Integration

Definition:

"Integration" refers to the harmonization of plans, processes, information, resource decisions, actions, results, and analysis to support key organization-wide goals. Effective integration goes beyond alignment and is achieved when the individual components of a performance management system operate as a fully interconnected unit.

Features:

- Begins with alignment

- Culminates in interconnectivity

Questions to be asked in analyzing integration:

- How well is the approach aligned with the applicant's organizational needs identified in the other Criteria Items and the Organizational Profile? How well is the approach integrated with these needs? (Examples of needs are strategic challenges, objectives, and related action plans; organizational mission, vision, and goals; key processes and measures; key customer/market segments and requirements; and employee groups and requirements.)

Integration is one of the dimensions considered in evaluating Process Items. For a more comprehensive description of how Integration is used in evaluating Process Items, see the Baldrige Scoring System.

Integration is also an A-D-L-I scoring dimension in the Process Scoring Guidelines.

Go to Baldrige Application Information Capture and Response Templates (click to access):

• Organizational Performance Alignment and Integration Matrix

• Customer and Market Segments and Requirements

• Employee Groups

• Strategic Challenges

• Strategic Objectives

• Strategic Action Plans

• Key Value Delivery Processes and Requirements

• Key Support Processes and Requirements

• Organizational Mission and Vision

Go to related Baldrige Best Practices (click to access):

• Strategic Planning

• Plan Formulation

• Resource Decision Making and Allocation

• Strategic Resource Commitment

• Process Management

• Analysis

• Evaluation

• Improvement Action Process

The term "integration" appears in the Baldrige Criteria in the following locations: