Human Factors in the Context of Excellence Models: European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Software Model and Cross-cultural Analysis

Abstract

Organizational excellence models are designed as frameworks for assessing organizations to qualify for awards and to recognize organizations that achieve high levels of performance. All excellence awards normally employ models; models are the frameworks that structure the evaluation measures, as well as encourage improvements and set standard performance benchmarks. Regional schemes based on the EFQM model cover all characteristics of organizational performance, as do other excellence models and awards, such as: the Deming Prize; the European Quality Award and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. In most cases, these models are analysed on the basis of their differences. This research paper shows that they share common elements too, namely human resource (HF). HF turns out to be “the living resource” from the organizations. HF is present in the evaluation criteria of all the excellence models. Models and awards encompass discrete aspects of organizational performance. No matter which of the models is used, it is important to fulfil each criterion, but the most important are the links between these criteria and how they are reflected in the performance of the organization. The paper introduces a self-assessment software tool designed on EFQM excellence model in order to determine an overall index, considering the level of fulfilment of each criterion and the “visible” and “invisible” influences between decisive factors and sub decisive factors of the model. The criteria are analysed according to the HF action, which has the highest incidence at both enablers and results levels. The proposed model provides a comparative basis for cross-cultural analysis regarding the performance of the organizations.