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Managing excellence is a very hot topic presently and there is a proliferation of articles and books on what excellence is and how it can be achieved. This paper is part of a series addressing the topic of Business Excellence from a practical evidence‐based approach. The thoroughness of the study is reflected by both the number of model organisations which were analysed but also by the very comprehensive catalogue of Best Practices found to be the key drivers that have resulted in the covered organisations’ overall performance in the market place. Each of the nine papers concludes with a useful checklist for senior executives and other managers concerned to assess and measure the effectiveness of their “processes” from the point of view of excellence but also maturity

Customer satisfaction is perhaps one of the most talked about challenges of organisations, both in the public and private sectors. Indeed, this represents every organisation’s sole purpose, is at the heart of every mission statement, and is the ultimate goal of any strategies put in place. As such, this paper in continuation of the Best Practice series being so far covered, seeks to present this prominent topic as a total concept which encapsulates not only the measurement aspects of customer satisfaction per se but rather as a long‐term pursuit of improvement, a culture change that can yield to competitive outcomes of the highest order. The paper includes some examples of best practice applications and concludes with a proposed audit tool that can help organisations assess their current approaches to customer satisfaction and thereby put forward targets and actions for improvement.

This is the last part of a series of three papers which discussed very comprehensively best practice applications in human resource management by drawing special inferences to the healthcare context. It emerged from parts I and II that high performing organisations plan and intend to build sustainable capability through a systematic consideration of the human element as the key asset and through a continuous process of training, developing, empowering and engaging people in all aspects of organisational excellence. Part III brings this debate to a close by demonstrating what brings about organisational excellence and proposes a road map for effective human resource development and management, based on world class standards. Healthcare human resource professionals can now rise to the challenge and plan ahead for building organisational capability and sustainable performance.

Complaints handling is not a substitute for abdicating the responsibility for managing quality and achieving customer satisfaction. Indeed, the former and the latter are nothing but synonymous expressions and quite compatible concepts. This paper treats the issue of complaints handling and management as essential for achieving customer retention and loyalty. It argues the principle, demonstrates the points through best practice application, and produces a roadmap and an audit tool for developing a culture which is not averse to handling complaints.

This paper is part of a series addressing the topic of business excellence from a practical, evidence‐based approach. One of the critical aspects of being successful in a modern business context is having clear vision, a balanced journey for the future based on a market‐oriented approach and building core competencies of the organisations concerned. The richness of best practices covered in this paper demonstrates that policy and strategy has to be tackled as a whole process which needs to be managed and reviewed on a regular basis.

Discusses an area which is growing in terms of significance and proven to impact on business performance, reputation and corporate image. Discusses social responsibility from the point of view of environmental issues and ethical considerations. Useful examples of models for the effective management of environmental issues are provided, together with examples of best practice. Finally, proposes a framework for auditing this very pertinent area of business excellence.

This paper is based on a survey which benchmarked two large conglomerates in the area of “corporate learning”. One of the problems with the theme of the learning organisation is clear understanding of its meaning, constituent elements, the way learning gets applied, is measured and can be kept sustainable. To ensure that learning is given an all‐encompassing approach, a model proposed by Carr (1994) was adapted and used to survey Unilever plc and Allied Domecq. Consumer focus through effective branding is core to their business, which could be described as more creative than productive. In both cases, the harnessing of human potential and its development is crucial to their competitive success. The survey indicates that Unilever plc has got the edge over Allied Domecq in many areas. The paper discusses the type of learning organisation each case is and the degree of their effectiveness in each of the six areas scrutinised.

Manufacturing of perfect, defect free, products has long been recognised, and still remains an important strategic objective for any company aspiring to build market share in a globally competitive economic environment. In this paper we examine the key quality‐led techniques that have helped take Japan from a state of decimation to a leading world economy. From examination of Japanese corporate practices, a holistic model which directs attention to the key aspects that need to be taken into account in order to breed continuous improvement, is developed. The model proposed is generically relevant because it allows organisations to adapt it to their specific needs whilst ensuring that continuous improvement is not undermined.

Pharmaceutical care has caused considerable attention in the pharmacy literature, because this concept alters the care and services that pharmacists provide to the public. In the pharmaceutical care concept, pharmacists must ultimately accept their responsibility not only to dispense drugs but also to identify, correct and prevent drug‐related problems. Pharmaceutical care represents a significant transition in the profession of pharmacy, where the primary focus is the patient and outcomes of care rather than the distribution of drug products. This article evaluates the concept of pharmaceutical care as a standard of quality care for many hospital pharmacy practices. As pharmacy directors accept this concept and pharmacists begin to provide pharmaceutical care, it is important to elaborate the concept further.