Managing challenges in sustaining business excellence
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
ISSN: 0265-671X
Article publication date: 12 April 2013
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify important challenges to sustaining business excellence amongst award‐winning companies in Australia.
Design/methodology/approach
Companies which had won Australian Business Excellence Awards were chosen as cases for this research since they had used the excellence framework over many years and, having achieved significant results, now potentially faced issues in sustaining a high level of performance. Interviews with key managers, published materials and information provided during industry visits were used as the primary information sources in the study.
Findings
Findings suggest that the primary challenges include; leadership support, drive and consistency throughout the organisation and communicating strategy and making it meaningful for people at all organisational levels. These were addressed in a variety of ways in the companies.
Research limitations/implications
Companies which are successful at business excellence experience challenges which require ongoing management.
Originality/value
This research offers insights into the difficulties faced by successful organisations in their quest to build and maintain excellence and how they manage these.
Keywords
Citation
Brown, A. (2013), "Managing challenges in sustaining business excellence", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 461-475. https://doi.org/10.1108/02656711311308420
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited