Judging - Prescribed Questions

The prescribed questions are located on the rear of the Entry Form and must be answered in your entry submission. Both prescribed category questions must be answered in a total of 500 words or less.

Note.  The category that you will be entering must be the industry sector in which your company operates.

Judging Process

Overview

The judging process is conducted in three stages. In Stage one all entries submitted are assessed against the Eligibility Criteria and the responses to the General Information and Prescribed Questions. Those entries whose submission meets the criteria and gain a higher than average aggregate numerical score against the General and Prescribed Questions are further evaluated at Stage Two. Judges at this stage once again assess the entry against all the criteria, then present the results to the judging panel and recommend finalists. During the third stage the judging panel members come to together to determine if a winner/s for each category can be decided and adjudicate on the Business of the Year.

Note.  All entries are adjudicated within their respective industry sectors.  

• Stage One or Initial Judging of Entrants

All entries are judged independently by two (2) judges. These judges are business experts from relevant business disciplines. They are chosen from professional consultants, university faculty or industry specialists with superior expertise and experience within the areas that they are judging. All Judges are carefully selected and coordinated to ensure that the judging process is fair, objective and free of bias or influence.

• Stage Two or Recommended Finalist Judging

The recommended finalists are judged independently by two (2) judges that have not previously judged these entries. These judges are business experts from relevant business disciplines. They are chosen from professional consultants, university faculty or industry specialists with superior expertise and experience within the areas that they are judging. 

During this phase either a scheduled personal visit or an unscheduled silent shopper call/visit will be completed. Final reference checks are conducted where required by the judging panel.

• Stage Three or Category Winners & Business of the Year

Judging Methodology

Entries will be judged on the basis of the information provided in the completed entry form, eligibility, and responses to the general information and prescribed questions in the submission and supporting materials such as Customer Testimonials, Industry Awards, etc.  

All entries are evaluated in accordance with the Gippsland Business Awards judging assessment criteria across eleven main areas: leadership, innovation, adaptability, corporate culture, customer and market focus, uniqueness, business planning, environment, use of new technology and evidence of demonstrated success.

Judging Assessment

All entries are assessed as per the Judging Methodology. A numerical grading system is utilised and weighted against the various sections of the submission during the assessment phase.