Volkswagen Navarra, the worldwide manufacturing base for the Polo model, has received the Industrial Excellence Award Spain 2014, which IESE awards through its CELSA Chair of Manufacturing Competitiveness.
Operational innovation within a global group
IESE operations experts have put a high value on the Volkswagen Pamplona plant’s contribution to the efficiency and productivityof the global brand.
"In the automotive sector, where competition is very intense, it’s common practice to centralize strategic decisions and standardize processes," said IESE Prof. Eduard Calvo, academic director of the prize. "The Pamplona plant stands out for its ability to introduce innovations such as the Polo WRC’s hood sandwich and apply groundbreaking operational methodologies such as the kanbanyokes (a fusion of the kanban and pokayoke concepts) or the use of the ‘falcon’s eye’ in the industrial field, and furthermore make them available to the global brand."
All of this, along with the quality of the communication and transparency with employees and representatives, has been key in awarding the prize to Volkswagen Navarra.
The "Management-Quality" Model
Each year the awards jury analyzes exemplary businesses in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, although companies from other European countries can also participate. In order to draw a comparison between the industrial excellence of different sectors and countries, the jury works within a conceptual framework called "Management-Quality" which assesses the elements involved in obtaining the best results.
Specifically, what is borne in mind is whether the company has a coherent system related to where it’s going, along with strategic alignment, delegation of responsibilities, integration, participation, measurement of results, communication and employee development.
A European prize
The recognition given to the work of Volkswagen Navarra puts the company on the threshold of the European Industrial Excellence Award, which has been awarded since 1995 by INSEAD, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management and academic partners IESE Business School, Judge Business School, Rotterdam School of Management and TU Eindhoven.
The finalists in the European prize each have to make a 30-minute presentation. The decision of the jury and the awarding of the prize will take place during the 11th WirtschaftsWoche Conference on October 22 and 23.