Organization Excellent and Self Assessment through Organization Excellence Model # Dr. Mohammad Reza Abasi & Mahdi Esmaeeli A Abstract -Nowadays, achieving to excellence in organization is necessary because, frequent changes in global markets, has faced organizations with different challenges. The secret of survival in organizations is paying attention to need and expectations of customers and stakeholders. Using of business excellence models is one of the effective methods in getting organization excellence and so, organizations have different approaches. Applying these models, which one of them is using available business excellence model and creating customized excellence models for organizations or specific complexes. Once of the most useful excellence models recently used is EFQM which has been created by European foundation for quality management. This model as a powerful tool for measuring establishment of systems in various organizations is used. A business excellence model is an answer to these questions: what does a lender organization like? What objectives does it have and what criteria is organization managed based on? By applying these models, organizations not only can have a self assessment for level of its success in execution of improvement programs in some periods of time but also can have a benchmark about its performance in comparison To other organizations especially the best. Now, majority of large organizations have gotten some state and national award upon EFQM model which have caused their maturity. In this article, basis and fundamentals and also elements of business excellence are discussed [1] . Keywords : self assessment, European foundation for quality management, business excellence, EFQM. # I. # INTRODUCTIONS sing a system for evaluation of organizations is very effective to create and development of safe competition in market and also identify the leader organization as a pattern. Organizations need to be managed correctly and wisely with open view to environment, the other hand, increasingly, emersion of large and small competitors in different sections of industry and service, minimizing market, changing definition of organization audience from customer to stakeholder, concentration an supplying need and expectations of stakeholders, causes endeavor for organizational excellence. organizational excellence models is one of the (best practice) best models for organizations and self assessment, which emphasizes on creation a pram worn for evaluation of organization in respect of achieving organization a excellence level. This model was born in 1950's, and has a totality attitude and makes possible to evaluate some firms, somehow, it can be valuable base for utilization of best practices of leader organizations. On this side, during recent decades, thinkers of management science, relying on leader organizations experiences, continuously have been looking for solutions to improve the situation and movement to excellence. Their studied and researches have led to create tools such as CRM, PM, SIX SIGMA, ISO, BSC, 5S and TQM. FQM has been use widely in Europe and the word, so that now, more than 2000 organizations in Europe and more than 60% of 25 European companies and thousands companies from various small and medium industries apply this model [2], [3]. # History of organizational excellence models: Emersion of excellence models started when GUSE (Japanese union of scientific engineers) invited Dr. Deming who had been having some improvements in field of Quality to present a lecture in 1951 and has been formalized In Japan by registry of an award namely Deming in 1950. this award has been being granted to organizations and individuals have had studies, researcher on TQM and statistic Quality control, or have caused their development and this award also has been being granted in newer section, to operational units who have reached remarkable improvements by applying these quality control tools and TQM. After three decades of Deming award presence in Japan industries owners, economic firms' managers and officials American gently realized, that their capability in competition against Japan has decreased and one after another, American markets in products and services have been being captured by Japanese companies. They obviously realized that instead of pay attention to quality as a necessity for continuous business and in a higher level, successful existence in global competition, there wasn't frequent emphasize on quality in American companies, because managers, didn't believe to quality concept or hadn't enough information on how doing in Published in one of American magazines which considered cause of Japanese progress during some decades after the Second World War these survey and studies, Demur started remarkable effect of Deming award on performance improvement of Japanese companies increasing quality level of their products and services and ultimately capturing international markets by them to industries. Therefore Malcolm Bald ridge, merchant minister of American of this time submitted a suggestion for setting an award to the congress, and finally in 1987, set as rule named "Malcolm Bald ridge" and has being granted from 1988, to excellent and leader organizations in education and health sections. Near the end of 1980' s which Europe economy was in threats of for east spatially Japan, a group of senior managers of 14 European leader organizations namely (Philips, Bt, Fiat, Renault, Sulzer, Volkswagen, Dassault, Electrolux, Klm, Nestle, Olivetti, Bull, Bosch, Cibageigy) gathered to get rid of available risk and find the future leadership. Their wellness and consulting led to establish an independent foundation for quality. A foundation which it is perspective was glorying European companies in the world and its mission was spreading information and presenting management courses and identifying achievements and motivation and admiring passengers of excellence and development