What are the characteristics of a world class company?

[Andrews]

This question is for the gurus.What are the characteristics of a world class company? How does a company go about achieving this?

[Kevin Mader]

Interesting question.

You often see folks putting lofty statements in their Quality Policies saying something like “…to strive to be world class producers/hotels/manufacturers/etc. …” I wonder how many think about the question you are putting to this group before considering whether it belongs in ones statement or not?

I think the term is loosely used and thrown around too much. What makes one a world class sprinter or a world class automaker? Is this defined anywhere? What are the criteria? Or, is it a culmination of general opinion that decides whether Carl Johnson or Toyota are in fact world class?

Group?

Kevin

[Laura M]

Our school district adopted a "mission statement" that says we will provide a "world class" education. When it was presented to the board, I asked what that was.....

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Hi all,

Laura has a point... What is world class?

...and do we mean overall world class, or world class within a specific set of characteristics? (I can hardly imagine anyone being top dog in every field).

Besides, I don't think the term means that you have to be the best of the best. Being up there among the best should certainly be interpreted as world class.

/Claes

[Mike S.]

More random thoughts on world class:

I also agree -- world class is not necessarily the one best -- but among the best. If the fastest sprinter in the world runs a 4.12 second time, is the guy (or 4 guys) who runs 4.13 not also "world class"?

Who decides? It depends. Peers, fellow competitors, the marketplace/customers, independent monitoring organizations.

You have to carefully define the classification. The sprinter who is WC in the 50 meter dash is not necessarily WC in the 200 meter high hurdles.

Anyone feel free to shoot holes...

[David Mullins]

Have you tried benchmarking against baldrige and the like?

[Laura M]

Ah ha - now you have it. Benchmark. But the only benchmark we seem to care about is within NY state. If we can't benchmark against "the world" then we shouldn't have it as an objective, right?

World class "sounds good" and I suppose in industry benchmarks may be easier to come by than what I'm talking about, but I still say you have to know if you've made it.

FYI - I'm not as negative about it as I sound. I'm trying to use my quality education on my unpaid School Board role to help educate, and make sure that when we say we are "data driven" that we actually are. We are embarking on the most formalized strategic planning process the district has ever had, and my push is the measurements so we measure ourselves and our strategic plan to self-imposed criteria that doesn't lose site of the State imposed criteria. "Say what you do, do what you say, and provide the records and results to prove it."

[David Mullins]

Laura said:
"Ah ha - now you have it. Benchmark. But the only benchmark we seem to care about is within NY state. "


What are you on about?