Three Types of Benchmarking1 |
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Internal Benchmarking: compares
common processes among diverse functions within a single company (such
as how efficiently and accurately orders are produced between
divisions)
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Competitive Benchmarking: looks at
direct competitors and their processes, and measures levels of
customer loyalty,
customer satisfaction, and market
share. Reveals what customers value most about your goods and services
and how well they think your are doing in the areas that matter most
to them; can also assess companies as potential candidates for
mergers and
acquisitions.
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Functional Benchmarking: focuses
on the process itself, and organizations with similar processes,
regardless of their industry. Reveals a plant's overall manufacturing
strategy, training requirements, a plant's scrap and rework cost, a
plant's warranty costs, and/or a plant's on-time delivery rate.
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Seven Steps of the
Benchmarking Process |
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Determining what to benchmark
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Determining what to measure
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Determining whom to benchmark
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Collecting
data
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Analyzing
data
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Setting
goals and action plans
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Monitoring the action
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Why Benchmarking?
Benchmarking is the approach of continuously
measuring products, services, and practices against tough standards set by
competitors or renowned leaders in the field.
Case Study: Benchmarking
Employee Performance at GE
Jack Welch does a good job of illustrating the
need for constant
reassessment and employee benchmarking when he says, "If the rate of
change inside an organization is less that the rate of change outside...
their end is in sight". One of the tools used by Welch to ensure constant
reassessment and benchmarking is the annual review undertaken by every GE
executive and staff member. Once a year, every employee's performance
evaluated and awarded a numerical ranking of between 1 and 5. "The implicit
understanding is that both the individual and his or her score are moving up
or it's time to leave the company2"...
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