An empirical investigation of the Baldrige framework using applicant scoring data

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to overcome evaluative limitations of previous studies to provide a more decisive test of the causal relationships implied in the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence (CPE) using a unique data source. Design/methodology/approach: The authors employ partial least squares path modeling on blinded scoring data from Baldrige Award applicants. In addition, the authors conduct multi-group analysis to examine whether the hypothesized causal model is universal across different industry sectors. Findings: The path analysis provided strong support for the CPE framework in its entirety. However, analysis of sector-specific subsets of the data did not confirm all relationships, suggesting the possibility of industry-dependent performance excellence frameworks and raising new research questions to be explored. Practical implications: This research offers several pertinent implications for managers who seek to translate the theoretical CPE framework to actionable quality-improvement efforts. Originality/value: CPE operationalizes many total quality management (TQM) concepts and provides guidelines to TQM programs. This study validates the CPE framework using the most relevant data set to date – the applicant scoring data. The authors are also the first to investigate the cross-industry differences in the relationships between the CPE constructs.