Page 145 - The Handbook for Quality Management a Complete Guide to Operational Excellence

132 I n t e g r a t e d P l a n n i n g B e n c h m a r k i n g 133

second-rate quality because the firm will always be following their compe-
tition. If the entire industry employs the approach it will lead to industry-
wide stagnation, establishing opportunities for outside innovators.
Camp (1989) lists the following steps for the benchmarking process:

1. Planning
1.1. Identify what is to be benchmarked
1.2. Identify comparative companies
1.3. Determine data collection method and collect data
2. Analysis
2.1. Determine current performance “gap”
2.2. Project future performance levels
3. Integration
3.1. Communicate benchmark findings and gain acceptance
3.2. Establish functional goals
4. Action
4.1. Develop action plans
4.2. Implement specific actions and monitor progress
4.3. Recalibrate benchmarks
5. Maturity
5.1. Leadership position attained
5.2. Practices fully integrated into process

The first step in benchmarking is determining what to benchmark.
To focus the benchmarking initiative on critical issues, begin by identify-
ing the process outputs most important to the customers of that process
(i.e., the key quality characteristics). This step applies to every organiza-
tional function, since each one has outputs and customers. The Quality
Function Deployment (QFD) customer needs assess ment, discussed in
Chap. 15, is a natural precursor to benchmarking activities.

Getting Started with Benchmarking
The essence of benchmarking is the acquisition of information. The pro-
cess begins with the identification of the process that is to be benchmarked.
The process chosen should be one that will have a major impact on the
success of the business. The rules used for identifying candidates for busi-
ness process re-engineering can also be used here (see Chap. 2).
Once the process has been identified, contact a business library and
request a search for the information relating to your area of interest. The
library will identify material from a variety of external sources, such as
magazines, journals, special reports, etc. You should also conduct research
using the internet and other electronic networking resources. However,

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