vii
Introduction
This guide is designed to help you understand the
criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award. It is not about the award, or how to win
it. Rather, it is about how to interpret and use the
criteria to improve your organization.
Most organizations that use the Baldrige criteria
have no interest in applying for, or winning, the
award. The Baldrige criteria are being used by
thousands of organizations around the world
to evaluate their progress toward becoming the
best in their elds. This guide is divided into
two parts. Part. I, a question and answer section,
provides the answers to the questions most com-
monly asked about the award and the criteria. Part
II provides a brief explanation of each of the 17
items i