ESTABLISHING FRAMEWORK FOR PAKISTAN QUALITY AWARD

Muhammad Asim

Student of Master in Engineering Management CASE, Islamabad, Pakistan

a007pk@yahoo.com

Asim Rehman

Student of Master in Engineering Management CASE, Islamabad, Pakistan

acemrehman@yahoo.com

Dr Ali Sajid

Chairman MEM CASE, Islamabad, Pakistan,

alisajid61@yahoo.com

Abstract

The aim of research was to establish framework of Pakistan Quality Award which will be used as
catalyst to bring total quality management practices and quality conscious culture in Pakistan with
recognition and reward to those organizations who are best quality practitioners. The concept of
award is based on European and Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award. The Pakistan Quality Award is
developed to encourage local industry, public sector and establishments to produce and provide a
high quality product or service. It is expected that the implementation of award system will able to
organize and boost industry, as well as internal and external trade in Pakistan.

Keywords: Quality, Award, QPSP, Excellence,PQA

1.0 Introduction

Quality management is a way of managing activities to gain efficiency, effectiveness and

competitive advantage thereby ensuring longer term success meeting the needs of their
customers, employees, financial and other stakeholders and the community at large. The
implementation of quality management programs can achieve significant benefits such as
increased efficiency, reduced costs and greater satisfaction, all leading to better performance
for the organization. In current global scenario only those organizations, institutions and
market would survive which incorporate total quality management principles and quality
consciousness in their system.

Through the last few decades the words quality and productivity have lost their technical
connotations. Their scope has broadened to cover not just the products and services, but to
processes, systems, strategies and management of organizations. They have become essential
ingredients of any individual, organization, business, or community. Today, the big challenge
is how to put Quality and Productivity at the service of the entire society as a strategy to be
competitive nationally and globally.

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Assessing the importance of total quality and productivity, some leading people of different
organizations of Pakistan took initiative to form the Quality and Productivity Society of
Pakistan (QPSP). The society is being formed with a vision to build Pakistan as a world
class country. It is represented and owned by professionals who are and will be the catalyst
of change in Pakistan. The QPSP mission is to contribute to the development of Pakistani
individuals, organizations and enterprises through the application of quality and productivity
improvement concepts in their broadest sense. To achieve this mission the society is working
on number of activities and one of them was Development, Management and Promotion of
National Quality Awards.

2.0 Pakistan Quality Award

The Pakistan Quality Award (PQA) is being introduced to encourage companies and
establishments to produce and provide a higher quality of product and service, to organize and
boost industry, as well as internal and external trade in the Pakistan. The Prime Minister of
Pakistan would be the patron of the Award and all four Chief Ministers would be the regional
patrons of the Award, however the operational and functional control of the Award rest with
Quality and Productivity Society of Pakistan. The PQA would be the most prestigious Award
for organizational excellence and is on the top level of the QPSP levels of recognition. Any
organization in Pakistan can compete for this Award. It focuses on recognizing excellence
and providing detailed, independent feedback to all applicants to help them on their
continuing journey to excellence.

2.1 Objective

The objective of the PQA is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of national
organizations by reinforcing the importance of quality in all aspects of their activities and
stimulating and assisting the development of quality improvement as a basis for their
achievement of organizational excellence. It will also help to bring total quality management
practices and quality conscious culture in Pakistan with recognition and reward to those
organizations who are judged to be the best quality practitioners.

2.2 Award Categories

The PQA would be presented annually to the organization judged to be the best of the Prize
Winners in each of the following categories:

2.2.1 Public Sector Organizations

(a) Federal (Provincial / local government, autonomous and semi autonomous

corporations).
(b) Defense production

2.2.2 Private Sector

(a) Large Businesses and Business Units.

(b) Operational units of the companies.
(c) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

2.3 Level of Recognition

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There are four levels of recognition available to applicants for the PQA namely award winner,
prize winner, and finalist recognized for excellence and are shown in fig1-1.

2.3.1 Pakistan Quality Award Winner

The Award would be presented annually to the organization judged to be the best of the Prize
winners in each of the above mentioned categories, providing also they meet all the
requirements set annually by the Award jurors. Award winners would be exceptional
organizations and role models in their approaches and the results they achieve. Every Award
winner will be entitled to retain the Award winner trophy for a full year and at the end of this
time receive a smaller replica.

2.3.2 Pakistan Quality Award Prize Winner

The Award Prize would be presented annually to the organizations that demonstrate
excellence in the management of quality as their fundamental process for continuous
improvement. Each year one or more Prizes are presented in each of the categories as
mentioned in Para 2.2.

2.3.3 Pakistan Quality Award Finalist

Each year the Award Jury will define a level above which applicants are declared to be
Finalists for the Award. In any year several Finalists may be declared in each category.
Finalists are organizations that demonstrate a high degree of excellence in the management of
quality as their fundamental process for continuous improvement and may be considered as
role models in a number of areas.

2.3.4 Recognized for Excellence

Those applicants who do not attain the level of Finalist but yet achieve a consensus score
above an appropriate level will be offered a site visit. If the site visit confirms a score in
excess of 400 points the applicant will be recognized for excellence. This indicates that the
organization is well managed and aspires to achieve role model status. Award winners, Prize
winners and Finalists are all recognized at the QPSP annual forum, a high profile conference
which would be held each year; however the prestigious Award would be given on 14 August
by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

2.3 Pakistan Quality Award Logo

The PQA Logo is the sole property of the Pakistan Quality Award Committee and is intended
for use only in association with the activities and events of the Pakistan Quality Award. Use
of the logo is prohibited without written permission from the PQA committee. The annual
winners of the PQA can use the logo, for a two-year period, to show their quality achievement
against the quality criteria of the Award. Prize winning organizations (the appreciation
program) will have a separate logo; this will have the same restrictions as the Award winner’s
logo. The proposed Quality Award logo is shown in fig 2.

3.0 QPSP Excellence Model

The QPSP is committed to help organizations in improving their performance. The QPSP
Excellence Model (refer figure 3) is a non-prescriptive framework that recognizes there are

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many approaches to achieving sustainable organizational excellence. Within this non-
prescriptive approach there are some basic concepts which underpin the QPSP Excellence
Model. Behaviors, activities or initiatives based on these concepts are often referred to as
Quality Management. The fundamental concept of excellence includes the following;
• Results Orientation
• Customer Focus
• Leadership & Constancy of Purpose
• Management by Processes & Facts
• Development & Involvement
• Continuous Learning, Innovation & Improvement
• Partnership Development
• Public Responsibility

The QPSP Excellence Model is based on the eight fundamental concepts of excellence as
shown in fig 3. Essentially the QPSP Model tells us that:

Excellent results with respect to Performance, Customers, People and Society are achieved
through Leadership driving Policy and Strategy, People, Partnerships and Resources and
Processes.

3.1 The Criteria

The nine boxes in the QPSP Excellence Model correspond to the criteria which are used to
assess an organization’s progress towards excellence. The model has two distinct parts to it,
Enablers and Results. The Enabler criteria deal with how the organization works – the
principles, methods and techniques that drive all aspects of its operation. Under each criterion
part, the submission should describe what these principles, methods and techniques are, and
how they are applied to all relevant parts of the organization. The results criteria deal with the
output achieved by the organization. Under each criterion part the submission should show
not only the measures the organizations uses, but also the results of those measures over a
period of (or as long as the data is available). Information on the results criteria is required
on what the organization is achieving with respect to each criterion.

3.2 Relationships between the criteria

Assessors will be looking to see consistency in the information presented across and between
the criteria of the QPSP Excellence Model. The QPSP Excellence Model provides a
framework for organizations to apply self-assessment and to improve. The full power of the
QPSP Excellence Model is derived from an understanding of the relationships between
criteria. At the most basic level, if a process is highlighted in an enabler criterion, then results
related to the performance of this process might reasonably appear in one of the results
criteria and vice versa. Whilst all the nine criteria in the QPSP Excellence Model are linked,
some relationships are particularly clear, for example:

(a) People and People results.

(b) Customer related matters and Customer results

Linkages can be expected between Policy and Strategy and all the other enabler criteria and
the results presented in the results criteria. There could also be linkages between Policy and
Strategy and some of the comparisons presented in the results criteria. For example if the
strategy is to achieve ‘global leadership’, the organization should be seeking global
comparisons against which to judge performance. A lesser objective would justify the
selection of less ambitious comparisons.

