European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) is a management quality tool used by many organizations to assess performance, integrate existing tools, and introduce reflective thinking. It also enables an organization to identify what activities drive its results. EFQM has grown its clientele base to thousands. It has diversified its services to all organizations interested as opposed to the previous approach. The forum offers a voluntary avenue of engagement based on systemic benefits as perceived by the customers. Thus the more the customer is satisfied, the more the likelihood of engagement.
The latest version of the model is by far the most used of all the models. It involves enablers that are factored in what it does and results. Notably, the model has leadership, strategy, people, partnerships, resources, and processes as its enablers. Products and services are also involved. All these cover what an organization does. The results are measured in customer results, people results, society results, and key results. All this is aimed at helping organizations in their drive towards being more competitive. An in-depth analysis of how enablers and results are interrelated offers the basis for critical analysis. A frequently asked question in many organizations is if the approaches taken in the strategy will deliver the intended results or not.
To begin with, the model is said to be pioneered by leadership. Does the leadership have the necessary strengths to implement the company strategy and achieve the intended results? Is the top management able to integrate existing tools, procedures and processes to align all and remove duplicates? One assessment is to enable the people working in the organization by acquitting them with the necessary knowledge of the strategy and intended results. The strategy is also reviewed in line with the organization’s goals. If necessary, the partnership is sought. It is not clear whether the enablers are correlated in the order of presentation.
Research has however shown that this approach leads to an almost perfect achievement of set results. Since in any organization processes, products and services are critical, the model factors them out. By introducing a way of thinking that encourages reflection and stimulates continuous improvement an identifying activities that really drive a firms results, the processes and products must improve. Although there might be positive approaches compounded by great thinking and appropriate activities, the model does not factor in a partial or complete change of the processes. For instance, if the equipment cannot match the organizations ambitious thinking then there is a stall in trickling of the model ideas.
On the other end of the model are key results. These are achievements that keep the organization in business. They are a combination of customer results, people results, and society results. Although an organization might be achieving results, there is always speculation and excitement about the future. Among the new models strong sure achievable results, is to avoid a standalone situation by any given organization. The model thus guarantees interlinking initiatives among the stakeholders.
In addition, it helps organizations restore credibility, trustworthiness, and achievement of sustainable results. Timeline for achieving the intended result is also factored in this approach. To avoid ambiguity, the model is tailored towards helping achieve specific organizational goals in specific situations. Remarkably, it provides a common language that is aimed at creating a forum for the exchange of knowledge and any other valuable experiences.
Although the model has largely been a success story, it remains unclear whether the positive strides made by the organizations are uniquely attributed to the model. There are organizations that are not customers but have achieved massively in terms of results and efficiency. Other factors that might override the model successes are the state of the industry and general market situations.
