This week you will be starting work on your Final Project for this module. The purpose of the Final
Project is to apply the concepts and techniques of the module to the analysis of real-world situations
or problems. Students are expected to use diverse sources of information and to carry out an original
analysis rather than summarise or rehash existing work. Students are encouraged to use situations
and data from their own experience where possible.
Your task for Week 5 is to prepare and hand in a proposal including the nature of the project, the
sources of information you plan to use, and the most important concepts and techniques to be
applied. You will receive feedback on the proposal in Week 6, which will give you time to make
adjustments.
For this project, you will study the Philips Electronics model of business excellence through speed
and teamwork (BEST). You will find this model described in detail in Case Study 11 of your textbook:
- To assess the BEST model, with particular reference to the importance of teamwork
in a company like Philips Electronics.
TQM W5 ASS 2
Philips Business Excellence through Speed and Teamwork (BEST) model is a business
excellence initiative that began in 1999. BEST model is the hallmark of Philips success. In
addition, the model defines what the organisation’s has to perform so as to increase its profits. In
Philips speed and teamwork are vital component of BEST model (Oakland, 2005).
Speed
Improvement initiatives might be clear, accurate and focused however like business process they
are extremely slow, as such fail to deliver. Therefore Philips carefully puts into consideration its
operation techniques and look for approaches to smartly operate while reducing cycles of
processes. Reduced process cycles lead to acceleration learning speed.
Teamwork
The organisation understands that it can only perform well in teams, share knowledge and
communicate with one another. In Philips teamwork is the main element of competitiveness and
the basis for attaining its full potential. Through sharing best practices as well as support, the
organisation is capable of outperforming its rivals (Dong , Vinod & Steven 2010).
- To evaluate the model against Adebanjo’s proposition that ‘business excellence and
quality can and need to complement each other to provide organisations with the
operational and business success they aspire to and which is necessary for survival
in today’s market.’
A number of researchers believe that the current quality systems can complement one another to
provide desired outcomes for continuous upgrading. The proposition by Adebanjo has been
shared recognized by a number of experts particularly when it comes to aspects of quality and
business excellence in organisations(Adebanjo, 2001). With respect to Philips BEST model and
TQM W5 ASS 3
its function in complementing business excellence and quality it’s necessary to focus on the key
principles of BEST so as validate Adebanjo’s propositions. For example, as an element of TQM
firms develop a culture where workers are considered as important assets, categorized in teams
to transfer knowledge and skills and a culture important in accomplishment of business
excellence. On the other hand, BEST initiative individuals are seen as knowledge as well as skill
sources, and ensuring quality in all their duties. With a firm, employees should work in teams as
this is the main basis of quality improvement (Oakland, 2005). Focus on teamwork in BEST
model can be evaluated against enablers and internal stakeholders in excellence and TQM
respectively, as a form of off value that is offered. However, attention should focus to important
tools so as to effectively monitor performance, process management and identify gaps in the
BEST program (Metaxas & Koulouriotis 2014).
- To show how BEST tools and competencies could be applied to the pursuit of business
excellence in your company or another company you think could benefit from using the
model.
Philips BEST tools and competencies are important in business excellence. For example,
balanced business scorecard (BBS) tool at Philips concentrates on important factors that can lead
to the success of the business while providing the organization with different perspectives
including competence, processes, customers and financial. In addition, Process survey tool
(PST) presents a platform for assessing business process and designing an enhancement plan that
helps the team to evaluate components to increase performance of the process. With Headquarter
audits (HQA) that provides assessments used by leadership to achieve business excellence. PBE
assessments allow the identification of areas that require upgrading and put necessary drivers to
help increase business excellence.
TQM W5 ASS 4
On the other hand, competencies are important particularly in managing business procedures
which product products and service to meet clients’ needs. For example, knowledge
management is regarded as an important competence for Philips, as such, the firm creates,
acquires and disseminates it and in turn convert it into business competence the fundamental
source of competitiveness. Professional competences such as manufacturing, professional,
logistics and performance that can be used to increase performance while leadership
competencies that describe the conduct of each manager that is in turn applied to ensure business
excellence.
TQM W5 ASS 5
Bibliography
Adebanjo, D. 2001. ‘TQM and business excellence: is there really a conflict?’, Measuring
Business Excellence, 5 (3), pp. 37–40.
Dong Young Kim, Vinod Kumar, Steven A. Murphy. 2010. European Foundation for Quality
Management Business Excellence Model. International Journal of Quality & Reliability
Management 27:6, 684-701
Metaxas, I. N & Koulouriotis. D. E. 2014. A theoretical study of the relation between TQM,
assessment and sustainable business excellence. Total Quality Management & Business
Excellence 25, 494-510
Oakland, J. S. 2003. TQM: text with cases (pp. 454–470). 3rd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-
Heinemann.
