How to Characterize Business Excellence and Determine the Relation between Business Excellence and Sustainability

A descriptive attribute or characteristic of an object is called dimension. In the area of Business Excellence, this concept is associated with national quality awards and Business Excellence models. The aim of the paper is to identify the Business Excellence dimensions, on the grounds of comparative analysis of selected national quality award models, including determination of relations between the Business Excellence and Sustainability. Cross-cultural comparison of Business Excellence core values in the analyzed excellence models/national quality awards will be helpful in identification of the Business Excellence dimensions. The main findings of this study are: The basis for achieving Business Excellence is to respect the core principles of TQM (Total Quality Management); Business Excellence dimensions can be identified based on core values; Business Excellence can be characterized through dimensions; there is a relationship between the Business Excellence dimensions and the Sustainability dimensions. This study is based on information that was gathered through an extensive literature review (research publications and research studies (documents) about the national quality awards and Business Excellence models using Internet and research databases (Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO) and the authors' own experience. Methods of analysis, comparison, selection, abstraction, induction, deduction, determination, and statistics were used. The paper is organized as follows: the methodology approach; the comparative review of the secondary data on Business Excellence core values in the analyzed models; discussion about the main findings, including the link between the Business Excellence dimensions and Sustainability dimensions.