rout. So in 1989, European foundation for quality management established and approved by European Union. It was introduced as business excellence in which there was framework for judgment, organization self assessment and finally getting European quality prize. This measure went in precise in 1992. This model indicates stability advantages, which are necessary for an excellence organization. Rapidly European companies paid attention to this model, and it was shown that also both public organizations and small industries like this model and applied it. In 1995, version or EFQM related to public service section published, also in 1996 specific model for small and medium industries developed. In EFQM is originally similar to (Malcolm Bald ridge) and there is no basic difference in basis and between them. In the other words, both of models are under total quality control framework and are tools for establishing system in organizations and measuring level of success in establishing system upon TQM by organizations. The main differences of these models are quality of criteria, marking and executive procedures. In fact, general framework of these models is the same. Among three basic and famous models: Deming, Malcolm Bald ridge, and EFQM, for excellence. EFQM is the most popular around the world. Members of central commitment of EFQM are director manager from European companies. Who are selected for four years and are selected as conservative members for four years which is done annually. Executive commitment also has 20 members of the same companies who not only do so as a representative in total quality, but also present necessary report to control commitment. Members of executive commitment, in fact play a role in and guidance and supporting strategies of business plans, supervising a plans present complete and ultimately developing EFQM. Nowadays, 19 countries are responsible for accruing objectives of these organizations [4]- [6]. Leadership model of EFQM is a tool for leadership of organization. Which hasn't got a prescription frame work and is away to excellence or reaching to point in which organization is sure for development in three aspect of quality, innovation and improvement of system in order to supply and enhance of internal and external stakeholders such as investors, employees and society [2]. # Goals of organizational excellence model This model as a powerful scientific tool has some goals as follow: A tool is used for self assessment in order to determine organization situation on its way to excellence and helping to understand gap between goals and actual. A way to find familiarity between best practices of other organizations. This is a structure for organization management system. To balance between various stakeholders. To motivate to learn through internal and external optimization. To guide to identify improvable areas. Understand of motivation cause business outputs. It is a base for creation common language and thought fundamental [7]. II. # LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS Fundamental concepts of EFQM are eight qualitative concepts which are basis of planning and establishing of quality system and without considering to type and amount of activity and organization size, are applicable for them. These concepts also support organization excellence model. What are come later are fundamental concepts of excellence and also expectable profits for organizations, in case of considering to every concept. # a) Achieving Balanced Results Leadership is just achieving these results surrounding stockholder's benefits. This means to pay attention all of stockholder's points of view depending on their importance who are employees, customers, suppliers, society, shareholders and others who have financial benefits in organization. Expectable advantages of this concept are creation added value for all stakeholders, creation of common concentration and direction organization wide all stakeholders, understanding current and future performance requirement of organization which helps in determination of objectives and stockholders' happiness. # b) Adding Value For Customers Leadership cause sustainable value for customer, meanwhile final judgment on quality of products and services is done by customer, so customer satisfaction is very important. Creation faithfulness in customer and getting market share is just feasible through paying serious attention to current and potential customers. Expectable advantage of this concept are: available acquiescent customers, sustainable success of organization, motivated employees, competitive advantage understanding, high level of customer retaining and getting their trust and increased market share. # c) Leadership With Foresight, To Inspire And Honesty Leadership is just inspire and catholic leadership with honesty and stability in goal. Leadership means goals determination in individual to try in getting organization goals. In a leader organizations, managers in practice and theory are inspires to employees on organization leadership direction and draw precise perspective of organization for them. They move correctly on the way to organization goals and are stable. And prepare atmosphere in which employees can work well. Expectable advantage of this concept are: getting to commitment, motivated and effective labor consistent and pattern behaviors organization with development set of values moralities and sharing them organization wide, development of an obvious identity for organization and its inside, and objective and direction. # d) Management Through Processes Leadership, organization management through systems and processes an organization who wants to be lead, should be managed by set of processes and systems. Expectable advantage of this concept are: increasing liability of organization to the stakeholders, effective risk management and maximize efficiency and effectiveness in achieving organization to its mentioned goals and giving products and