Practical benchmarking : A manager's guide to creating a competitive advantage

In recent years companies have been investing more and more time and money in benchmarking, a trend which looks set to continue. Highly versatile, this practice can be adapted to fit a range of demands, from measuring business performance to improving competitiveness. As more companies feel its influence, managers are increasingly eager to familiarize themselves with benchmarking systems. Offering a step-by-step guide to implementing a benchmarking system, Practical benchmarking is an ideal starting point for any manager wanting to learn more about this technique. Alerting the reader to the pitfalls as well as the benefits, this book is crammed with useful information. By first breaking down the benchmarking process into its four main systems: internal, competitive, non-competitive and best practice/world class, Sarah Cook then goes on to address each stage in the process. Topics covered include: how to prepare for benchmarking;identifying what and who to benchmark;the practicalities of data collection and analysis;how to action improvements and monitoring progress. Packed with summaries and checklists to help you put your learning into practice, Practical Benchmarking also includes numerous case studies to help illustrate benchmarking at work. Clear and concise, this book is the ideal springboard for action, regardless of the size or type of your organization.