The Baldrige quality competition in New Zealand: a critical assessment

Examines the Baldrige criteria and their use in New Zealand. Government development agencies and private industry groups have recently promoted models of best practice in business organization and strategy. Across these initiatives there is a remarkable unanimity in the version of best practice being advocated, reflecting the influence of the Baldrige Award criteria. Contrasts the types of workplace reorganization advocated in the Baldrige criteria with sociotechnical systems, German diversified quality production, flexible specialization. Argues that each of these systems offers a route to best practice in its related market and business environment. Discusses the limits of reducing workplace change to a single one of these options and managerial action alone. Presents evidence of the value of industry co‐ordinated change, including contrasting case studies from the meat and dairy processing sectors.