Managing for Excellence Online Course

The Criteria for Performance Excellence

This training will enable you to develop an understanding of the Criteria for Performance Excellence and how it applies to your organization. These Criteria are based on those used by the National Malcolm Baldrige Award. Research shows that organizations that embrace these Criteria outperform their competition. These Criteria can provide you a structure upon which you can base your management systems and start you on the journey to achieve performance excellence.

The seven Categories of the Criteria will be covered, with specific areas of interest covered in each, including:

Leadership
Leadership is the engine that organizes and drives the organization toward performance improvement. This is accomplished through setting the focus and direction of the organization, widely communicating that focus and direction, reinforcing the importance of it, assessing progress, and establishing next steps to further improve

Planning
At the heart of providing focus and direction for your organization is developing a strategic plan. In developing effective strategies and goals, a wide range of inputs should be considered.

Customers
There is a sequence of activities that should be done to develop an effective customer interface. These activities will ensure that you know what customers want and how well you are satisfying their needs.

Data and Information
Effective data and information management permeates all of the other Categories and is a key factor in achieving integration of the various systems in an organization, as well as developing a comprehensive understanding of organizational performance and identifying areas for improvement.

People
Multiple human resource processes are addressed in this Category. Each of the processes explores methods used to provide employees the capability, environment, and work structures that will enable them to be effective contributors to accomplishing the organizational objectives.

Processes
This Category covers how processes are designed and managed. Identifying and controlling key processes that are critical to the success of the organization is important. Understanding the three major types of processes (product/service, business and supplier/partnering) are discussed here to provide focus and alignment of the activities in the organization.

Results
No management structure is effective if it does not provide the results needed for long-term success. This Category requires the organization to maintain a focus on a balance of operational and financial results. It looks for trends in those results as well as appropriate comparative data to benchmark your performance.

Approximately two hours is required to complete this course. It is easy to do the course in small portions, picking up where you left off each time. The program shows each section that has been completed.

The cost of this course is $99.

To Register

A username and password are needed to get access to this course. These will be provided when payment for the course is received. Our online payment system is under construction, therefore, the following options are provided to make payment:

Option A:
Send a check or money order made out to the Curators of the University of Missouri for the amount of the course and mail it to:

Missouri Small Business Development Center
410 S. Sixth Street
200 Engineering North
Columbia, MO 65211

Please indicate the course name, your contact information and e-mail with your check or money order.

Option B:
We accept Visa, Master Card and Discover. Call (573) 882-1555 and provide your name and credit card information.

Your user name and password will be e-mailed to you.

We apologize for the inconvenience of the limited options to receive payments. If you have any questions, please call us at (573) 882-1555.

Access to courses is provided for a period of six months after initial registration. You may return to the course as many times as you desire during this time.

When your registration is complete, you can access the course here:

The Criteria for Performance Excellence