The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987 to promote quality awareness, to recognize quality and business achievements of U.S. organizations, and to publicize these organizations' successful performance strategies. Now America's highest honor for innovation and performance excellence, the Baldrige Award is presented annually to U.S. organizations by the President of the United States. Awards are given in manufacturing, service, small business, education, health care, and nonprofits ("Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award," 2010).

Organizations interested in applying for the award must submit details showing their achievements and improvements in seven key areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. Applicants receive 300 to 1,000 hours of review and a detailed report on the organization's strengths and opportunities for improvement by an independent board of examiners ("Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award," 2010).

Conclusion

Since the first awards were presented in 1988, the Baldrige National Quality Program has grown in stature...

The Baldrige criteria for performance excellence have played a valuable role in helping U.S. organizations improve. Today, the Baldrige program, the award's criteria for performance excellence, and the Baldrige award recipients are imitated and admired worldwide. The criteria are designed to help organizations improve their performance by focusing on two goals: delivering ever improving value to customers and improving the organization's overall performance ("Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award," 2010).
References

"Baldrige performance excellence program." (2012, March 14). National institute of standards and technology (NIST). U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/about/index.cfm

"Biography of Malcolm Baldrige." (2010, October 21). National institute of standards and technology (NIST). U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/about/biography.cfm

"Malcolm Baldrige national quality award." (2010, October 5). National institute of standards and technology (NIST). U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/mbnqa.cfm