International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology E-ISSN 2277 – 4106, P-ISSN 2347 - 5161 ® ©2014 INPRESSCO , All Rights Reserved Available at http://inpressco.com/category/ijcet Research Article Benchmarking of Andhrapradesh and Mardin Pilli RavikanthȦ* and Pasham Prathyusha ReddyȦ ȦDepartment of Business and Economics, University of Cassino, Cassino, Italy Accepted 20 February 2014, Available online 28 February 2014, Vol.4, No.1 (February 2014) Abstract Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, performances and ideologies of two organizations is the process for benchmarking. Benchmarking is essentially the procedure of measuring the execution of one's organization against the best in the same or other industry (Stevenson 1996). It helps the organization in implementing the best practices and also accelerates the rate of change and provides realistic improvement goals. Benchmarking enables to scrutinize our own process and learn from others. Benchmarking now a days has been a widely used management tool to identify who is best and what makes them successful, in both manufacturing and service companies. It is being used as extension of existing total quality management program. This article discusses on different accepts of bench marking and analysis between two touristic destinations, namely Mardin(Located in Turkey) and Andhra pradesh(Located in India). Keywords: Benchmarking, Mardin, Andhrapradesh, India, Turkey. 1. Introduction marketing, finance, technology innovation in manufacturing industry, benchmarking is still an obscure 1 Quite often, the benchmarking concept is understood to be idea in the service industry, especially in the tourism field. an act of Imitating or copying. But in reality this proves to Many researchers have stated benchmarking in be a concept that helps in Innovation rather than imitation, different aspects which helps in benchmarking the tourism as stated by Thompson and Cox (1997).However, destination in different criteria’s. benchmarking offers firms a tangible method to evaluate Performance (Kazmi, 2007).In spite of the wide 2.1 Definitions of benchmarking by different Authors utilization of benchmarking procedures in quality, showcasing, back, engineering improvement in the Author Definition Year Focus of assembling business, benchmarking is still an obscure definition Benchmarking is a notion in the administration business, especially in the Spendolini continuous Internal and tourism field. Tourism still represents one of the largest systematic process 1992 functional economic sectors and is widely recognized as an important for evaluating the focused factor in regional development (Commission of the products, services and work of European Communities, 2010). Just like any other organizations that are economic sector, tourism also faces competitive pressures recognized as which are rising substantially in today’s globalized society representing best (Kozak, 2004).Tourist destination benchmarking presents practices for the purpose of particular management challenges (M. Kozak, M. organizational Rimmington 1999. improvement The awareness of benchmarking gives an Benchmarking is an establishment for building operational plans to meet and McNair external focus on 1992 Internal and &Leibfried internal activities, functional surpass the standard and promote knowledge of business functions, or focused improvement opportunities. As per the practitioners and operations in order to also scientific communities benchmarking can generate achieve continuous improvements breakthroughs that lead to insight the need improvement. for long term planning. Benchmarking is a disciplined process Garvin that begins with a 1993 Functional 2. What is benchmarking thorough search to and identify best- comparative Despite of wide use of benchmarking strategies in quality, practice- Focused organizations, continues with the careful study of one’s *Corresponding authors: Pilli Ravikanth and Pasham Prathyusha Reddy 411 | International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.4, No.1 (Feb 2014) Pilli Ravikanth et al Benchmarking of Andhrapradesh and Mardin own practices and Benchmarking is a structured system that requires your performance, organization to move through an arrangement of steps so progresses through systematic site visits as to complete a benchmarking process. Identifying who and interviews, and you should compare your organization to be one of the concludes with an most important steps. The steps that are involved in the analysis of results, process of benchmarking are (Source: Camp 1989): development of recommendations and implementation. • Stage 1: Planning Benchmarking is a Watson continuous search 1993 Internal 1. Identify what is to be benchmarked. for, and application focused 2. Identify comparative companies. of, significantly 3. Determine data collection method and collect data. better practices that lead to superior • Stage 2: Analysis competitive 4. Determine current performance ‘gap’. performance. 