organisations in most areas
Best in class in many classes of activity
Results are clearly caused by approach
Positive indication that leading position will be
maintained.

Summary
Self assessment is a comprehensive, systematic and
regular review of the organisations activities and
results referenced against a benchmark of excellence.
The self assessment process allows the organisation
to clearly identify its strengths and areas in which
improvements can be made and culminates in planned
improvement actions which are monitored for
progress.
It is also an effective means to co-ordinate the
organisations quality improvement initiatives.