The united states’ baldrige award and japan’s deming prize: Two guidelines for total quality control

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award has become one of the most prestigious and important honors in the United States. It is awarded to companies who consistently deliver high-quality products and services to their customers and have organizational structures, policies, and cultures to support such goals. The award guidelines form a definition of American-style Total Quality Control. The Baldrige Award follows the long-standing tradition of Japan’s Deming Prize, which is given to organizations in Japan, and now abroad, which demonstrate excellence in Japanese-style Total Quality Control. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the goals, criteria, and administration of the Baldrige Award, and then compare them to the Deming Prize. In doing so a contrast between the American and Japanese styles of Total Quality Control can be developed. Additionally, comments are made which show why the Baldrige Award is a significant contribution to the practice of quality management.