Current position and future development of benchmarking

Reports on a survey, conducted among a cross‐section of organizations, to establish the current state of benchmarking and to attempt to project its future developments. Reveals that determining the mechanisms for the transfer of best practices within an organization is a high‐priority issue. Formal programmes for benchmarking in general,and for benchmarking training specifically, were also highly important areas to be developed further. Indicates that the use of computers in benchmarking seems to be growing, although direct contact with other companies and firsthand observation of best practices are still the preferred methods.