Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, or JRD, as he was popularly known in business circles, guided the destiny of India's largest business house for well over half a century. JRD, who as chairman of the Tata Group helped establish many new enterprises, was always conscious of the importance of quality, and ensured that this quality consciousness pervaded all the organisations that belonged to the Tata Group.

As a tribute to JRD's quest for perfection in every sphere of activity, the JRD Tata Quality Value Award was instituted in his memory. The Award is modelled on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and it has also attributes from other quality awards. The Award recognises companies within the Tata Group that excel in quality management and the achievement of the highest levels of quality. This is an annual award presented to the winning company on July 29, JRD's birth anniversary.

Objectives of the award
The JRD QV Award is given to Tata Group companies in order to:

• create awareness of the importance of quality and the need for total customer satisfaction in all areas of operations of group companies;
• achieve and sustain continuous excellence and, consequently, leadership in the marketplace through perfection and the achievement of quality that will be recognised as being the best and ahead of competition.
  

All Tata Group companies are encouraged to volunteer for evaluation for the Award. They are categorised into three sectors: manufacturing, service and small business (employee size less than 500). Companies have to apply to an awards committee by way of a written response to the various requirements of the criteria laid down. This has to be done by the last week of February each year.

The evaluation process
The applications received are evaluated by a 'core group'. This group visits companies being evaluated to verify the accuracy of the applications, clarify points of uncertainty and investigate areas of functioning. The evaluation is also based on a point system across various parameters such as leadership, planning, strategy, human resource management, and process management.

The shortlist of companies prepared by this core group is then evaluated by an 'apex group' headed by the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group. From this evaluation the winners (for gold and silver) are chosen.