Rafał Haffer

Developing versus developed companies in Business Excellence initiatives

The paper reports the advance of Polish companies in Business Excellence initiatives. It indicates how these activities influence their performance. EFQM Excellence Model indicators are used as the evaluation criteria for the study. The performance variable is introduced to ensure the calculation of correlations between EFQM model indicators and performance results. The data are next estimated as a structural equation model by partial least squares using SmartPLS software (Ringle et al., 2005). That estimation is conducted on the model of the Danish Business Excellence Index methodology (Kristensen et al., 2001a). The correlations and estimation results are used to discuss the condition of Polish companies and to point out the efforts that should be made for further development. Information about actual financial results for the companies is introduced and the paper discusses the possibility of using results from the Business Excellence Model as a proxy for actual financial results in Poland. Data and results from a similar study done in Denmark are also described; thus, a comparison between developing Polish companies and developed Danish ones is included. Poland and Denmark are used as cases of, respectively, developing and developed European countries.

People management as indicator of business excellence: the Polish and Danish perspectives

Purpose – This paper aims to show the importance of people management as a key indicator of business excellence based on four research projects, conducted on the samples of Polish (in the years 2004‐2005 and 2006‐2007) and Danish companies (in 1999 and 2005).Design/methodology/approach – EFQM Excellence Model indicators were used as the evaluation criteria for the studies. The data were next estimated as a structural equation model by partial least squares using SmartPLS software. That estimation was conducted on the model of the Danish Business Excellence Index methodology. Presented data make it possible to compare developing Polish and developed Danish companies in their initiatives aiming at business excellence.Findings – The results indicate significant negligence in the management of human resources as one of the initiatives towards business excellence of Polish enterprises before Polands accession to the European Union (EU). At the same time, the results from the years 2006‐2007 confirm that, afte...

TOWARDS BUSINESS EXCELLENCE. THE CASE OF POLAND

The paper reports the advance of Polish companies in business excellence initiatives. It indicates how these activities influence their performance. EFQM Excellence Model indicators are used as the evaluation criteria for the study. The performance variable is introduced to ensure the calculation of correlations between EFQM model indicators and performance results. The data are next estimated as a structural equation model by partial least squares using SmartPLS software (Ringle, Wende, Will, 2005). That estimation is conducted on the model of the Danish Business Excellence Index methodology (Kristensen, Juhl, Eskildsen, 2001a). The correlations and estimation results are used to discuss the condition of Polish companies and to point out the efforts that should be made for further development. The presented data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire which was sent to companies in the year 2005. The examined sample consisted of 79 companies coming from different areas of Poland representing 19 sectors. It appears from the data that the efforts of Polish companies undertaken in most areas of self-assessment according to the EFQM model do provide them with economic value. Nevertheless, people, people results and customers’ results are the areas which need the improvements to be made. At the same time they can be treated as potential for future growth.

The eight values of highly productive companies: creating wealth froma new employment relationship

Tim Baker’s The eight values of highly productive companies is a capably written handbook in how to create wealth for a company through proper employment relationship. It presents comprehensively a wide spectrum of issues in subjects such as industrial management, organisational change, corporate culture and industrial relations, with special emphasis on employer–employee relations. The new employment relationship model is introduced in the book. The model came into being as a result of author’s consulting projects and investigations in the workplace examining what employers and employees actually expect. The model is proposed as the basis for creating a productive workplace culture with a backdrop of increasing market instability, uncertainty and global competition. It consists of eight values: flexible deployment, customer focus, performance focus, project-based work, human spirit and work, commitment, learning and development, and open organisation, which are diametrically opposite to those of the traditional employment relationship models concerned with changing people’s behaviour rather than their thinking. Tim Baker argues that the big challenge facing today’s managers is to find the means of changing people’s thinking after 200 years of ‘them and us’ thinking borne of the Industrial Revolution. His model provides the framework for achieving improved productivity through applying collaborative approach involving employers and employees based on eight values mentioned above. Theoretical contents of the book is given in a systematised and synthetic way, which is what increases its teaching value . Additionally, every chapter is ended with 10 key points constituting its summary. The book allows also a reader to link the theory with the business practice, thanks to numerous case studies, research results, practical hints, tools and reflective questions for managers. I recommend this book to all managers searching for new concepts and approaches to management of contemporary organisations in both private and public sector as well as to all economics and management students.