Benchmarking as a technique used to measure the performance of a system or component of a system, frequently compared to some reference parameter. It is a process of comparing and measuring the operations of an organization or its internal / external processes against those of a recognized market leader, both internal and external to the reference market.
In reality, on many occasions, we need a measurement standard to be able to judge and evaluate the correctness of our procedures. In short, we need a standard or reference point, this is where the search for information comes into play as a determining role, through the corresponding technical actions and pertinent analyzes, by specialists, which allows us to pinpoint exactly, the organizations that will be referents or benchmarks.
If we are located in any sports organization, it is logical to think of processes of studies of possible adversaries, through sports intelligence, among others, where we identify the substantive processes that have allowed it to reach high levels of development and competitive results, in what it plays benchmarking plays a considerable role.
Benchmarking and Sport Organization
Abstract:
The benchmarking as a useful technique to measure the profit of a system and a component of it, frequently is compared with other reference pattern, it's a process of comparing and measuring the operations of an organization or its internal or external processes against a well-known market leader, both inside or outside the reference market. In fact, in many occasions, we need a measuring pattern to be able to judge and evaluate the rightness of our procedures. Definitely, we need a standard or a reference point, where the searching of information, starts to play a determine role by the corresponding technical actions and pertinent analysis by the specialists, that may allow us to determine accurately, the organizations that will be referent and benchmark. If we place ourselves at any sport organization,it is logical to think on the study processes about possible opponents, through sport intelligence, among others; where we can identify the operating processes that have allowed them to achieve higher development levels and competitive results, in which benchmarking plays an outstanding role.
Objective: Provide the initial elements that allow the knowledge and gradual introduction of this process in our sports Organizations.
Research method used: Content analysis, analysis and synthesis.
Benchmarking is a concept that started to be used about 20 years ago. In many cases more theoretical than practical. But it was not until late in the 90s that the main companies worldwide began to be interested in this topic.
The effect of globalization means that the increasing competition to which many organizations are subjected, among them sports organizations, have forced them to seek innovative resources and techniques with which to be more competitive, one of these techniques is the Benchmarking.
At the beginning, in the 1980s, the idea of Benchmarking was to compare North American companies with Japanese ones. Currently Benchmarking consists of comparing your organization, with the best in the world, is to break with a traditional paradigm, which was to adapt to the environment, now we must work to conquer it and insert ourselves into it.
There are numerous definitions regarding this concept. However, in a generic way, most of the authors agree, with some nuances in the fundamental principles, so some possible definitions could be:
From Webster's Dictionary. This definition is also informative and defines it as: A surveyor's mark… of a previously determined position… and used as a reference point… a standard by which something can be measured or judged. It serves to reinforce the idea that benchmark is a standard for comparing other objects or activities. It is a benchmark from which others will be measured.
Benchmark is a technique used to measure the performance of a system or system component, often compared to some benchmark. It can also be found as benchmarking, which refers specifically to the action of running a benchmark. The word benchmark is an anglicism translatable into Spanish as a comparative. Although this word can also be found referring to the original meaning in the Anglo-Saxon language, it is in the computer field where its use is most widely spread
" Benchmarketing is the continuous process of measuring products, services and practices against competitors recognized as leaders in their sector "
(David T. Kearns, CEO of Xerox Corporation)
This definition presents important aspects such as the concept of continuity, since benchmarking is not only a process that is done once and forgotten, but is a continuous and constant process.
" Benchmarketing is the search for the best practices in the industry that lead to excellent performance " (Robert C. Camp)
This definition is understandable for business units and operations-oriented functions. The focus is on practices. Insist on practices and understanding of them before deriving a benchmarking metric. Measurements are viewed as the result of understanding best practices, not as something you can quantify first and understand later. It focuses on achieving excellent performance, best practice, best in class, best of its kind. It is a proactive definition since it is a positive and calculated effort to obtain the cooperation of the partners in it.
Benchmarking is the most credible justification for all operations. There is little discussion that can exist about the position of a manager if he has sought the best in the industry and has incorporated it into his plans and processes.
We understand Benchmarketing to the process of comparing and measuring the operations of an organization or its internal / external processes against those of a recognized market leader, both internal and external to the reference market. The continuous process of measuring and comparing an organization with leading organizations anywhere in the world to obtain information that helps them execute actions to improve their performance is called Benchmarking or comparative performance studies.
So we have in practice an organization that applies it, in reality what it does is search for organizations that are or are not competitors, because what it is about is looking for those elements, practices, inside and outside our specific environment of the physical activity and sport, which can be reconciled and adapted to it and analyzed based on possible improvement processes. It is about learning based on the experience of others. It is not exactly a comparative analysis of a product of the competition against ours. Benchmarking goes much further by comparing the manufacturing, launch, strategy, organization, quality processes etc…
Among other definitions we have the extract from the book BENCHMARKING by Bengt Kallöf and Svante Östblom, which states: " It is a systematic and continuous process to compare our own efficiency in terms of productivity, quality and practices with those companies and organizations that represent excellence ".
