Focus on the Web

Citation

(2004), "Focus on the Web", Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 8 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/mbe.2004.26708bab.006

Focus on the Web

Focus on the Web

European Quality Onlinewww.european-quality.co.uk/index.html

European Quality is the official journal of the European Organization for Quality and its online version is a good example of how to attract non-subscribers without giving too much away, while at the same time helping subscribers to maximize their subscription. The home page is bright and straightforward, with no extraneous detail, just facsimile front covers of EQ and its associated journals Measuring Business Excellence and UK Excellence (from the British Quality Foundation), an access point to the featured article of the latest issue and links to two EOQ special reports (on the European Quality Award 1997 and "the customer" when your reviewer visited). Contents pages are given for the latest issues, followed by abstracts or extracts and "reference points" from articles, surveys and case studies appearing in the journal, together with news, information, book reviews, etc. Copious links are provided to the Web sites of companies or individuals mentioned and cross-references are given to related articles in previous issues or the sister journals. The lead article or report appears in full. A speedy and attractive site with real value for quality professionals.

Zigon Performance Groupwww.zigonperf.com/index.html

The Zigon Performance Group (ZPG) is a management consulting firm specializing in all phases of performance measurement: from creating custom performance appraisal systems to the development of performance management and measurement systems. Its site offers consulting expertise in addition to access to published resources in the field. Everything on the site is free to the casual visitor and the design has been kept simple. Resources are varied and contain hundreds of performance measurement examples, grouped under job function, which managers can adapt to their own business, and several useful links to related sites. The wisdom of 13 years in the industry is offered to visitors in the form of full-text articles from the ZPG chief executive and selected articles from professional journals in the field are also available. For a bit of light relief, check out the humor section.

Pinnacle Groupwww.pinnaclegroup.com/

Pinnacle offers training and consultancy on areas such as culture change, performance management and, of course, total quality management. Advertises these via its site along with various other products and services that push the quality message. Offers potential clients a choice of a broad range of existing business training courses or a customized alternative. For the casual visitor, the online archive presents an extensive collection of short but practical articles, evaluations and newsletters as well as discussion boards, and membership (arranged through a simple registration process) promises even more targeted information. Recommended books can be ordered via Amazon.com or Jossey-Bass. A worthwhile site for visitors, although additional links to related sites would be useful.

Centre for Business Performancewww.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/cbp/

From Cranfield University's School of Management, the Centre for Business Performance (CBP) focuses on the development, application and dissemination of practical tools for effective performance measurement and management. Many intangible business assets such as knowledge, competences, employee satisfaction and customer loyalty eschew traditional financially oriented, return on investment measures – the CBP discusses alternative value propositions and shares its research aims with the site visitor. Features current research which includes managing organizational knowledge and creating suitable metrics for its value, the evaluation of IT investment, the assessment of drivers for customer retention and e-commerce performance measurement. Diagrams and charts help to convey the message, while presentation is basic but uncluttered.