Case Study: RITZ-CARLTON
Ritz-Carlton is one of the world's leading hotel companies. It is recognized across its industry and beyond as a leading exponent of TQM, putting principles into practice. In 1992, it became the first, and to date the only, hotel organization to receive a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Operated by the United States Department of Commerce, the MBNQAs recognize exceptional achievement in quality management. Ritz-Carlton repeated the feat in 1999, making it one of only two companies of any kind that has ever received an MBNQA twice. Ritz-Carlton has 87 hotels in 27 countries, more than 20,000 guest rooms and 35,000 employees. Competition in hospitality continually increases, while travelers are becoming more and more demanding, expecting high levels of reliability, care and personalized services. Consequently, the achievement of an internationally recognized quality award provides a real competitive advantage.