Validation of the theoretical model underlying the Baldrige criteria: Evidence from China

The primary objectives of this study are (1) to develop a measurement model tied directly to the Baldrige criteria at both construct and dimension levels, and (2) to validate the theoretical model underlying the Baldrige framework based on evidence from China. Using both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis on data collected from 2302 manufacturing and service firms in China, authors find that the proposed theoretical model with 19 hypotheses are statistically supported at <0.05 level. Contributions of this study are three-fold: (1) the newly developed measurement model provides a neat and reliable reference for both practitioners and researchers; (2) the theoretical model developed was statistically supported regarding the overall model fit indices and hypothesised linkages, demonstrating the robustness of the Baldrige framework; and (3) based on evidence from China, process management is the most important construct in the Baldrige framework, followed by leadership, which shows a slight departure from previous studies on industrialised countries.