Muslim Excellence & Competitiveness Corporations' Award

MECCAward Structure

.

Muslim Excellence & Competitiveness Corporation's Award
(MECCAward)
Preface

Nowadays, dramatic economic, social and technological evolutions engender fundamental changes in the field of modern management systems and its methods; consequently, a totally different view point is dominant on company management.

One of these new concepts which have recently become prevalent in many countries is the theory of organizing new trading models and national and international excellence awards in which different organizations and companies are assessed in comparison with excellent organizations. This concept creates a more competitive atmosphere and help improvement of these organizations.

Excellence awards, if applied properly, are efficient tools that can initiate organizational values and concepts, prepare and implement strategic programs, apply self-assessments methods, train company members and initialize constant improvements in organizations.

Islamic countries organizations and agencies parallel to globalization are obliged to cope with global events. Hence, conducting such awards among Islamic countries prepares the grounds for further cooperation and education. This award is based on fundamental definitions and evaluation criteria which are included in the following manual.
Introduction

All excellence awards are offered after assessing all applicants’ performance and with attention to certain criteria. When offering excellence reward, a complete assessment of organization’s operative activity, product sustainability, product distribution, services and customer care should be made.

MECCA ward encompasses 2 concepts of value and symbolic.

A)     value concepts:

Excellence awards as a source of different theories and experiences contain information that show the quality of applicants' perseverance in considering these values. These pieces of information create value concepts. Some of them are listed below:

1.       A chance to appreciate human capabilities.

2.       A way to laud leaders who encharge themselves with establishing excellent organizations based on Islamic values.

3.       An opportunity to credit the fundamental trading procedure, the main aim of which is to achieve a role model status.

4.       A way of meeting satisfaction of all benefactors that organizations’ success is heavily dependent upon.

5.       A method of paying attention to social affairs as a responsible citizen with taking Islamic values into account.

6.       A chance to make realistic decisions in the guise of a rational company.

B)    Symbolic concepts of MECCA in Islamic countries :

In practical levels MECCAward is in fact a symbol among Islamic countries. In this respect, we should consider two very important factors:

1.       Healthy quality scheme which would arouse respect and trust among the Islamic community. Such aims are only possible by choosing qualified assessors who encourage greater performance by applying well-planned methods in future.

2.       Accuracy and estimation of values as a scale to assess Islamic organizations' activities.
MECCAward Regulations

MECCAward quality scheme was first proposed by a group of senior assessors from Iran's National Quality Award (INQA) to Islamic Chamber of Research and Information Center (ICRIC) in 2006. Following the negotiations made with other members of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), the award was finalized in September 2006. ICRIC has been henceforth assigned as the executive director of the Award. MECCAward Secretariat is located in, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

MECCAward objectives:

1.       To perform a leading role in enhancing the efficiency of Islamic countries organizations.

2.       To take advantage of the Muslim world potentials to develop and advance excellence culture.

3.       To encourage organizations to perform self assessment operations, using experiences of qualified Islamic organizations in order to recognize their own merits as well as needed improvements.

4.       To improve Muslim-country organizations' competitiveness in international trading and to increase their compatibility with global markets.

5.       To improve quality and productivity levels and to achieve sustainable economic progress among Islamic countries.

6.       To recognize and praise the most successful organizations of Islamic world.

7.       To promulgate Islamic values in business and at international levels.

Content of this manual as included below contains the guidelines for celebrating the first round MECCAward:
Chapter 1: Definitions and scope:

1.      Definitions:

Muslim Excellence Competitiveness Corporation Award abbreviated as MECCAward is an award granted on the basis of the contents of this manual and its instructions. The award is offered by Islamic Chamber of Research and Information Center (ICRIC) to qualified organizations possessing the requirements set by members of Islamic chamber (according to No.3 classification of the Award) and held each year on the holy day of prophet's Mabás.



2.      Decision making reference:

The MECCA ward Governance Board is the highest decision making sector, the members and duties of which are included in Act 9.



3.      scope and award levels:



All organizations and economic agencies registered in ICCI can request for the award. The award is performed for 2 groups of large organizations and economic agencies having more than 150 personnel and those having less than 150 personnel.

4.      assessment criteria:

The main assessment criteria for MECCAward applicants based on fundamental values and concepts are as follows:

1-       Leadership

2-       Policy and strategy

3-       Human capabilities

4-       Partnership and Resources

5-       Processes

6-       Customer results

7-       Human capabilities results

8-       Society results

9-       Key performance results

Subordinate Criteria related to the main criteria and scoring principles can be applied by the expert committee’s approval.

5. MECCA Excellency Levels:

Different Levels of MECCAward Excellency distinguish companies according to their achievements in excellence and demonstrate that to what extent the companies are successful to achieve exellency. Excellence levels, according to records ratified by experts committee at the beginning of each period are as follows:

        MECCAward winners that include three levels listed below:

A.      GOLDEN prize: the winner is chosen among the candidates of each level. Candidates, who achieve the highest score, are chosen as the role model at the level of Islamic countries and will receive The Golden award.

B.      SILVER prize: between the candidates at each level, those known as the role model and achieve a higher score than set point will receive the prize.

C.      BRONZE prize: Applicants who have applied the organizational model completely and have obtained an incessant improvement in a specific period are entitled as the winner of Bronze prize.

            certificate of Recognized for Excellence:

Those applicants who have achieved some improvements in organizational excellency with a good management system, if attain a better score than set point, are qualified to receive the certificate of recognized for excellence.

            Certificate of committed to excellence:

Is assigned for organizations that hold training courses and perform self-assessment procedures properly and put their commitment into the practice.

Note 1: participation of winners of golden prize is forbidden for the next three years to pave the way for other applicants and give them a better chance of winning the prize.

Note2. All winners of GOLDEN, SILVER and BRONZE prizes are allowed to announce their achievement in less than three years from thetime of being entitled as a winner. In this case, they should also mention the exact date of their attainment.

6.      MECCAward grant period :

The award grant ceremony is held annually and the prize will be offered to applicants assessed based on this manual and award time table.

Note: applicants of level 2 and 3 in Act.5 of this manual are not compelled to observe MECCAward time table's regulations and can present their application request to the secretariat whenever they want.

7. MECCAward time table : the time table of award grant in each round is prepared by expert committee and will be approved at the first meeting of governance board.
Chapter 2: MECCAward bodies and their duties:

Act no.8:

Bodies:

       .Governance Board

       .Steering Committee

       .Experts Committee

        . Award Secretariat

         .MECCAward annual host

DIAGRAM NUMBER .1





Act. No.9) 1. MECCAward Governance Board

A) Board members

Governance Board members include 5 ICRIC representatives chosen by the present manager. Considering the head of governance board, this committee consists of six members.

Note.1. ICRIC's present manager is appointed as head of governance board and ICRIC's executive manager.

Note 2. Based on Act. 12, the executive manager of the award is chosen by the Governance Board.

Note 3. Meetings are held and organized by MECCAward secretary. Governance Board meetings are formally hold by the presence of at least two third of the members. The regulations approved by governance board can be applied with maximum members vote.

Note 4. In case the present manager isn't a member of the board, he will become a member by the approval of board members.

B) Duties and responsibilities:

MECCAward Governance Board which whose responsibility is to watch over the exactitude of MECCAward grant ceremony, holds a meeting at the beginning of each period and checks the following issues:

1.       Listening to analytic report of previous period presented by the MECCAward secretariat.

2.       Verification and approval of operative affairs time table in current round presented by steering committee and award secretariat.

3.       . Approval of the main and subordinate assessment criteria and their points for current round.

4.       Approval of score limits pertaining to each excellence level for current round.

5.       Approval of standards and methods for choosing assessors criteria and assessors qualifying procedures and senior assessors and finally choosing them for current round.

6.       Final approval of the Islamic country responsible for executing the next year's ceremony (in the following 18 months).

7.       Approval of the amendments made on the Regulation and issues related to the steering committee.

8.       choosing the members of expert committee and its head.

Note: holding the governance board's meeting is possible on special occasion only by the confirmation of governance board chief or head of steering committee.

2. STEERING COMMITTEE

A)     Committee members

This committee consists of 20 members which are chosen by the Governance Board among the representatives of Islamic country's' excellent companies from different members of Islamic conference organization.

Head of Steering Committee is elected by votes of committee member and assigned by the head of Governance board fortwo years.

B)    Duties and Responsibilities

Steering Committee holds meetings every 6 months, the duties of which are as follows:

·         Assigning operative policies concerning permanent secretariat’s activities, Experts Committee and award executor.

·         Analyzing the executive procedures time table which has been prepared by the executer and presenting to the Governance Board to be approved.

·         Solving probable problems and making needed contributions for better execution of award ceremony.

·         Analyzing necessary changes in Manual and offering them to the Governance Board to be approved.

·         Analyzing main and subordinate assessment criteria and the scores and the changes in reviews (defined by Expert Committee) and presenting them to Governance board to be approved.

·         Analyzing the score limits of each excellence level (defined by Expert Committee) and getting them approved by the Governance Board.

·         Approving the executive procedures defined by the Experts Committee to assess the applicants in different levels of business excellence.

·         Analyzing the Experts Committee reports on supervision of assessor and senior assessors' performance.

·         Analyzing the Experts Committee reports on supervision of applicant assessment process.

·         Supervising the execution of final award ceremony.

·         Checking the results of applicant's' complaints.

·         Offering necessary suggestions to the Secretariat during the project.

·         Preparing and offering related reports to the Governance Board.

Note 1. The steering committee in its first meeting approves the internal regulations of the Steering Committee prepared by the secretariat.

Note 2. If necessary, extra meetings will be held under the supervision of head of Steering Committee.

Act.11) 3. Experts Committee

A)     Committee members

Experts Committee consists of 15 personnel, 14 of which are suggested by the award president and chosen by Steering Committee among professors, qualified managers and experts. The head of Experts Committee is assigned by Governance Board. All members are assigned to their positions for 2 years.

B)    Duties and responsibilities:

·         Reviewing MECCAward timetables prepared by the secretariat and offering it to the Steering Committee for final approval.

·         Applying necessary changes to MECCAward Manuel and getting them approved by the Steering Committee.

·         Defining assessment criteria and criterion parts and their scores and proposing them to the Steering Committee to be approved.

·         Defining score limits of each Excellency Level and proposing them to the Steering Committee to be approved.

·         Defining assessors and senior assessors’ required qualifications and knowledge for Steering Committee in order to be approved.

·         Documenting the executive procedures for assessing the applicants in different levels of business excellence and proposing them to the Steering Committee to be approved.

·         Supervision of assessors/senior assessors’ performance.

·         Supervision of assessment procedures for award applicants.

·         Defining different conditions of attaining excellence award for applicants.

·         Supervision on publications.

·         Qualifying special centers for assessors training courses.

·         Reviewing the assessment criteria after each round of awarding.

·         Reviewing feedbacks, comments and complaints of the applicants and offering the results to the Steering Committee.

·         Offering the necessary suggestions to the secretariat / Executive Committee.

·         Preparing and offering necessary reports to the Steering Committee.

Act.12) 4. MECCA Secretariat

MECCAward's constant secretary is located in Tehran and is in charge of all executive procedures. Secretary Manager is the head of Steering Committee.

Duties and responsibilities:

·         Holding meetings and managing MECCAward secretary and performing all related executive procedures.

·         Cooperation with Experts Committee in preparing the timetable of each round.

·         Preparing and editing regulations and instructions and offering them to the related bodies in order to be approved.

·         Taking necessary and expert actions needed for award bodies.

·         Publishing related publications.

·         Arranging a public recalling to enroll applicants.

·         Setting necessary arrangements for holding Governance Board meeting, Steering Committee, and Experts Committee.

·         Holding training courses for assessors and senior assessors.

·         Receiving needed information from applicants, classifying and analyzing them.

·         Planning and sending assessors to assess applicants.

·         Referring feedbacks taken from the assessments to the jury (Governance Board and Steering Committee) for making final decision.

·         Preparing prizes to grant to qualified organizations (Gold, Silver and Bronze statures, certificates and letters of appreciation).

·         Preparing performance report and presenting it to the steering committee.

·         Cooperation with the award executer in performing the final ceremony award grant.

·         Preparing time table of the next round and presenting them to steering committee.

Note: MECCA secretariat can devolve the assessment making or award granting on another governmental or non-governmental organization (as executors of the award) if approved by the Governance Board.

5) PERIODIC MECCAward executor:

Act.13.)

A)     Process

MECCAward executor is assigned 18 months before the ceremony (6 months before present round) among volunteer countries of OIC in the Governance Board meetings. All executive procedures and sub-programs like scientific conferences and qualified-organizations visits of the same country will be performed by the executor and under the supervision of Governance Board, Steering and Experts Committees.

B)    Duties and responsibilities:

·         Arranging executive team and assigning ceremony's executor and manager.

·         Preparing operative affairs timetables and having it approved by the related organizations.

·         Arranging lateral programs like holding scientific conferences and visiting successful organizations.

·         Holding the awarding ceremony and lateral programs.

·         Preparing and presenting performance report and offering them to the related references.

6) Internal regulations:

Internal regulations are prepared based on MECCAward Secretariat suggestions which should finally be approved by the Governance Board.

Act.14) 7. Regulations:

This section will be completed later.

and Information Center (ICRIC) in 2006. Following the negotiations with other members of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), the award was finalized in September 2006. ICRIC has been henceforth assigned as the executive director of the Award. MECCAward Secretariat Information Center (ICRIC) in 2006. Following the negotiations with other members of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), the award was finalized in September 2006. ICRIC has been henceforth assigned as the executive director of the Award. MECCAward is located in ICRIC, Tehran , Islamic Republic of Iran.
MECCAward Timetable 2008:

October 2007:
MECCAward assessors training.

December 2007:
MECCAward Assessors training.

January 2008:
Closing date for submission documents to arrive at MECCAward.

February 2008:
Governance Board Meeting.

April 2008:
Site visits.

June 2008:
Jury meeting.

July 2008:
Applicants receive the feedback report.

August 2008:
Final ceremony.
Who should apply to MECCAward?

Entry to MECCAward is open to any kind of high performing organization operating within Islamic nation. A typical award applicant should aim to reach at least the Finalist level which can be summarized as follows:

·         Your most important results have been improving for 3-5 years and in some cases are best in class.

·         Systematic improvement has been a way of life across your organization for at least 5 years.

·         You have a number of organization-wide improvement programs integrated and deployed to your overall strategy.

·         You will have assessed yourself and/or externally against the MECCAward Model several times typically also with Assessors independent from your organization.

Why?

·         Unique way to motivate and energize your employees at all levels in a positive and constructive atmosphere.

·         The chance to find out "how good your organization really is" by being measured against World's most widely used management framework (EFQM Excellence model).

·         The opportunity to receive over 40 pages of feedback on your organization, both strengths and areas for improvement, and a face-to-face interview to deepen your understanding.

·         The feedback you get comes from practicing managers from a range of sectors and nationalities, they are independent from the applicant organizations and are not seeking an ongoing financial relationship with your organization.

The Input

All applicants need to qualify to be admitted in to the Award process, either with a qualification file for new applicants or by showing progress for reapplying candidates.

Applicants are offered two ways to enter the Award assessment and are welcomed to discuss with MECCAward on the best entry format for them at the time of application. Both ways include hosting a team of MECCAward trained assessors on a site visit.

The Classic entry requires applicants to write a full submission document of 75 pages against the MECCAward Model. This serves as a starting point for the Assessor team of 4-8 trained assessors prior to the site visit.

The 2005+ alternative entry requires applicants to write a qualification file and enabler map (together 25 pages). These documents serve as initial information to the assessor team.

In both cases the site visit is conducted by a team of 4-8 assessors facilitating selected interviews with applicant employees at all levels.

The Output

As direct output from the application and assessment, applying organizations receive a feedback report containing:

Executive summary concentrating on the key strengths and areas for improvement.

Strengths and areas for improvement on criterion part level.

A score profile, which facilitates benchmarking with other organizations.



The Roadmap to Excellence:

1. Identify and Recognize Fundamentals of Excellence:

Review the basics of Excellence and discuss them with top management. Obtaining top management's commitment is the most important step in this path. Everyone must be well aware of what is being discussed.

2. Review and Understand the Framework of MECCAward

Arrange a multifunctional team with members from various departments of the organization with the goal to learn the values, criteria, and the assessment process of MECCAward. Familiarity with the model brings about comprehension of the path towards excellence.

3. Perform Self-Assessment

To understand where one is headed one must know where s/he stands. Therefore, you have to acquire the skills to self-assess based on recommended methods in order to identify your position on the road towards excellence.

4. Prepare Feedback Report

Following the self-assessment, the strengths and areas for improvement of the organization in each of MECCAward criteria will be identified by the assessment team. Operational projects shall be determined to improve and achieve targets. The requirements and resources needed for execution of these projects shall be determined and obtained.

5. Communicate with Secretariat and Register for Award

Now you can apply and register as applicant in the appropriate level and category of MECCAward concurrent with execution of your improvement projects.

6. Prepare Relevant Documents and Submit It

Subsequent to registration you shall begin preparation of relevant document based on the format indicated by MECCAward secretariat. It may consist of the information acquired through the previous steps regarding the strengths, areas for improvement, and improvement, and improvement projects and must be submitted to MECCAward secretariat afterwards.

7. Participate in Introduction Meeting and Training Courses

MECCAward secretariat will hold an introduction meeting for the assessors and applicants. Some training courses may be setup for further acquaintance with the model and MECCAward process.

8. Document Review

The documents of all the applicants will be reviewed and assessed by qualified assessment teams.

9. Participate in the Award Ceremony

The award ceremony will be held annually one day after the holy day of Mab'ath. The award winners will be recognized and honored in the ceremony. The ceremony is also a distinctive opportunity for networking with top level managers of Muslim companies.

10. Site Visit

In case the applicant receives a score higher than 200 then a site visit will be planned by secretariat and the applicant will be formally informed of the plan.