The criteria
The Baldrige criteria are a disciplined way to approach an organisation's customer and operational requirements.

Built around cycles of learning, the criteria are an integrated set of basic values, requirements and processes that form a de facto definition of performance excellence.

As an international standard, the criteria are a common language - the basis for consistent communication, cooperation, diagnosis, and sharing.

The criteria are built on core values and a seven-category framework and are:
  • updated annually
  • extensively re-written every second year
  • systematic - they comprise a comprehensive diagnostic system
  • non-prescriptive and results-oriented

    The Baldrige program's Harry Hertz - on the criteria

    Caution - legacy criteria. For the current (2005) versions, go to www.baldrige.org

    The seven criteria are subdivided into 19 items:

    1 Leadership (125 points)
    1.1 Organisational Leadership (85)
    1.2 Public Responsibility & Citizenship (40)

    2 Strategic Planning (85)
    2.1 Strategy Development (40)
    2.2 Strategy Deployment (45)

    3 Customer and Market Focus (85)
    3.1 Customer & Market Knowledge (40)
    3.2 Customer Satisfaction & Relationships (45)

    4 Information and Analysis (85)
    4.1 Measurement of Organisational
    Performance (40)
    4.2 Analysis of Organisational Performance (45)

    5 Human Resource Focus (85)
    5.1 Work Systems (35)
    5.2 Employee Education, Training, and Development (25)
    5.3 Employee well-being and Satisfaction (25)

    6 Process Management (85)
    6.1 Product and Service Processes (55)
    6.2 Support Processes (15)
    6.3 Supplier and Partnering Processes (15)

    7 Results (450)
    7.1 Customer Focused Results (115)
    7.2 Financial and Market Results (115)
    7.3 Human Resource Results (80)
    7.4 Supplier and Partner Results (25)
    7.5 Organisational Effectiveness Results (115)

    TOTAL POINTS (1,000)

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  • Seven Criteria

    1 Leadership
    2 Strategic planning
    3 Customer and market focus
    4 Information and analysis
    5 Human resource focus
    6 Process management
    7 Results

    Two Goals

    1 Delivering ever-improving value to customers

    2 Improving overall operational performance


    11 Core Values

    customer-driven quality
    leadership
    continuous improvement and learning
    valuing employees
    fast responses
    design quality and prevention
    long-range view of the future
    management by fact
    partnership development
    public responsibility and citizenship
    focus on results