1. Certainly the data processing staff are going to have to spend time with Joseph Arthur himself as they set out to answer each of the various sections for this category. Arthur has maintained tight control over his organization and is in a unique position to guide the staff to the appropriate sources.
Besides Arthur, who will serve as the initial contact and likely guide for the process, the data processing staff should expect to find answers in the accounting department, operations and the marketing department. Because this category seeks to determine how reliable information is, the accounting (and specifically the purchasing section of the accounting department) will be critical due to the standardized processes in place and the audit guidelines they have established. The marketing department can furnish information about the competition, and the operations department can provide data about the processes involved in the day-to-day restaurant operations.
2. The most difficult section for which to gather data will be that of competitive comparisons and benchmarks. Arthur's competes with a variety of companies, some of which are small and region-based while others are national chains. Since competitive information is carefully guarded even among publicly held companies, this information will not be easy to come by. The marketing department should be able to assist in gathering this information since, presumably, they have information about the competition. Beyond this, investigation will need to be done through published sources and through industry contacts regarding benchmark data used in other organizations. Where possible, interviews with former employees of the competition can be conducted to help furnish information in this area.
3. The Baldrige Award requires a great deal of documentation which seems excessive for small companies. It is unlikely that a company such as Arthur's will be able to supply all o
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