There are many ways to improve the performance of an organization — BPM is just one of these tools, and it should be aligned with the Malcolm Baldrige framework in order to generate desired outcomes.

Business Process Management (BPM) Objectives

BPM takes control of processes to direct roles, responsibilities, processes and policies within an organization. On the other hand, Baldrige framework focuses on generating results with the aid of high-performing business processes. Efficient utilization and alignment of these to results to the following:

  • Economic viability
  • Efficient operations
  • Conservation of natural resources
  • Social responsibility

However, it must be noted that the categories involved in Malcolm Baldrige framework and BPM are not commonly exclusive, but complementary. Most organizations use the Baldrige categories to build up a total performance map in order to rule out areas that require improvement. Along with this, organizations may also rely on tools, such as BPM to devise operations and enhance organization processes.

Any business using BPM and other systems should implement strategies and methodologies that coincide with the different Baldrige categories. They might even become eligible for the Malcolm Baldrige Award. The biggest challenge here is how to achieve an improved alignment of analytical performance measures with larger picture development. This award is rewarded by the U.S. President to any organization involved in areas such as health care, educational, manufacturing, non-profit and small companies. Organizations that are given the award serve as role-models and are expected to exhibit constant improvement in terms of:

  • Products/services delivery
  • Effective and efficient business operations
  • Methodologies for stakeholders and customers

Therefore, it can be said that the success of BPM, along with other business process tools, can be improved by realized through the Baldrige criteria for excellence.

The effective alignment could be a source of increasing improvement to even more advanced developments. Breakthrough progress gives organizations the highest competitive edge in all circumstances. Of course, the results depends on how organizations choose to execute processes and requirements.

Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria

What are the seven categories of the Malcolm Baldrige Award?

  1. Leadership
  2. Strategic planning
  3. Customer focus
  4. Measurement, analysis and knowledge management
  5. Workforce focus
  6. Process management
  7. Results

It is said that thousands of organizations are most likely to use this criteria to achieve excellence in performance. By relying on the criteria, businesses are steps closer to attaining higher levels of productivity and profitability, better employee relations, improved market share and customer loyalty.

This is because Baldrige sets the totality in excellence framework while aligning and integrating the improvement and management activities entailed in the practice of BPM and other management tools — it’s a case by case basis.

Surely, the Malcolm Baldrige categories help organizations take an equal look at the essential outcomes measures instead of focusing solely on the financial measures. Abiding by the seven categories means that businesses should pay attention to these areas:

  • Customer/s: This answers how an organization should appear to its customers and clients. How can an organization attain its vision is usually the defying force — identifying the solutions yield great benefits.
  • Monetary: Organizations that would like to become financially successful must work on their image — this helps business project a positive representation to their shareholders.
  • Processes: Organizations that would want to offer satisfaction to their customers and shareholders should be able to determine what business processes they should work on the most.
  • Growth: To attain the mission and vision, organizations should learn how to keep up with their ability to make changes and improvements to achieve continuous growth.

By taking the seven Baldrige categories into consideration, well-developed and balanced results can be expected. Any misalignment could mean that there is something wrong with the business processes or other areas in the organization, making things easier and more efficient for organizations to implement business and measure performance.

The Baldrige criteria, therefore, serves as strong criteria to conduct self-assessment and benchmark an organization’s processes and methods with those companies rewarded by the Baldrige award.

Taking a deeper perspective, the categories involved in the Malcolm Baldrige award are very beneficial. It is vital to recognize that this award is not an absolute prescription or a “one-size-fits-all” management system. No doubt, Baldrige award offers many favorable objectives, but these serve as a trial.

What is the implication? This is just to state that how organizations choose to gain development by attaining the seven categories is their own discretion. The hardest test is how they could uphold the grand performance in the following years.

How to Integrate BPM with Malcolm Baldrige Criteria

The main purpose of aligning BPM with Malcolm Baldrige is to build and implement a standard management system, which will give the framework for businesses when dealing with the seven categories of the Malcolm Baldrige Award. This requires innovative techniques and strategies and developmental efforts, which offer total benefits. A system that provides a roadmap for Malcolm Baldrige criteria achievement with BPM execution is Integrated Enterprise Excellence. For more information about the IEE system, see: