An examination of how the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award has evolved

This thesis traces the evolution of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to give quality professionals a better understanding of the rationale behind the criteria for excellence in greater context. Providing quality professionals this context positions them to better explain its relevance to their role in the work place. Lacking this context, quality professionals may struggle to explain how the criterion is relevant to their organizations.;This study focuses on nomenclature used to describe individual values in scales at the category level and describes the evolution over time. This descriptive study shows the diminished emphasis on product and process quality, and the shift to business performance, which appears contrary to the award's original intent. The paper ends with a recommendation to tie criteria changes to meaningful business practices through leadership in order to guide quality professionals as they seek to apply the criteria to their organization's performance.