services, realistic and effective decision making . # e) Success Through Employees Leadership is maximizing personal taking part and their development an organization who want to be a leader showed maximize personal taking part in affairs. For using all of potential capability of organization empowering employees in doing their duties and creation common values and trust culture in organization is the best. # Expectable advantages of this concept are: Putting potential capability of employees to practice continues improvement of personal capability and performance, under taker and motivated labor, creating dependency to organization goals and aims in employees level, very valuable mental possession and increasing competitive sense through development employees perspective. # f) Creativity and innovation development Leadership is challenging current situation and changing through creativity development and also learning and creating innovation and improvement opportunities. An organization who wants to be leader, should challenge current situation and care much to innovation and creativity in organization. In this organization, individual should transfer your knowledge to others and learning culture means learning and teaching innovation and continuous improvement are basis of all affairs. # g) Alliances Leadership is creation and maintaining of high added value alliances, alliances is a long term business relationship. An organization who wants to be a leader should somehow be a partner for other organizations who create added value for organization in order to get the long term profitable relationship, exchange of knowledge and experiences and trust should be basis of mutual relationship Expectable advantages of this concept are: increasing survival chance efficiency and effectiveness improvement, optimizing core competences, sharing risks and costs and its reducing for organization, added value for stakeholders and improvement of organization competitive capability. # h) Responsibility For Sustainable Future Leadership is catching up at least law frameworks in which organization acts and also responsible for stakeholders' expectations in society. An organization, who wants to be a leader, should pay much attention to the society and act more than regulations and expectations of society. Considering moralities in work is one of the characteristic of the leader organization. Expectable advantages of this concept are: increasing value of organization brand, healthier and safer, work space improvement in picture of organization in society, risk management and stronger governorship structure, motivated employees, customer faithfulness. More access to financial resources and increasing stakeholders' trust and certainly to organization [8], [9]. # III. # EXCELLENCE CRITERIA AND SUB CRITERIA Organizations in which has been set continuous improvement as a basis and value are continuously looking for a non experimental framework for their position and situation. EFQM is as assessment helps an organization to assess correction of affairs and whether it earns fair results or not. This model evaluates whole organization with 9 criteria. In this model it has been presented a relationship between method (result occurrence way) and results (what occurred) and also balance between cause and effect. # EFQM model is divided into two sections A : enablers; including 5 out of 9 criteria and are factors enable organization to reach the best results (result acquiring causes) B : results which are 5 out 9 criteria, they indicate achievement due to good execution of enablers (consequences of cause's emersion) Model structure in three criteria is somehow every criterion is divided into different sub criteria and every sub criteria include special guidance points which help organization in execution of their desirable excellence model [10]. In addition, there are 32 criteria in model which 24 results out of 32 sub criteria relate to enablers and 8 out of 32 sub criteria relate to results criteria. Every enabler criteria include 5 sub criteria (else criteria number 2 which include 4 sub criteria) and every one of results criteria includes 2 sub criteria as follow [2]: a) Leadership Excellence leadership sets perspective and mission and facilitates condition for achieving them. Sub criteria related to leadership are: leaders determine perspective, mission, values and ethics in organization and play a role in organization excellence culture. Leaders identify and lead organizational changes. Leader cause motivation in employees and knowledge and support them, leader co operate with customer, business, alliance and society representatives. Leader personally takes part in making sure on creation, development and establishment of management systems and continuous improvement. # b) Strategy Organizations, do their mission and perspective through an intensive strategy and stakeholders and considering market and sector in which they do. Policies, plans, goals and processes are developed and put into practice for acquiring strategies. Sub criteria related strategy is: organization strategy is accomplished through key process framework. Strategy is set, revised and updated. Strategy is based on acquired information of performance measuring, researches, learning and creative activities. Strategy is based on current and future needs and expectations of stakeholders. # c) Human Resource Leader organizations, manage, develop and utilize maximum potential capabilities of their employees in individual team and organization levels. They promote justice and equality and let them participate in affairs and enable them. Sub criteria related to human resource are: human resource are managed and developed, employees knowledge and competences are identified, developed and maintained. Employees participate in organization activities and are enabled. Employees and organization have dialogue; employees are admired and paid attention. # d) Resources and Alliances