Bridging organizational performance gaps using the EFQM excellence model

The purpose of the article is to develop knowledge from applied research that examined a real-time application of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model in Isfahan Regional Electric Company (IREC). The study objectives include identifying strengths and areas requiring improvement and stimulating a quality culture to address them. The research was conducted in three stages: (1) formation of a focus group to analyze the gap between the desired situation and the current state of IREC, (2) distribution of questionnaires among experts inside and outside the company, and identification of the importance of each factor causing a gap and (3) reestablishment of the focus group to provide strategies to close the gap between the current and desired states. The key findings indicate that (a) employee management, (b) social and customer impact, (c) key performance results, and (d) partnership and resources, have significant gaps with the desired situation. Improvement strategies were recommended to bridge these gaps and improve the IREC performance measurement and evaluation system, its strengths, and areas for improvement. This paper contributes to quality and performance management bodies of knowledge. Our organizational framework and associated contributions serve as a managerial resource.