Aiming high: Competitive benchmarking for superior performance

Abstract In Competitive Benchmarking a firm's performance is measured against that of ‘best-in-class companies’ to determine how to achieve performance levels. Business functions are analysed as processes which produce a product or customer service, and benchmarking can be applied to strategy, operations or management support functions. Customers are the primary source for market and competitive intelligence. Benchmarking should be a continuous process and should aim not just to match but to beat the competition. The article describes the process at Xerox Corporation.