Benchmarking is the systematic process of comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and best practices from other companies. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time, and cost. Benchmarking models are useful to determining how well a business unit, division, organization or corporation is performing compared with other similar organizations. Business benchmarking is related to Kaizen, continuous improvement, and competitive advantage thinking.

In the process of best practice benchmarking, management identifies the best firms in their industry, or in another industry where similar processes exist, and compares the results and processes of those studied (the "targets") to one's own results and processes. In this way, they learn how well the targets perform and, more importantly, the business processes that explain why these firms are successful.

Large consulting firms are often hired due to their access to competitive benchmarking information, which they have acquired by working with large numbers of companies.

This deck provides an introduction to benchmarking and includes a 10-step approach to developing and maintaining benchmarks.

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