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Performance improvement is high on the agenda of many companies around the world and with the growing number of improvement models now available care has to be taken to adopt an approach that will yield the most attractive return on investment. This paper compares and contrasts two widely known and well‐publicized improvement models: Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard and the EFQM Excellence Model. Each consists of a non‐prescriptive template offering managers a relatively small number of categories of key performance metrics to focus on. Here, they are examined from a critical perspective with regard to five central issues represented by five questions relating to objectives, strategies and plans, target setting, reward structures and information feedback loops. The analysis conducted reveals that despite having some significant differences both approaches seem to be developed from similar concepts. The paper concludes that it is difficult to find a perfect match between a company and a performance measurement framework and that further research should concentrate on how to implement strategic performance frameworks effectively in specific types of organization.

The purpose of this paper is to present the usefulness of the combination of the European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model and the balanced scorecard integrated into the management model for competitiveness and performance development.

The presented model is the result of a business research where comparative analysis of the two models has been carried out. Both models have been thoroughly studied from different points of view. Such an approach enabled one to define the strengths, weaknesses and similarities of the two models.

On the basis of the robustness of both models a combination was formed integrated into the management model, which is likely to be better, more effective and simpler to use in practice, and which will support an increase in competitiveness and performance development.

Within the research the aim has been focused on close research into interactions presented in the integrated management model. Throughout research, consideration was given to the problem of its external validity which is somehow limited. Here analytical generalisation is discussed. A number of cases can be found in which a combination of both models has been used in different ways. The way of combination in the integral management model, which is presented here, was carried out in 2005 in an important Slovenian international company.

The originality can be found in the particular approach towards comparative analysis and also in the result, which represents a combination of the two models integrated in an original manner into the integral model of management. Companies which have not yet introduced, as well as those which have already introduced, one of the researched management tools will be able to use the results of this research for further upgrading/consolidation in the sense of the model combination of both. The synergetic effects of the interactions of the combination between both management approaches will have a positive effect on increasing company competitiveness.

This paper aims to examine and compare a performance measurement system and performance frameworks commonly used within the construction industry. The paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of balanced scorecard (BSC) and business excellence model (BEM) to propose an integrated model for measuring strategic performance of construction organisations as a single model. The purpose is to help organisations achieve performance excellence, financial integrity and continuous improvement in business results to sustain competitive advantage.

This paper examines and compares performance measurement system and performance frameworks commonly used within the construction industry. The paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of BSC and BEM to propose an integrated model for measuring strategic performance of construction organisations as a single model. The purpose is to help organisations achieve performance excellence, financial integrity and continuous improvement in business results to sustain competitive advantage.

The study reveals that the most popular performance measurement framework in construction includes: BSC; Key Performance Indicators and European Foundation for Quality Management. However, literature also reveals that Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is being used to measure performance in the construction. The study findings indicated that BSC and BEM could be combined to provide an integrated model that will encompass every facet of construction performance measures.

The paper integrates the BSC and BEM performance measurement models, to provide construction organisations the opportunities of benefitting from the two models as a single tool without having to use more than one model or miss out any important aspect of performance measures. The model will assist organisations perform regular health checks of all business process and at the same time help align organisational activities with strategic primacy.

The paper offers an integrated construction excellence model as a useful tool for measuring both financial and non-financial performance aspects of construction organisations. This will provide managers, owners and other stakeholders the chance of measuring processes and pre-eminent strategic initiatives using a single model.

The conceptual paper presents an integration of processes and perspectives for measuring performance as a new and useful tool in the context of the South African construction industry. The paper suggests that research efforts should be directed on how to implement the strategic performance model efficiently within a specific construction environment.

The implementation of business excellence models is becoming a key competitive priority for companies, but the type of results they obtain by implementing such models and the importance of such results remain open issues. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the results obtained by companies that implement the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model, with a focus on their importance and nature.

An empirical study was conducted in 68 Spanish firms that were immersed in the process of implementing EFQM. The methodology consists of a descriptive analysis and factor analysis in order to determine which groups of results are the most important. Finally, clusters of firms are analyzed to establish their profile in relation to these groups, using cluster analysis.

This study shows that the main results of the implementation of EFQM are an improvement in the external image of the company and an increased efficiency of internal processes. In addition, the results can be grouped into internal results, human resources results and economic results, with the first group being the most important. Finally, the results show that there are three groups of firms, categorized according to their results orientation: highly results-oriented, moderately results-oriented and minimally results-oriented.

Companies are in a better position to anticipate and solve the problems that may arise during the implementation process if they understand the results of the implementation of EFQM, along with the motivations for and barriers to the implementation. Also, this research shows that the bodies promoting and motivating quality should make a special effort to emphasize the importance of non-financial results in companies that implement EFQM.

This paper extends the knowledge in the field of business excellence models by developing an instrument to measure implementation results from the perspective of quality managers who were specifically appointed to lead the implementation of the EFQM excellence model in companies.

Within the construction industry there is a growing awareness of the need for linking knowledge management (KM) to business strategy, organisational objectives and existing performance measures. This study was undertaken within the context of construction organisations, and attempts to provide the empirical evidence about the relationships between KM activities and organisational business performance.

A questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of construction contractors operating in Hong Kong to investigate the opinions of construction professionals regarding the intensity of KM activities and business performance within their organisations. In parallel to the survey, semi‐structured interviews were undertaken to provide qualitative insights that helped to clarify and deepen understanding of the KM process within the context of the research target.

