Does IS0 9001 quality management system support product innovation? An analysis from the sociotechnical systems theory

Abstract

Purpose Building on the sociotechnical systems theory (STS), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct impacts of the social and technical QMs (ISO 9001) practices on both incremental and radical product innovation and the direct relationships relaying QMs (ISO 9001) as a sociotechnical system with incremental and radical product innovation. Design/methodology/approach The paper opted for a survey instrument to collect quantitative data from 82 Moroccan certified ISO 9001 firm. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings Results show that the social and technical QMs (ISO 9001) practices do not have a significant relationship with incremental and radical product innovation when they are taken in isolation. However, when ranged together to constitute a whole sociotechnical system of QMs (ISO 9001), QMs (ISO 9001) prove to have a strong positive and significant impact on incremental product innovation and a weak positive and significant impact on radical product innovation. Research limitations/implications Because of the small sample size that might weaken the significance of the results and the use of cross-sectional data, this research may lack a large statistical generalizability vis-à-vis the analytical generalization. Practical implications The results provide useful implications for managers, suggesting that in order to develop their product innovation, they must ensure that both QMs (ISO 9001) social and technical practices achieve a high level of integration without allowing some quality practices to take over. Originality/value Based on the STS, this study is the first to focus primarily on the role of the multi-dimensional structure of QMs (ISO 9001), i.e. social and technical practices, in incremental and radical product innovation.

Social and technical chains-of-effects in business-to-business (B2B) service relationships

“…Despite a plethora of studies examining the interplay between these two important organizational domains across a number of settings (e.g. Das and Jayaram, 2007;Chaudhuri and Jayaram, 2019;El Manzani et al, 2019;Kleiner et al, 2015;Manz and Stewart, 1997) it is only relatively recent that STS theory has emerged within marketing and service contexts to help explain firm-customer relationships. Unfortunately, these studies do not help to explain the effects of integrating its online and offline platforms (i.e.…”

Does Employee Care Trigger Innovation Under a Healthy and Safe Working Environment? Evidence from the Pharmaceutical Industry in China

“…Manzani et al [10] Morocco Within the sociotechnical system of quality management system, the ISO 9001 standard positively impacts incremental product innovation and radical product innovation.…”

“…Management system certifications, such as the ISO 9001, ISO 14,001, OHSAS 18,001, and ISO 45,001, can better administrate inter-related parts of the businesses environment that improve firms’ socio-ecological performance [ 21 , 57 ]. There was a focus regarding whether the adoption of management system can trigger firm innovation in extant research, yet this debate was still open between two opposing opinions [ 10 , 23 , 58 ]. Supporters suggest that management system can facilitate innovation of both products and processes [ 45 , 59 ].…”

“…Song and Su [ 64 ] found that certification processes can result in a sense of rigid and bureaucratic regulation, which may in turn reduce companywide creativity. Over the past decade, corporate innovation studies mainly examined management systems related to quality management such as the ISO 9001 and environmental management such as the ISO 14,001 [ 10 , 23 , 45 ], whereas little research addresses OHSMS such as the OHSAS 18,001 and ISO 45,001.…”

“…In fact, innovation is a complicate human process driven by technically qualified, skilled, and well-trained people. To support innovation, firms should create workplace environments that are perceived by employees to be pleasant, low-stress, supportive of continuous learning, and encouraging of active sharing of new knowledge and creative ideas [ 9 , 10 ]. Responsible care for employees can increase job satisfaction and help firms to attract and retain talented people who will be the critical factor in corporate innovation process [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”