The interest in self-assessment has increased during the last few years. Self-assessment with regards to Total Quality Management is often proposed as a tool for measuring the progress of Total Quality Management.
Many models are available for self-assessment purposes.
However, studies of organizations that are using self-assessment indicate that so far this approach is more common among large organizations than among small organizations. One reason for this could be that the assessment models available are not suitable for small organizations, as some researchers propose. The thesis presents the results of this research, the Springboard, which aims at being more appropriate for small organizations than the existing quality award models. As a result, one of the aspects that has been considered when developing the Springboard is the scope of the assessment model. These areas are all derived from a set of core values of Total Quality Management.