标杆管理起源于20世纪70年代末80年代初。当时,日本成为世界企业界的学习榜样。在美国学习日本的运动中,美国的施乐公司首先开辟了后来被它命名为标杆管理的管理方式。经过长期的实践,施乐公司将标杆管理定义为:一个将产品、服务和实践与最强大的竞争对手或是行业领导者相比较的持续流程。其核心就是以行业最高标准或是以最大竞争对手的标准作为目标来改进自己的产品(包括服务)和工艺流程。 Benchmarking originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At that time, Japan became a role model for business in the world. In the United States’ movement to learn about Japan, Xerox in the United States pioneered the management that it later named Benchmarking. After years of practice, Xerox defines benchmarking as a continuous process of comparing products, services, and practices with the most powerful competitors or industry leaders. Its core is to improve its products (including services) and process flow with the highest industry standards or the standards of the largest competitors.