PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2001, Business Administration : Operations Management

In the 1980's, the U.S. government along with important commercial organizations realized the significance of improving the quality of products and services in order to enhance the international competitiveness of companies and the national economy. (Anonymous, 1999) This realization led to the development of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence criteria that has now spread across all sections of the business community. Research has determined that implementing the Baldrige criteria can result in positive impacts on firms allowing them to achieve performance excellence and improve competitiveness in their markets. (Barclay (1993), Hendricks and Singhal (1996), Mendham et al, (1994)) Small organizations with their limited resources can apply the Baldrige principles with measurable success, and without undue expense. (Ghobadian and Gallear, 1996) Yet, others find the frameworks themselves lacking. According to Wilkes and Dale (1998) the development of the EFQM model (European model based on Baldrige) to suit the characteristics of small firms is needed and more needs to be done to simplify the language, the format of the model and the application process. Familiarity with a particular theoretical framework and understanding the underlying principals found in a framework are two different conditions. It is our argument that it seems logical (discussed by McTeer and Dale, 1994 and Van der Wiele and Brown, 1998 for TQM) that small firms may not be specifically familiar with Baldrige but may practice its principles every day without placing such a label on it. So, there may be a lack of specific knowledge concerning Baldrige but not the underlying management principles. The goal of this research is to identify the importance of the Baldrige criteria to small firms by examining the specific management practices elucidated throughout the criteria. Additionally, the research will determine how endemic these practices are throughout the small (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Evans (Advisor) Subjects: Business Administration, Management

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Engineering : Industrial Engineering

With increasing competition, organizations face the task of reducing costs and improving service levels. Business focus has changed from product orientation and mass production to customer orientation and mass customization. Organizations in a supply chain realize the need to work closer and coordinate their processes for increased efficiency and responsiveness. This has lead to competition at the supply chain level. Total Quality (TQ) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) are two different concepts that aim to make organizational systems responsive towards fulfilling customer needs. However, there are differences in their fundamental elements and approaches. While SCM has mainly focused on integration of logistics and information, TQ has predominantly been an intra-organizational concept. This thesis evaluates the applicability of TQ at the supply chain level using the framework for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Committee: Dr. Richard Shell (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2010, Educational Administration and Supervision

In the late 1990s, teachers in five pilot districts in Ohio were trained during the Baldrige in Education Initiative (BiE IN). Training included Baldrige's theory, quality process and quality tools. The study was a follow-up to determine the effect of the use of the Ohio Baldrige Initiative training in the pilot districts (and other early innovator districts) on the sustained use of quality tools by classroom teachers in grades three through six. The study also examined reasons teachers may have discontinued to use the tools in their classrooms. For the purpose of answering the research questions, this study followed a descriptive, quantitative research design. The sample population included 124 teachers in grades three through six in four school districts in Ohio. The Spearman rho (ρ) statistical analysis, Kendall Tau statistical analysis, paired t-tests and descriptive statistics were used in the study. The data collection was completed using an online survey program, Survey Monkey™. The findings of the study indicate that there is a relationship between professional development training and the continued use of quality tools for the teachers in grades three through six. The study also found that there is no relationship between teachers' perceptions of produced benefits in their grades three through six classrooms and the teachers' perceptions of their students' academic improvement when using quality tools. Additionally, the study considered factors that teachers cited for discontinuing the use of quality tools. The researcher analyzed scores from both users and non-users of quality tools, using paired t-tests and comparing the 2007-08 passing rate percentage to the passing rates in 2004-05, to look at the percentage of students who passed the reading and math Ohio Achievement Tests. The 2004-05 passing rates were then compared to the passing rates in 2005-06. Other variables, in addition to the use of quality tools, account for differences in passing rat (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Caroline Roettger (Advisor); Dr. Lloyd Roettger (Committee Member); Dr. Sandra McKinley (Committee Member); Dr. Carol Fornof (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Business Administration

The Ohio Department of Education organization is evaluated relative to the Malcolm Baldrige Quality philosophy. After implementing this philosophy two years prior to the beginning of this study, the depth of the organization's compliance with the philosophy is tested to provide insight on how the Malcolm Baldrige philosophy applies to an education service organization, and the time it takes to achieve the benefits of a top down commitment to total quality management. The findings of this study suggest that even though there is a strong commitment to total quality, and an improvement in the performance of the organization over time; the structure identified in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Application process has not been replicated in the Ohio Department of Education. The question of applicability is discussed as the Malcolm Baldrige education criteria does not completely capture the environment of an education service organization, nor does the service industry model fit the environment of this state agency.

