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The following information is intended to arm you with a practical instrument you can use right away as part of your benchmarking efforts. It has proven valuable to countless organizations, and we hope it will prove to be so for you, too. Benchmarking has remained in the top five AQP Information Center requests for the past five years. A recent reader poll in AQP's News for a Change cited, "No one can afford not to benchmark," as the number-one response. To help accommodate the demand for assistance in benchmarking AQP's Information Center offers services ranging from a basic literature scan to indepth searches of potential benchmarking partners, as well as background information. Call 800-733-3310 for assistance or email [email protected].
THE CODE OF CONDUCT EMPHASIZES THE following points:
Keep it legal.
Be willing to give what you get.
Respect confidentiality.
Keep information internal.
Use benchmarking contacts.
Don't refer without permission.
Be prepared from the start
Understand expectations.
Act in accord with expectations.
Be honest
Follow through with commitment.
Preamble:
Benchmarking-the process of identifying and learning from best practices anywhere in the world-is a powerful tool in the quest for continuous improvement.
To guide benchmarking encounters and advance the professionalism and effectiveness of benchmarking, the International Benchmarking Clearinghouse, a service of the American Productivity & Quality Center, and the Strategic Planning Institute Council on Benchmarking, have adopted this common Code of Conduct. We encourage all organizations and individuals involved in benchmarking to abide by this Code of Conduct. Adherence to these principles will contribute to efficient, effective, and ethical benchmarking. This edition of the Code of Conduct has been expanded to provide greater guidance on the protocol of benchmarking for beginners.
Benchmarking Code of Conduct:
Individuals agree for themselves and their company to abide by the following principles for benchmarking with other organizations.
1. Principle of Legality
1.1 If there is any potential question on the legality of an activity, don't do it.
1.2 Avoid discussions or actions that could lead to or imply an interest in restraint...