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Use of the QPSP Excellence Model as a driver of improvement is also important. It is
reasonable to expect a connection between results achieved (and presented in the results
criteria) and actions to improve performance (and presented in the enabler criteria).
Comparisons of results with internal targets, competitors or similar organizations and ‘best in
class’ organizations are desirable and these should be used to prioritize and drive
improvement. At a corporate level, comparisons of key performance results with internal
targets and competitors should provoke an analysis of the issues driving customer satisfaction
and loyalty and to modifications of Policy and Strategy. The organizations will be judged on
following Performa.

Assessment Performa

1 Leadership (10%) 100

1.1 Leaders develop the mission, vision and

values and are role models of a culture of
excellence.
1.2 Leaders are personally involved in ensuring
the organization’s management system is
developed, implemented and continuously
improved.
1.3 Leaders are involved with customers, partners
and representatives of society.
1.4 Leaders motivate, support and recognize the
organization’s people.

2 Policy and Strategy (8%) 80

2.1 Policy and Strategy are based on the present

and future needs and expectations of
stakeholders.
2.2 Policy and Strategy are based on information
from performance measurement, research,
learning and creativity related activities.
2.3 Policy and Strategy are developed, reviewed
and updated.
2.4 Policy and Strategy are deployed through a
framework of key processes.
2.5 Policy and Strategy are communicated and
implemented.

3 People (9%) 90

3.1 People resources are planned, managed and

improved.
3.2 People’s knowledge and competencies are
identified, developed and sustained.
3.3 People are involved and empowered.
3.4 People and the organization have a dialogue.
3.5 People are rewarded, recognized and cared for.

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 Partnerships and Resources (9%) 90

4.1 External partnerships are managed.

4.2 Finances are managed.
4.3 Buildings, equipment and materials are
managed.
4.3 Technology is managed.
4.4 Information and knowledge are managed.

5 Processes (14%) 140

5.1 Processes are systematically designed and

managed.
5.2 Processes are improved, as needed, using
innovation in order to fully satisfy and
generate increasing value for customers and
other stakeholders.
5.3 Products and services are designed and
developed based on customer needs and
expectations.
5.4 Products and Services are produced, delivered
and serviced.
5.5 Customer relationships are managed and
enhanced.

6 Customer Results (20%)

200

6.1 Perception Measures

6.2 Performance Indicators

7 People Results (9%) 90

7.1 Perception Measures

7.2 Performance Indicators

8 Society Results (6%) 60

8.1 Perception Measures

8.2 Performance Indicators

Key Performance Results (15%)

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150

9.1 Key Performance Outcomes

9.2 Key Performance Indicators

4.0 Pakistan Quality Award Committee (PQAC).

The Award is administered by the Quality and Productivity Society of Pakistan (QPSP).
QPSP would have independent committee looking after all matter concerning Award and
would be called as Pakistan Quality Award Committee (PQAC).The committee composed of
the people from admin, technical and finance background which would be having different

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areas of responsibilities in their respective field and would be selected by QPSP. The structure
of the Award committee is shown in figure 4

4.1 Role and Task

The Award committee would be responsible for all the administrative, functional and
operational matters concerning Award which includes arrangement of finances, selection of
jury and assessors, certification, training of assessor, internal & external co-ordination and
conduct award ceremony.

4.2 Composition of PQAC

The Award committee would compose of four main departments (admin, finance, co-
ordination and technical) to perform various tasks required during Award process. Each
section would look after its assigned job and manned by qualified staff.

4.3 Award Procedure Outline

The PQA would be a rigorous and demanding contest, designed for organizations, or
organizational units, seen as national role models with history of continuous improvement. It
is based on the QPSP Excellence Model, which is also used as the basis for other quality
Awards.

Entry to the PQA requires creation of a detailed submission document of up to 75 pages to a

specified timetable, which is assessed and scored by a team of PQAC assessors. These trained
assessors are experienced senior managers from a range of industries and organizations. The
size of team varies from four to eight depending on the size and complexity of the
organization. If the submission achieves a score above the threshold set by the Award jury,
the assessor team will visit the organization for up to a week. Applicants will be required to
allow the assessor team open access to all areas of their operations.

