A comparative study of 16 national quality awards

With the success of the Deming Prize, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the European Quality Award, many other countries have developed or are in the midst of developing their own quality award programs. This article provides background information on 16 national quality awards (NQAs) and discusses the similarities and differences among them. Key strengths of each award are also highlighted. Recommendations for developing an NQA are provided based on the findings.