Committee: Paul C. Nutt PhD (Committee Co-Chair); John R. Current PhD (Committee Co-Chair); David A. Schilling PhD (Committee Member); Keely L. Croxton PhD (Committee Member); Susan L. Sutherland PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Evaluation; Management

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2002, College of Education

The primary purpose of this study was to empirically determine the relationship between staff acceptance of the Baldrige Model as a school improvement innovation and types of staff development. The secondary purpose was to establish from the literature the relationship between staff acceptance and school improvement. Professional development strategies used by four Ohio school districts to implement the Baldrige Model were analyzed. The methodology included administering, electronically, the CBAM SoCQ to measure staff acceptance of the Baldrige Model in three of the school districts and by a paper survey in the remaining district. An ANCOVA was conducted in which each stage of the SoCQ was analyzed by each pilot district considering the variables of number of years teaching and number of years using Baldrige concepts. Site visits were made to each school district to conduct focus groups and interviews with staff regarding professional development strategies. Results indicated that there were significant staff acceptance differences in the Awareness, Informational, Management, Consequence, and Refocusing stages of concern. There were no significant differences noted for the Personal and Collaboration stages. There were differences in the professional development strategies used by the four districts. Districts that provided training for all staff members and utilized a building-based approach had fewer staff concerns regarding acceptance of the Baldrige Model and increased utilization in the classroom. This study indicated there are useful tools and techniques that enhance successful implementation of change and monitoring schools' progress toward the institutionalization of the change process.

Committee: Harold Wilson PhD (Committee Chair); Philip Griswold PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Steve Stuart PhD (Committee Member); Ann Shelly PhD (Committee Member); Greg Gerrick PhD (Other); Frank Pettigrew PhD (Other); John Sikula PhD (Other) Subjects: Education; Teaching

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2009, College of Education

In the era of educational reform, many models have been used to improve student learning. One characteristic found often in successful reform models was the change in culture of the school. Although no one model worked for everyone, choosing a model whose values and ideals closely matched the school culture was important. This ethnographic case study investigated the implementation of the Baldrige in Education Initiative as one high school developed building level improvement processes. Data were collected relating process development and group collaboration to provide evidence of culture change. The research found that over the six years bounded by this study, the organization used the Baldrige framework to develop its own processes for change and used those processes as an accepted method of operation. The staff also developed a collaborative culture through the use of small school improvement teams called Design Teams. The staff used these teams to implement their change process. The collaborative decision making through the Design Teams became the accepted method of making change represented a change in culture.

Committee: Jane Piirto PhD (Committee Chair); David Kommer EdD (Committee Member); Ann Shelly PhD (Committee Member); David Silverberg EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; School Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2013, Higher Education

The AACN has asked academic leaders to align the performance of their organizations to the prescribed standards within the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice document and has provided indicators of quality suggestions for program enhancement as a means of promoting continuous performance improvement. However, the AACN has not prescribed a strategy that specifies the manner in which colleges should achieve these benchmarked standards, which has created uncertainty among administrators about whether the indicators of quality lead to improvements that are actually indicative of improved performance. This dissertation used multiple linear regression research design to determine whether predictive relationships exist between the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) indicators of quality and the Baldrige core values and concepts of performance improvement within Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited baccalaureate colleges of nursing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the behaviors associated with specific AACN indicators of quality reflect behaviors that the Baldrige core values and concepts have already proven to be successful in achieving continuous performance improvement. The results revealed nine AACN indicators of quality behaviors most likely to enhance performance improvement outcomes within baccalaureate colleges of nursing. They include; (1) Resources are budgeted for research, development, business operations, public relations, marketing, and human resources; (2) Establishing and upholding policies that reflect faculty and leadership development resources; (3) Student experiences include service learning opportunities; (4) Practice partnerships include collaborative practice initiatives; (5) Collecting data and making program changes that focus on the level of graduate satisfaction with their preparation for the profession; (6) Faculty have input into the governance of the colle (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Meabon PhD (Committee Chair); Ronald Opp PhD (Committee Member); Susan Batten PhD (Committee Member); Sonny Ariss PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Nursing; Philosophy