Excellence – 25 years evolution

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present and discuss/reflect on some well‐known excellence frameworks or models in order to understand the development in the contents of excellence during the last 25 years and to understand the problems or limitations which such kind of models still may have.Design/methodology/approachThe studies examine some leading excellence frameworks and models and discuss/identify their strengths as well as weaknesses. The chosen models and frameworks are Peters' and Waterman's eight excellence attributes (1982), Peter's and Austin's simplified excellence model (1985), lists of best practices (1998), Xerox excellence models (1990, 2002), the European excellence model (1992), Dahlgaard‐Park and Dahlgaard's 4P model (1999, 2004) and Toyota's 4P model.FindingsGenerally, excellence models and frameworks are inspired by the Japanese practices and they recognize the importance of the soft dimension of organizational realities. However, there are tendencies to interpret these models from reductionist and positivistic view and ignore the human aspect and the soft dimension when organizations try to implement the model in their struggle to achieve excellence. 4P model and the four aspects of organizational realities can reduce these negative tendencies.Originality/valueThe study documents how the selected leading models and frameworks about excellence have been developed and practiced during the last 25 years with identification of each frameworks background, strengths and limitations.