Leader organizations plan and manage their external alliances and internal resources in order to support policies and strategy and its effective performance. During planning and management of resources and alliances, these organizations balance between current and future organization needs society and environment. Sub criteria related to resources and alliances are: external alliances, financial resources, building, material and equipments, knowledge and information are managed. e) Process, products and services Leader organizations, design, manage, and improve their processes in order to acquiescent customers completely and create added value for them and other stakeholders. Sub criteria related to processes, products and services are: processes are designed and managed systematically. Processes are improved by innovation in case of need, in order to meet the customer requirements completely and create added value for them and other stakeholders. Products and services are designed and produced upon customers' needs and expectations. Products and services are produced, presented and supported. Relationship to customer is managed and reinforced. # f) Customers results Leader organizations measure results related to their customers comprehensively and get them. Sub criteria related to customer results are two indices which one of them is deductive indices indicate deductions and imagery of customer to organization which are acquired through customer comments, focus intensive groups, marking by sellers and considering customers appreciates and complaints, and another is performance indices which are used in organization to demonstrate, understand, predict and own performance improvement in respect to customers and forecasting external customer's deductions. g) Human resources results leader organizations, comprehensively measure remarkable results related to their human resources and get them, sub criteria related to employees are two indices which one of them is deductive indices indicate deductions and imagery of employees to organization which are acquired through feedback and field research, focus intensive groups, interview to employees and structured assessment of employees, some of these indices are: training and development of enabling connections, motivation, equal opportunities, leadership participation, learning opportunities and success, job security, wages and incentives, colleagues relationships, change management, and another is performance indices which are used in organization to demonstrate, understand, predict and own performance improvement in respect to employees and deductions, some of these indices are: achievements, utilization, motivation, participation, satisfaction, assessment, training, rapid response to requests, prepared service to employees, level of requirements and reassignments and employees faithfulness. h) Society results leader organizations, comprehensively measure remarkable results related to society and get them, sub criteria related to society are two indices which one of them is deductive indices indicate deductions and imagery of society to organization which are acquired through feedback and field research, reports, public gatherings, public seminars and governmental references, some of these indices are: organization picture, ethic behavior, connection to responsible, creation equal opportunities, action as responsible citizenship, publishing information related to society, participation in education and training, supporting curing and welfare works, volunteers and philanthropic works, and another is performance indices which are used in organization to demonstrate, understand, predict and improvement of own performance in respect to society and its deductions, some of these indices are: change management in recruitment level, relationships to officials is some cases such as: certificate, import or export, planning, custom clearance, received citations and prizes, exchange of related information and best practices in field of social responsibility, audits and report to society. # i) Key results # Leader organizations, comprehensively measure results related to main elements of strategy and get them, sub criteria related to key results are two indices which one of them is strategic key achievements that are key results, are defined by organizations and are adapted in strategy. some of these indices are: budgeted performance, profitability information related to investment and possessions, general data related to market, and another is key performance indices which are used in organization to demonstrate, understand, predict and improvement of performance key achievements which some of these indices are: cash flow, maintenance and repair costs, project cost, depression, validity, ? [2], [11], [12]. Marking in organization excellence model is done as follows in Fig. 1 [12]: # SELF ASSESSMENT Self assessment is a regular, procedure based and comprehensive overview of organization activities and results upon a performance excellence model like EFQM. Self assessment let organization identify its strengths and weaknesses and needed areas for improvement clearly. Self assessment has advantages such as employee's participation to processes improvement in all levels, integrated and coordinated evaluation in major and minor level. Identifying and sharing useful experiences in organization, facilitating benchmark, identifying strengths and weaknesses and areas needed for improvement, coordination and integration among operational and strategic programs [8]. a) Self assessment process Self assessment includes ordinal process as follows: Commitment for doing self assessment, self assessment schematization, building and training self assessment teams, informing and development of self assessment program, doing self assessment development of corrective actions plan, corrective actions. # Self assessment approaches in EFQM model Questionnaire approach is the cheapest method and is done