What can an apple learn from an orange? Or: What do companies use benchmarking for?

The inflation of new management concepts in recent years has triggered a di scussion that these concepts should be seen as management fashions'. Often linked to this perspective is the notion that these concepts are used as rh etorical means to legitimize the organization, and that they remain decoupl ed from work activities. Subsequently empirical studies focus on the diffus ion of a new management concept or the intensity with which a new concept i s discussed in the literature. A systematic analysis of the contents and th e conceptual elements of the new concepts, and a systematic comparison of o ld and new approaches are rarely undertaken. To avoid a Iop-sided view of n ew management concepts, we argue that the discussion of 'management fashion s' requires an analysis of the core ideas underlying ct new concept as well as systematic comparisons of old and newer approaches. Benchmarking (BM) a s a new 'management fashion' is used as an example to show what such an ana lysis could look like. An explanation for the upswing of BM will be present ed, wherein BM is seen as a continuation of Taylor's concept of scientific management. An analysis of the core elements of BM shows why it is an attra ctive instrument for management. However, this analysis does not entirely e xplain the increasing spread of the concept, it is not clear as to what mot ivates the industry's best to offer themselves as a benchmark for others, a nd further explanation for this will be given. From a managerial perspectiv e, BM is a method for emulating price and quality competition, as well as i ncreasing employee motivation and performance.