Critical Linkages in the Baldrige Award Criteria: Research Models and Educational Challenges

Abstract

In this article, a causal model that describes the key linkages in the Baldrige Award criteria for performance excellence framework is proposed. This model provides significant research opportunities for further theoretical modeling and empirical testing, and a practical means by which practitioners and business educators can acquire in-depth understanding of the criteria. Three key linkages are explicitly addressed: the linkages among business results; linkages between management practices reflected in the award's areas to address and results; and linkages among the six approach/deployment categories. Finally, some issues and challenges facing modern management education in conveying the nature of integrated management systems to today's business students are addressed.

• management education
• management systems

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James R. Evans

James R. Evans is a professor of quantitative analysis and operations management and the director of the Total Quality Management Center in the College of Business Administration at the University of Cincinnati. He has been an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award since 1994 and was a senior examiner in 1997.

Evans has published over 70 refereed journal articles and many conference proceedings papers, and is the author or coauthor of a dozen books in the areas of management science, operations management, quality management, statistical process control, creative thinking, and mathematics. He has also written several software packages, including SnowMaster, a commercial snow and ice control routing program.

Evans is a Fellow in, and is the 1997–1998 president of, the Decision Sciences Institute, and has been active in the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science and the Institute of Industrial Engineers, for which he served as the Cincinnati chapter president and the national director of the Operations Research Division.

Evans serves as an associate editor for Decision Sciences; Interfaces contributing editor on creativity in OR/MS; and on the editorial boards of Computers and Operations Research, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, Production and Inventory Management, International Journal of Quality Science, Quality Management Journal, and International Journal for Benchmarking and Technology Management.

Evans received a doctorate in industrial and systems engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He may be contacted at the College of Business Administration, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 210130, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0020. 513-556-7152; Fax [phone]; E-mail [email protected]