The submission with independent evidence, verify the score across all criteria and produce a
detailed feedback report. From this, an expert jury reviews reports on each applicant and
entries are Awarded Finalist, Prize Winner and, ultimately, PQA Winner status. Any
enterprise reaching PQA Finalist has a right to be very proud of their achievement. They
would almost certainly role models for excellence and join an impressive roll of honor. The
Award procedure is divided into processes, sub processes and sub-sub processes. The process
layout is shown in Fig 5.

5.0 The Assessors

Award assessors are quality professionals, practicing senior manager or, in a few cases,
academic who bring their years of experience and judgment to provide valuable feedback and
the evidence on which the Award model of excellence is based. There is a pool of assessor
contributed by the Award applicants and other volunteers who are certified from PQAC.
Assessors are involved at each stage of assessing organizations applying for Award. The
process begins with a team of two to five assessors, each independently scoring an
application. The team then reaches a consensus on an overall team score for the application.
Different teams of assessors will look at different applications. The applicants companies will
be visited by the same team of assessors. The purpose of the visit is to clarify aspects of the
organization and to ensure that the evidence presented in the submission document matches
with the real "on-site" situation.

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5.1 Selection Criteria
The following describes a typical expectation from those who are willing to take part as an
assessor in the assessment process for PQA.

5.1.1 Interpersonal Skills

Ability to:
• Understand how others think and act.
• Understand group processes.
• Communicate effectively in written and spoken English.
• Handle conflict constructively.
• Give positive feedback.
• Convey integrated concepts and opinions quickly.

5.1.2 Operational Skills

Ability to:
• Make a quick overview of complex situations and determine the underlying themes and
issues.
• Translate management concepts into specific situation.
• Think in a "process" way.
• Take a high level overview.
• Assess, in a well balanced way, the scope and outcome of situations and facts.

5.1.3 Knowledge and Experience

• A career of at least five years in managerial and/or professional roles (typical assessors
will be over the age of thirty).
• Broad knowledge and experience of management.
• A good record of achieving against objectives.
• Ability to contribute in a multi-cultural environment and meet tight time deadlines.

5.2 Training

Those applicants who would be declared successful by PQAC will receive training in the
method of assessment and scoring to be followed through the whole cycle. The course will be
held at PQA committee for the duration of three days.

6.0 The Award Jury

The Award jury seven in number would be consisting of high ranking Government officials
from both civil and military, bureaucrats, quality professionals, industrialists, senior
professors and businessman who bring their years of experience and judgment to select the
Prize winners and Award winner on the feedback provided to them by assessors which would
be based on QPSP model of excellence.

6.1 Role and Task

The role and task of Award jury includes;

• Annually setting the threshold for Finalist based on previous data.

• Visit the site of Award applicants if required.
• Select the Award winner and Prize winners.

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7.0 Feedback Process

The final step in the Award process is the preparation of the feedback report on each of the
organizations by the assessor teams, followed by face to face feedback if the applicant
requests it. All applicants receive a feedback report at the end of the assessment process. A
part of the process is to have a meeting between the applicant and one or more members of
the team of independent assessors assigned by PAQC to assess the organization.

A key advantage in applying for the Award is the feedback report that all organizations would
receive. Clearly, however, an organization that obtains a site visit will receive a more
extensive report than one that is not short-listed. The report will indicate to an applicant
organization how closely its own assessment corresponds with that of the assessors and will
identify areas that are strengths of the organization. The report will also highlight
opportunities for improvement. On the basis of feedback the organization can plan,
implement and review its strategies as shown in figure 6.

8.0 References

Dubai Quality Award

Europeon Quality Award
Malcom baldrige Award

Recognized
for Finalist Prize Award
Excellence Winner Winner

Level of Recognition (fig 1)

Award Logo (fig 2)

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 QPSP Excellence Model (fig 3)

QPSP

PQAC

AWARD JURY

ASSESSORS

Award Committee Structure (fig 4)

Selection
Process of jury
Application Grading
Process Process

Selection Process
of Assessor
Feedback Award
Process Finalization
Process

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Award Procedure Outline (fig 5)

Feedback Process (fig 6)

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