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SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
BY Robert C. Camp
Benchmarking: The continuous process of measuring products, services and practices against
the toughest competitors or those companies recognized as industry leaders – David T. Kearns,
CEO Xerox
Dantotsu – The Japanese term which means striving to be the “best of the best”
The Japanese do not accept the notion that goods and services could be competitive by simply mimicking
the past. They recognized that new methods, processes, and practices had to be uncovered, and more
important, they recognized that the best of these had to be combined to provide a competitive advantage.
Benchmarking Process
Management Commitment
Organization Communication
Employee Participation
Superior Performance
Benefits of Benchmarking
It enables the best practices from any industry to be creatively incorporated into an operation
It can provide stimulation and motivation to the people whose efforts are required to bring
about change
It breaks down ingrained reluctance to change - It has been found that people are more
receptive to new ideas when those ideas did not necessarily originate in their own industry
It may identify a technological breakthrough from another industry that would not have been
recognized and applied in one’s own industry for some time to come, e.g. bar coding,
originally created for the grocery industry
It establishes valuable professional contacts and interactions
The focus is on practices - it is only through the change of current practices or methods of
performing business processes that overall effectiveness will be achieved. Benchmarking metrics
are seen as a result of understanding best practices.