5. Project future performance levels. Stevenson Benchmarking is 1996 Internal Stage 3:INTEGRATION simply the process of focused measuring the 6. Communicate benchmark findings and gain performance of one's acceptance. company against the 7. Establish functional goals. best in the same or Stage 4: Action another industry Emulti&Katha Benchmarking is a 1997 Functional 8. Develop action plans. wala quality tool that can focused 9. Implement specific action and monitor progress. help in this process 10. Recalibrate benchmarks. and it can be used in Stage 5: Maturity a variety of industries, both 11. Leadership Position Attained. services and 12. Best Practices Fully Integrated into Process. manufacturing Benchmarking can be 4. Description about Mardin Palmer defined as a process 2001 Functional by which companies focused set standards for The city is spotted on the slant of a hill looking down themselves, based on south to the Mesopotamian plains. Mardin is on the rail a study of best and roadway tracks joining Turkey to Syria and Iraq. The practices elsewhere. Wöber The aim of 2002 Internal city existed under the rule of the Hittites, Hurri-Mitani, benchmarking is focused Surs, Persians, Babylonians Romans, the Seljuk Turks and generally to improve Arabs. Eventually, the Mardin sector of the Artuklu one’s own Kingdom called "Tabaka Ilgaziyye" was made and the city performance. flourished throughout this time.Mardin is a 7000-year-old city that has had many diverse civilizations. However, for smaller companies benchmarking may be The city used to be regarded as "Marde" by the too time-consuming or too expensive (Micklewright, Persians, "Mardia" by the Byzantine, "Maridin" by the 1993). As the reason tourism industry containing many Arabs and "Merde-Merdo-Merdi" by the Syriac. These small businesses would not consider benchmarking. were converted into "Mardin" after the range was involved The strategy used here will show that small companies by the Turks. It has likewise been a city of numerous can take a benchmarking strategy without the fear of religions and languages. A Turkish official named Mardin expenses or sharing information with perceived as the "capital of religions and dialects",(Istvan EGRESI, competitors. Fatih KARA, Büşra BAYRAM, 2012) an impact of the Benchmarking methods fall into four main categories: various languages spoken in the territory and of the co- internal, competitive, functional and generic (Camp, 1989, home of individuals of diverse religious category. Zairi&Leonard, 1994). These can be defined as follows:- Consequently, the region is honored with an extraordinary Competitive benchmarking: it is an examination with number of religious and social destinations. Between 1160 an immediate competitor. It is the direct and easy way of and 1932 the city was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox benchmarking. Patriarchate of Antioch. Today the Patriarch exists in Internal benchmarking: The search for best practices Damasc. internally. Syria yet the presence of numerous houses of worship Functional benchmarking: Which looks at specific and religious communities in the territory of Mardin talk functions with similar functions that are best in class’ in the vicinity of an extraordinary Christian past. (usually non-competitive). Beginning with the 12th century the territory was managed Generic benchmarking: This considers processes that by Muslims, Artukid Turks at first, succeeded by the, extend across functional barriers and organization sectors Akkoyunlu Turks and at last in the sixteenth Century the given by M. Cano (2001) region was vanquished by the Ottoman Turks.They have constructed various religious structures mosques, 3. Process of Benchmarking 412 | International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.4, No.1 (Feb 2014) Pilli Ravikanth et al Benchmarking of Andhrapradesh and Mardin medreses, tombs, and so forth making an unique Turkish- centers of Eastern Christianity. After Veniceand Islamic development. Jerusalem which, with their architectural, ethnographical, Mardin region comes under the GAP venture. GPA is archeological, historical and visual values, give the The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GPA) is a multi- impression that time has stopped there, it is the third division and mixed regional advancement effort habitable protected city and acknowledged to be approached in the setting of sustainable improvement. Its completely a historical heritage. essential goals incorporate the change of living standards In the year 2014 the present Mardin central