As we see in this definition, the fact that benchmarking is a continuous process is mentioned again. The term of comparison is also presented and therefore highlights the importance of measurement within the benchmark. These authors focus, apart from business operations, on their quality and productivity, considering the value that these actions have against the costs of carrying them out, which represents quality, and the relationship between goods. produced and the resources used for its production, which refers to productivity.
If we are located in any sports organization, be it our sports Industry or a team of any sport, considering the latter as an organization, since it has all the elements that characterize one, it is logical to think of processes of studies of possible adversaries, through intelligence sports, among others, where we identify the substantive processes that have allowed it to reach high levels of development and competitive results, in which benchmarking plays a considerable role.
Michael J. Spendolini states that it is "a systematic and continuous process to evaluate the products, services and work processes of organizations that are recognized as representing best practices, with the purpose of making organizational improvements."
The changes that occur in a dynamic and agile way in the modern theory of administration are leading us to know the new mission and vision to be played by management, which has to maintain high synergy in the organization, given this as a system where all internal and external factors intervene.
It is important to understand and accept it as a continuous process of comparison and not merely as a factual event.
In fact, on many occasions, we need a measurement standard to be able to judge and evaluate the correctness of our procedures. Ultimately, we need a standard or reference point, this is where the search for information comes into play as a determining role, through the corresponding technical actions and pertinent analyzes, by specialists, which allows us to pinpoint exactly, the organizations that will be referents or benchmarks.
In carrying out a benchmarking process, there are a variety of methodologies developed. One of them, proposed by Robert Boxwell, is as follows: Determine in which activities we are going to benchmark, essentially in activities whose improvement will contribute significantly to the organization's competitiveness. Determine the key factors to measure. Identify organizations with the most advanced practices. Measure the performance of organizations with more advanced practices. Measure our own performance. Develop a plan to match and beat, or improve the model. Obtain commitment from management and team members. Put the plan into practice and monitor the results.
The different benchmarking methodologies are similar in terms of their basic steps, however there is almost consensus in recognizing the following types: Internal, Competitive and Functional
The internal consists of identifying the best practices in the various departments, key result areas, strategic action units, etc. of our own organization, to then be able to apply them in other areas of the organization that have similar activities. This type of benchmarking is often carried out by large organizations, with widely extended activities, with locations in different parts of a country or the world, and that is that some work processes that exist in one part of the organization may be more efficient or effective than those from other parts of the organization. Frequently, sharing a significant amount of information accompanies internal benchmarking.Many organizations can realize the immediate benefits of identifying their internal best practices and transferring that information to other parts of the organization.
The competitive one includes the identification of products, services and work processes of the direct competitors of our organization. The objective of this is to identify specific information about the products, processes and results of its competitors and compare them with those of our organization.
Functional benchmarking includes the identification of products, services and work processes of organizations that may or may not be direct competitors of our organization. Its objective is to identify the best practices of any type of organization that has earned a reputation for excellence in the specific area that is being benchmarked. The word functional is used because in this field, it mainly includes specific activities in a certain functional area, such as manufacturing, marketing, engineering, human resources.
From what we have been able to see, there are several definitions of what benchmarking is, and although they differ in some respects, it can also be noted that they agree or present a series of common elements. To begin with, most of them highlight the fact that it is a continuous process and not just a panacea that when applied in our organization solves its problems, but it is a process that will be applied over and over again, since This process is in constant search of the best practices of the organization, and as we know these are in constant change and to adapt to it, it develops new practices, so it cannot be assured that those that we consider best today will also be tomorrow.
Another of the important coinciding points is that it is specified that benchmarking is not a recipe or fixed model, but rather a process of continuous discovery and learning, in which the concept of measurement and comparison is of utmost importance, taking into account consideration, context, characteristics of both the general and specific external environment.
On the other hand, it is common to assert that this process is not only applicable to operations of production or generation of services, but can be applied to all phases of the process leading to generating an output, which in the case of sports organizations are reflected in Table 1, associated with possible services, so we can assure that benchmarking is a tool that helps us improve all aspects and operations, to the point of being among the best in physical activity and sport, observing aspects such as quality and effectiveness.
Similarly, we can conclude that the fact that this process will focus on the practices and operations of organizations that are recognized as best practices in the field of physical activity and sport is of utmost importance. So it is a new way of managing as it changes the practice of comparing only internally to comparing our operations based on externally imposed standards by other recognized organizations such as leaders or those that have excellence within our specific environment.
In conclusion, we can say that the final purpose of the process is to create a sustainable competitive advantage over time; For this it is necessary to develop collaboration, mutual support, so that you can innovate, try new things, become exceptionally productive and effective, and become a model, a point of reference, a "benchmark".
We cannot ignore the five stages proposed by Spendolini
1.- Determine what is going to be done.
Define who are the clients for the information.
Determine the benchmarking information needs.
