There is going to be pain as the govenment starts to take back benefits that it cannot afford to have offered in the first place.

I think the Baldrige Award has value. Perhaps most of that value can be saved if NIST and ASQ ask for half a loaf rather than ending up with none. Or, if the program has as much value as its supporters contend, then they should show the cost-benefit analysis--with hard numbers on both sides of the balance--to the NCFRR.

Jack Dearing

Right.

If it is a good program, and if it can be done well by NIST, it ought to be capable of being done as well or better, and certainly cheaper, by the private sector.

If it is not a good program, and if it doesn't produce benefits that mitigate its cost, then it ought to be scrapped.

Archie the Gopher - - Serving Education Delivering Quality

Recapturing economic opportunities & business is a primary role, & opportunity, of small businesses. Both programs are important as both how-to & support-for emerging & existing businesses.

The current budgets may need adjusting, a role for ASQ in "management" might work, & the taxing of "tax exempt" businesses may be required. For exaqmple, some university "businesses" offer everything from consulting services, sale of computer services & products, hotel services, etc., & they operate tax exempt. They may be in the same market competing for the same dollars as private, for profit, tax paying businesses.

Politics - - interesting issues as we consider economic opportunities, quality, & confirmed results.

Jerry Brong - - For Archie the Gopher

While I applaud the NCFRR goal of reducing unnecessary spending at the Federal level, I am disappointed to see a short term focus by eliminating the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The Baldrige is the base for excellence programs at the international level. The long term benefits of the organizational models within the Baldrige have already been shown within publicly held organizations and now, with the inclusion of not for profit, small business and government organizations, the whole interconnected system of business at the global level.

The NCFRR mentions that there are private award programs that can take the place of the Baldrige. Actually, the state programs are based on the Dept. of Commerce/NIST guidelines and the most recognized best practice model is the Baldrige.

Reduction in waste and duplication within business is a goal of the Baldrige. The vehicle for improved performance within the business community has been the Baldrige for 23 years. True, use of the model has varied through the years. The economy certainly has influence on how many organizations take advantage of the opportunity. I agree with Dr. Spong (Retired, Boeing) that the skills transferred to examiners provides long term commitment to performance excellence as a cultural thread within the US. The long term impact of terminating the program will be a net loss to the productivity and overall economic well being of the US.

This message will be viewed differently by many organisations based on the maturity of the organization.
Type-1: Many of the Cost conscience Managements/Owners who are in to the business without understanding the real meaning and intent of Quality will straight away jump in to the P(Prevention) & A(Appraisal) Cost Cutting of the Quality function quoting this message as an example and finally land in to the F(Failure) cost which is many times more than the P & A and quickly dig the grave yard ready for the organization's future.
Type-2: Definitely the matured Management/Owners who know the very purpose of the Quality importance will behave indifferent for this message as they know very well this message will increase their opportunity in the market by killing the competition who are the above said type-1 category !
If we see the history of many quality Gurus, then we will understand that these phases have been already faced by those Great Gurus.
Let us do our quality job effectively with more rigour so that no body will give weightage to such messages !
With Regards,
Venkat

That thinking is a sure sign of the necessity of an orientation program for US presidents. Such awareness program should include the fundamentals of total quality management, Deming's 14 points, quality costs and so on.

I agree with the need to save money at the federal level by eliminating programs that are no longer useful. However, the Baldrige program is not one of those programs. The Baldridge program has been used by countless organizations to improve processes and results, to develop leaders and to spread innovation accross different business sectors. If anything this is a program that deserves more funding to expand its reach. This program has had a profound positive impact on my hospital though learning from national best practice organizations as well as the leadership development that occurs through use of the criteria.

Cost estimates for just ONE of these jets is about $200 million - what will bring more value to the USA?