Organisational learning for performance excellence: A study of Branch-Smith Printing Division

This paper represents the first formal study of Baldrige Award feedback comments in attempting to better understand the process of developing performance excellence maturity in organisations and the fundamental differences that characterise award recipients from non-recipients. Using qualitatively coded data from Branch-Smith Printing Division, a 2002 Baldrige recipient, we suggest that the cross-cutting elements of a performance excellence culture, characterised by the Baldrige Core Values of organisational and personal learning, agility, managing for innovation and systems perspective, are more vital to driving rapid and successful change in organisations and achieving high levels of performance excellence than are typical improvements in functional management processes.