European Foundation for Quality Management Business Excellence Model: An integrative review and research agenda

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of the research topics and methodologies used in the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Business Excellence Model studies, as well as to suggest a future research agenda.

An integrative literature review methodology was used to explore the diversity of studies being conducted concerning the EFQM model.

Results of the review indicate that the majority of papers are focused on too few research topics (e.g. performance measurement) with limited methodologies (e.g. case study).

The paper enables researchers and practitioners to recognize the missing avenues of current studies and how these avenues could be improved. It provides ideas to stimulate researchers to take divergent and multiple methodological facts. It will be helpful to enhance both the quality and volume of the EFQM model studies.

This paper identifies the current status of the EFQM model studies in terms of research topic and methodological issues.