rapidly, this approach in a fine way to collect information about employee's deductions. The simplest kind of this model is using yes/no questionnaires. Matrix diagram approach, this approach needs a little training. This questionnaire evaluates upon personal points of view like questionnaire approach. This approach could be applied in every level of organization four steps of doing this approach are: informing personal marking, consensus meeting, and executive planning b) Workshop approach This approach needs active participation of management team of the unit is doing self assessment. Members of self assessment team collect information and submit to every other in one workshop, then they get consensus through overview and promotion of marking and executive programs. This approach has 5 main elements. They are: training, gathering information, marking workshop, developing improvement executive plans, and overview kind of executive plans promotion. # c) Performa approach This approach is more precise than other approaches, because, more people from different units are engaged in gathering information; in fact one of the methods for decreasing volume of assessment work is developing set of Performa. In this method, one page form could be prepared for every sub criteria; in this case, total report has 32 pages. In this approach the most important factors to success in quality of information. Process simulation approach for winning the prize which is a copy of European quality prize, process could be used for assessment one unit or whole of organization. This approach is done through developing declaration for one unit or whole of organization upon model criteria. One team including trained assessors considers declaration and then determines improvable areas strengths and weaknesses in organization. Marking in this method is very precise [13]. RADAR logic for organization assessment based on criteria, there is logic for marking criteria in the core of organization excellence model which is called RADAR logic, including for elements results, approach, deployment, assessment and refinement. This logic tells that an organization, needs to determine results as a part of processes of strategy (these results cover performance of organization in aspects of financial, operational and stakeholders, deductions sides) planning, creation and development integrated set of logical and fair approaches in order to get the current and future needed results, deployment of approaches in a systematic way to ensure their complete execution and over viewing and assessment of approaches and execution of these approaches upon analysis of earned results and current learning activities. Finally by using these assessment and overview needed improvement are identified, set to priorities, planned and executed When an excellence model is used in an organization, it should be considered elements approach, deployment, assessment and overview, logic for marking in every element of enabler criteria and element of results of this logic in every criteria of results section [9], [10]. # d) Excellence levels in prize Excellence levels, distinguishes organizations in achieving to excellence and show their success on way to excellence, there are 5 levels as follow: First level : certificate is granted to organization try to assess their performance by an excellence model and categorized activities of own organizations into 9 criteria Second level : citation is granted to organization try to deploy and execute elements of 9 criteria and can earn at least 400 points Third level : finalist which is granted to organization move according to model and is fast and accurate, they also move based on preset tables and programs and can earn at least 550 points Fourth level : prize winners: which is granted to organization pass the processes fast and use accurate reliable and on time information are assessed by quantitative criteria and should get at least 630 points Fifth level : award winner: which is granted to organizations which all of 9 criteria as rules have been deployed and have been being executed and self assessed in a fast, accurate and standard way and they should get at least 700 points [6], [14]. V. # CONCLUSION In current competitive global business condition, it is necessary for organizations to be self assessed in order to inform their performance one of the most powerful techniques in this field is organization excellence of EFQM. although assessment of organizations cause to identify weaknesses and help to remove them however it is necessary using management tools for upgrading performance level of organization and helping to it in order to move on excellence way, because the competition language is the same in all of the world and companies have no choice else learning comprehensive organizational management alphabet. Where and activities related to organizational excellence is considered and one of important activities in organizations and will be used as a base of comparison among organizations in the same industry, so organizations are serious that after doing executive steps, to prepare themselves for presence in the national quality or national efficiency and organizational excellence prize process. It is obvious that by using experience of presence in mentioned prize process and in next steps by meeting the requirements and execution improvement plans in company, there will be a nice vista in respect to organizational excellence goals in front of organization [15]. ![1999, the most important review of model, in 2001 version of small and medium industries and in 2003, a new version of EFQM with limited change presented. Finally in 1910, review and presence of new version of model done by overall change on it.](image-2.png "") 1![Fig. 1: organization excellence model IV.](image-3.png "Fig. 1 :") Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue V Version I © 2012 Global Journals Inc. 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