COMPARING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND QUALITY INITIATIVES OF BALDRIGE AWARD WINNERS

Abstract

Can best‐practice quality firms leverage their quality programs for environmental management? This paper explores this question by comparing the implementation of successful and unsuccessful quality and environmental initiatives in five manufacturing‐ and five service‐sector Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (mbnqa) winners. The results lead to a series of propositions to guide future research. While the literature suggests that quality and environmental programs are closely related, this study finds that drivers of successful environmental initiatives are not the same as those for successful quality initiatives.