Will they ever be Business Week best sellers?

By Dawn Marie Bailey

 

Calling all organizations interested in using the Baldrige Criteria for improvement, all MBA students looking for a business model, or simply all people curious about how the Baldrige Criteria might actually be applied. . . .

I love novels and good writing. There’s nothing like curling up with a good story full of interesting characters, challenges, and outcomes. So, believe it or not, one of my favorite projects here at the Baldrige Program is editing case studies. Imagine the possibilities in creating a fictitious organization, where no one can lose her job or the organization go out of business, and we the authors decide the patient safety ratings or how many students should pass which tests.

These case studies are used to train Baldrige Examiners (both at the national and, in some cases, state and local levels, as well as in some organizations' own quality training) in evaluating an application for the Baldrige Award. They also are a tool for applicants to use when writing their actual applications or any organization to use to guide self-assessments.

But Baldrige case studies have an even wider appeal. To anyone interested in learning about an organization that utilizes a systems perspective, that demonstrates how to use the seven Categories of the Baldrige Criteria as a business model, and that shows how the Criteria Process Categories (Leadership; Strategic Planning; Customer Focus; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Workforce Focus; and Process Management) and the requirements they comprise can dictate the measurements an organization should consider, then a Baldrige case study might just be that good business read you are seeking.

For me, case studies are an opportunity for so much creativity and learning. They are also a puzzle with lots of pieces that need to fit together, so that when used in training, no key point or fact or character will be distracting. In other words, a good case study must be realistic, completely aligned no matter how many authors contributed, and inspire enough discussion that learning can happen.

At the Baldrige Program, we have been so lucky that our creative, hard-working Examiners have volunteered to write these case studies. Together, we have tried to shape these case studies, usually with specific learning points in mind; for example, what might a nonprofit that depends on a volunteer workforce do to be successful; or how would an organization with multiple customers—with possibly competing interests—sustain itself; or what about an organization forced to contemplate layoffs or outsourcing? At times, we have also sought to create organizations that might generate new thinking among Examiners; for example, what might a profitable rural community hospital look like or how would a government-owned, contractor-operated organization remain competitive? We’ve also tried to represent sector challenges in case studies; for example, how does a college attract the best faculty when those faculty could make more money and have more benefits in private practice?

So, I’m curious what learning points you would like to see in the Baldrige Program’s case studies. What challenges in your sector would you like to see Examiners grapple with? What unique situations does your organization face that you would like Examiners to better understand? What learning points should we be building into case studies so that Examiners can be better prepared to evaluate your application?

Comments

[Sandra Myrand]

It might be interesting to have a "perfect" case study, where the organization, both in process and results, exemplfies all of the characteristics of a high quality organization, in each of the sectors. I know that this would be a great deal of work, but I think it would be helpful to new examiners to be able to read about an organization that is a "model" against which they can compare their own organizations as well as another foil against which to compare applicants.

[Bryan Zak]

I would be interested in a case study for a very small business 3 to 12 employees, then one for 12 to 25 employees, and one for above 25 employees but less than 501.

[Mary Morgan]

It would be instructive to see a case study for a nonprofit where there are issues surrounding identifying and implementing appropriate, organization-wide performance measures against which to measure itself both internally and externally. It would also be interesting to see a case study for a nonprofit that wishes to pursue a path of greater efficiency but must create the rationale and path for pursuing this direction given its success and resistant culture.

[Nike Dunk LOW]

everyday read the blogs, and you will get improve everyday, not only on the information progress, but also on the reading rapid progress. Thanks for the wonderful blogs.

[Supra skytop]

Let's stay in touch so that I can find out how your story progresses. Good luck!