ABSTRACT
Product, service and process improvements can take place only in relation to established standards, with the improvements then being incorporated into new standards. Benchmarking, one of the most transferable aspects of Rank Xerox’s approach to total quality management, and thought to have originated in Japan, measures an organization’s operations, products and services against those of its competitors in a ruthless fashion. The success and benefits derived from any benchmarking and change-related activity are directly related to the excellence of the preparation. The importance of first-class communication during benchmarking and resulting change can never be over-emphasized. A vital element of excellent communication is targeting the right audience with the right message in the right way at the right time. Data collected from the site visits will be Analysed in the next phase to identify best practices and the enablers which deliver outstanding performance.
