Motivations for ISO 9001 quality management system implementation and certification – mapping the territory with a novel classification proposal

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to identify and characterize the motivations for ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) implementation and certification, with a novel, valid and business-oriented scale applied to a large sample. Instead of adopting a normative approach focusing on the internal/external nature of the motivation, this investigation aims to emphasize the ISO 9001 driving forces from an instrumental (productivity, market and competitiveness) perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study is framed with a quantitative methodology supported by an email survey encompassing a sample of 526 Portuguese ISO 9001 certified organizations. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factorial analysis (EFA), t-tests and correlation analysis were performed according to the proposed research questions. Findings Regarding the motivations, three factors were obtained by applying EFA: market, productivity and competitiveness. The respondent organizations consider the productivity factor (mainly related to internal motivations) to be the most important. Concerning the other factors, competitiveness in the sector is ranked second and the reasons related to the market come in third. Additionally, organizations of medium dimension (between 50 and 249 employees), certified up to 1999 or from the private sector, give greater relevance to motivations related to the market and competitiveness. Research limitations/implications This investigation suffers from the limitations inherent to the survey methodology (e.g. potential bias) and a Portuguese sample’s restrictions. Moreover, this research does not cover organizations that have been certified after 2015, namely, with an initial ISO 9001:2015 certification. Nevertheless, most of the respondents’ organizations remain ISO 9001 certified today. Practical implications The information provided allows managers to know the driving forces and motivations behind seeking ISO 9001 certification. It can assist certification bodies in fine-tuning their marketing strategies to attract new customers and support ISO 9001 stakeholders in the ISO 9001 revision cycles. Social implications Policymakers can also adjust policies to foster ISO 9001 certification accordingly. Furthermore, as Wawak et al. (2020) suggested, with ISO starting a new revision cycle for ISO 9001, an increase in the research topic is expected. This study brings additional knowledge that can assist ISO stakeholders in that process. Originality/value This study presents a novel, valid and more business-oriented scale to characterize and identify the motivations for ISO 9001 QMS certification and maps the driving forces for ISO 9001 certification in a large sample size of diverse organizations. The instrumental nature of the scale (productivity, market and competitiveness) improves the consistency with recent research on ISO 9001 contributions for organizational performance compared with previous scales that focused on the internal/external nature of the motivation.

Natural Capital, Institutional Quality and SDG Progress in Emerging Market and Developing Economies

“…However, there may be a time lag until the impacts of investments in improved institutional quality and environmental management are reflected in the SDGs performance. For example, the benefits of adopting, implementing, and acquiring certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 quality management system (QMS) may take time to materialize [37]. Unfortunately, low and lower middle-income economies appear to be experiencing both low levels of institutional quality and a lack of progress towards attaining the 17 SDGs.…”

Decoupling of a management standard: how decision-makers reinterpret, renegotiate, and modify the adoption of ISO 9001

“…The need for standardization: a neo-institutional perspective Vast research into the need for standardization has led researchers to contend that the motives behind the adoption of industry standards, and the ISO 9001 standard in particular, can be divided into two main categoriesexternal and internal. The external motives include market image, customer requirements, and government regulatory requirements among others, whereas the internal motives include process improvement and increased efficiency, as well as cost reduction (Fonseca and Domingues, 2018;Georgiev and Georgiev, 2015;Hussain et al, 2018;Fonseca et al, 2022;Westphal and Zajac, 1994). More importantly, the broad literature pertaining to ISO 9001 implementation argues that the external motives are superior to the internal ones (Casadesus et al, 2001;Rusjan and Ali c, 2010).…”

“…The external motives include market image, customer requirements, and government regulatory requirements among others, whereas the internal motives include process improvement and increased efficiency, as well as cost reduction (Fonseca and Domingues, 2018; Georgiev and Georgiev, 2015; Hussain et al. , 2018; Fonseca et al. , 2022; Westphal and Zajac, 1994).…”

Hubungan Implementasi Sistem Manajemen ISO 9001-2015 terhadap Peningkatan Standar Mutu Produk Baja Tulangan di Jakarta

“…Menurut (Fonseca, L. M., Cardoso, M. C., & Nóvoa, 2021) dengan pergantian milenium baru, persaingan global telah meningkat. Tekanan persaingan ini telah memotivasi manajemen perusahaan untuk mengubah strategi dan metode mereka untuk mencapai keunggulan kinerja, dan tujuan organisasi.…”