The Fundamental Concepts of Excellence
For an organisation to maximise the benefits of adopting the EFQM Excellence Model, a management team must first ensure that it is comfortable with these concepts. Clearly if these Concepts are not fully understood and accepted then progress with adopting the Model will be difficult and potentially meaningless.
There is no significance intended in the order of the concepts. The list is not meant to be exhaustive and they will change as excellent organisations develop and improve.
The Fundamental Concepts are:
Results Orientation
Excellence is achieving results that delight all the organisation's stakeholders.
Customer Focus
Excellence is creating sustainable customer value.
Leadership and Constancy of Purpose
Excellence is visionary and inspirational leadership, coupled with constancy of purpose.
Management by Processes and Facts
Excellence is managing the organisation through a set of interdependent and interrelated systems, processes and facts.
People Development and Involvement
Excellence is maximising the contribution of employees through their development and involvement.
Continuous Learning, Innovation and Improvement
Excellence is challenging the status quo and effecting change by utilising learning to create innovation and improvement opportunities.
Partnership Development
Excellence is developing and maintaining value-adding partnerships.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Excellence is exceeding the minimum regulatory framework in which the organisation operates and to strive to understand and respond to the expectations of their stakeholders in society.
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