Year: 2014 Volume: 14 Issue: c

Abstract: The EFQM Excellence Model is an advanced tool for organizations’ improvement, which is based on the principles of the theoretical frame of Total Quality Management (Michalska, 2008). The aim of this study was a first attempt to assess the Hellenic National Sport Federations’ (HNSFs) organizational-managerial operations and the investigation of their readiness degree for the application of Management Excellence’s processes, according to European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. An adaptive questionnaire, which was developed according to the managerial and functional environment of the HNSFs, was used to reflect the perception of people serving at the HNSFs about the application of quality management’s and management excellence’s practices. One hundred respondents from 18 HNSFs participated in this study. According to the results, processes of management’s excellence do exist and are indeed applied, but neither often, nor systematically. Moreover, there is a differentiation in perceptions between the three hierarchical administrative groups. It is concluded that in this particular moment a management excellence program may prove difficult to be applied in the HNSFs, unless there is common perception and agreement between the parties involved, on: a) the meaning of management’s excellence and b) the profits it may produce for the sport organization.