Identification of critical success factors.
Diagnosis of the benchmarking process.
2.- Formation of a benchmarking team.
Consideration of benchmarking as a team activity.
Who are those involved in the benchmarking process.
Internal specialists. External specialists. Employees.
Define roles and responsibilities of the team in charge.
Definition of skills and attributes of an efficient benchmarking practitioner.
Training.
Planning.
3.- Identification of benchmarking partners.
Establishment of own information network.
Identify information resources.
Find best practices.
Benchmarking networks.
Other sources of information.
4.- Collect and analyze benchmarking information.
Meet.
Collect information.
Organize information.
Analysis of the information.
5.- Act.
Produce a benchmarking report.
Presentation of results to benchmarking clients.
Identify possible service and process improvements.
Vision of the project in its entirety.
Scope and limitations of Benchmarking
Benchmarking studies make it easier for an organization to know both its strengths and weaknesses and those of the competition, that is, it is not only an introspective process, but also allows the organization to better understand the environment in which it operates. In addition to the above, the improvement perspective focuses on the long term and achieving tangible superiority, this makes benchmarking a useful tool with strategic value to achieve a broad advantage that can defend and compete successfully, even benefiting the client or user.
Benchmarking constitutes a firm support for decision-making, since it allows them to be formulated on objective and verifiable bases, in addition, which in itself helps to establish achievable goals and objectives and at the same time facilitates the improvement of the organizational structure., administrative and work systems, as well as performance evaluation methods at all levels of the organization. Unfortunately, it will not always be easy to undertake a study with these or other techniques, since in addition to the resources required for this, which may be more or less substantial; Management commitment is required in a permanent effort and it may even take a long time to achieve the desired results.
On the other hand, the difficulties in obtaining information can be various, for example, the denial of the organizations with which you want to compare your own design for various reasons: the possibility that, despite agreeing to share the information, not have measurement mechanisms.
5 tips to start benchmarking
1. Identify the areas of your organization in trouble: Because benchmarking can be applied to any process. Previous research will be required including: informal talks with users, team members, athletes, coaches, etc. This through market research, statistical questionnaires, satisfaction surveys, process maps, financial analysis and reports on quality controls.
2. Identify organizations that are leaders in those areas.
Look for the best in each category and in each country. Consult with users, suppliers, sports analysts, federations and specialized magazines to determine which organizations are worth investigating.
3. Study the best practices of these organizations.
An initial study can be done in a good university library or on the Internet. This will give you an overview, further details will require a personal visit. Determine what topics are out of study, what things do not interest them. Ask if they can bring cameras and video cameras. Prepare two lists well in advance: a list of your goals and a list of questions. Choose between 2 and 5 visitors, people who are related to the topic that concerns them who will be responsible for implementing any recommendation. They may also include a consultant outside the visiting group.
Meet with your team to explain the purpose of the visit and assign each one or two questions to ask the workers of the organization to visit. Explain what topics are out of the study. Tell them to think about how this visit can improve the organization / sector / area and to think of more questions.
Send a confirmation notification a week before, clarifying the day, time, place of the visit, how many people will go and their positions, their objectives and a list of possible questions. Visits last approximately 1 to 3 hours. Focus on your goals. Look for anything unexpected or outstanding. Discuss what you have learned and how to apply it successfully. Then make sure that each visitor has an action plan detailing how they should implement the new information in their work. After a while, call the visited Center again to express your appreciation and give concrete examples of how the knowledge gained from the visit will be used. Send them a copy of all reports for allowing them access to your facilities.
4. Implement best practices. Delegate responsibility for actions to inter-area individuals or teams. Set measurable goals that must be met within a specified time frame. Monitor the results. Get key people in the organization / sector / area to provide you with a one-page-long report on how changes are being implemented. Distribute this information to the entire organization
5. Repeat. Benchmarking is a continuous process. Best practices can always improve.
Conclusions: Finally, I consider that in our sports organizations, we are in a position to be able to initiate the application of this technique, which, among others, can undoubtedly lead to the achievement of greater achievements in the result of physical activity and sport in our country, strengthening and consolidating one of the conquests of our social process.
Bibliography
- Benchmarking, Robert C. Camp. / First edition; 1993. / Editorial Panorama Editorial, SABenchmarking, Bengt Karlöf & Svante Östblom. / First edition, 1993. / Editorial John Wiley & Sons.Benchmarking to compete with advantage, Boxwell Robert J./1994/ Mcgraw-Hill / Interamericana de España.S.ABenchmarking for best practices: Winning trough innovative adaptation by Christopher E. Bogan and Michel J. English (1994), McGraw-Hill) Benchmarking, Michael J. Spendolini. / 2005. / Grupo Editorial Norma.León Santos M. Process management. Havana: University of Havana, 2006.Alonso Arévalo J, Martín Cerro S. Benchmarking: A tool to manage excellence in libraries and information services. 2004. Available at: May 3, 2006].