The investigation shows that knowledge utilisation is the strongest contributor to general business performance. In addition, the impact of KM activities on the lagging performance indicators of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), such as “financial performance”, is in an indirect manner, and through the leading indicators such as performance from “internal process” as well as “learning and growth” perspectives.

The study empirically establishes the linkage between intensity of KM activities and business performance, and demonstrates that KM strategies need to be explicitly formulated and measured according to organisational business objectives.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the potential utility for higher educational institutions, and in particular libraries, of the balanced scorecard (BSC) performance measurement tool, originally developed by Kaplan and Norton for use in businesses and since adapted for the public and non‐profit sectors.

The relevant literature was reviewed to ascertain key aspects and functionalities of the BSC framework, survey implementations and determine perceptions of the system's effectiveness and weaknesses, and – while the BSC has as yet been put into practice only infrequently in libraries – treat its appropriateness for information service.

The BSC supplements financial accounting with non‐financial leading indicators to link performance drivers and outcome measures in cause and effect relationships that can predict future performance and drive a single organizational strategy. Also intended as a straightforward reporting “dashboard” revealing whether improvements in one area have been at the expense of another, the BSC is considered more effective as an aid in forecasting the overall health of an organization than traditional accounting‐based models. It provides a capacity to monitor obligations to stakeholders and to produce transparent and reliable financial information, and the resulting internal control environment can promote integrity and ethical values.

Academic libraries may find the BSC a useful approach in determining service value, in demonstrating fiscal responsibility, and – through metrics focused on organizational goals and strategy – in validating their role, as knowledge‐based and networked environments, in the delivery of a quality educational product to their customers.

The purpose of this paper is to ask how the EFQM Excellence Model and organizations' self‐assessment practice could contribute to the managerial and quantification efforts of intellectual capital (IC) and how indicators and measures applied during self‐assessment can be connected to well‐known intellectual capital measuring models such as Sveiby's Intangible Asset Monitor.

The method applied highlights the potentials in the EFQM Excellence Model's criteria system to measure specific IC elements by studying the self‐assessment practice of 31 Hungarian National Quality Award (NQA) winners.

The EFQM Excellence Model is a suitable approach for characterizing the management and measurement of human, customer and structural capital within the organization.

Corporations following regular self‐assessment practice have the ability to measure most of their intangibles, at least those which serve the traceability of strategic purposes and internal measuring objectives. IC measurement can be regarded as part of organizational excellence.

The criteria system of the EFQM Model makes synergic effects between single IC elements visible. Due to regular and systematic self‐assessments those IC elements are highlighted which support the execution of current strategic purposes. These fortify the contribution of IC management to strategy deployment.

As customer expectations expand and as product offerings hardly differ from each other, service excellence has gained in importance as a means of enhancing customer loyalty. The aim of this paper is to focus on expanding and extending what companies can do to achieve service excellence by comparing and evaluating three popular approaches to excellence.

The authors compare three of the most commonly used excellence models, Johnston's conceptualisation of service excellence, the EFQM Model as a representative of national quality award models and the Kano model, and their respective applicability and specific perspective on service excellence. The evaluation is based on theoretical arguments, criteria and on a qualitative expert study.

Combining the selected models provides a comprehensive approach to service excellence. Since all models are compatible and complementary with each other, the analysis provides an enhanced understanding of service excellence and also explains in which context it is most feasible to apply any of the respective approaches. Furthermore, the requirement for a genuine service excellence model becomes evident.

By focusing on three specific excellence models, others such as the Canadian Quality Award and the Australian Quality Award are not considered. Furthermore, a study across industries could reveal how service excellence is achieved in each industry to then transfer this knowledge into other sectors.

By comparing the selected models, benefits of merging the individual approaches are identified. The resulting combined perspectives offered by the individual models present a more detailed insight into what management can undertake to ensure service excellence.

As no prior research has examined the relationship between the selected excellence models and their implications for providing service excellence, this present research offers an innovative approach and thus yields new insights into the conceptualisation of service excellence.

Diabetes is one of the major healthcare challenges in India. The chronic nature of the disease makes the lifetime cost of the treatment exorbitantly high. The medicine cost contributes a major size of expense in diabetes management. To make healthcare available to poorest of the poor, it is imperative to control the rising cost of diabetes treatment. The earlier research works done in this area focuses more on inventory management techniques to control the cost of healthcare. Less interest is shown in the role of better supply chain partnership (SCP) in reducing the cost of procurement of medicine. The purpose of this paper is to develop and use the SCP assessment framework for a diabetes clinic. The approach is generalized enough to be adopted for other similar organization.

This paper adopts self-assessment criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) business excellence model for analysis of SCP in the supply chain of a private diabetes clinic in Varanasi. The paper uses analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method for calculation of weights of criteria.

The EFQM-based framework can be adopted as easy-to-use tool to make an objective assessment of the SCP. The proposed model in the study is a balanced model between enablers and results, which includes multiple assessment dimensions. The supply chain performance score of the diabetes clinic under study was found as the Tool Pusher, which means the effort in direction of SCP is not too good. The organization needs to clearly define the SCP goal and analyze the results to identify the gap areas.

The study is first of its kind and contributes to the literature by providing non-prescriptive and easy-to-use SCP assessment framework, for chronic disease care. The case study approach provides a procedure for the healthcare organization willing to adopt this approach.