ABSTRACT
Quality prizes and awards began as early as the 1950s. Since that time the focus has evolved from one of the ability to perform according to contract specifications, to statistical process control, and, finally, to one of customer satisfaction. Each award, ISO 9000, Deming, and Baldrige, has its own relative strengths and weaknesses. The frequency of the renewal of the registration process and site visits depends on the registering body, however the recommended time frame is between two and three years. The entire evaluation process takes about six months. The Board of Examiners report raw scores to the Panel of Judges, which eliminates the lowest scoring companies from the list of manufacturing, services, and small business applicants. Companies have found that they can lower costs, retain customers and employees, and improve profitability by dramatically improving their quality systems.
