ISO 9004:2000 – Roadmap to Business Excellence and Quality Awards

K K Pasrija is an Electronics and Communication Engineer with management qualification. He has worked in a standardization organization and is presently working as General Manager (Training) at ICL Certification Limited, New Delhi (India). He is quality and environmental Lead Auditor and Tutor. He has gained expertise in integration of quality and environmental management systems. The goal of overall business performance and management systems is business excellence. Business excellence means a balanced business performance including business processes, customer focus and financial, innovative and learning perspectives. The overall business performance is based on business activities and their results. When considering business performance, both activity and its results are taken into account. The business world over has become competitive due to changing environment relating to economic development, communications, consumer preferences, and concern for sustainability. An organization has to identify and meet the needs and expectations of its customers and other interested parties to achieve competitive advantage and improve overall organizational performance and capabilities. The organization has to set their own standards of performance in order to become a world class establishment. Different quality awards models have been developed in many countries. The American Malcolm Baldrige Model and European Quality Award (EFQM) models are generally considered as matured and effective. Many other national models like Iran National Quality Award are based on these.