The process of ISO 9000 series registration: an examination in small companies

Abstract

This paper reports a study which has analysed the attempts of 16 small companies to gain IS0 9000 series registration. A number of factors have been identified that influence a small company's progress towards achieving registration. These factors have been grouped into the domains of motivation, information, resources, and planning, and a model has been developed outlining how their interaction influences, in both a positive and negative manner, the piogress towards registration. It is concluded that effective progress towards registration is only made when all the domains of motivation, information and resources occur.

Prioritisation of operations improvement projects in the European manufacturing industry

“…In this case, TQM was combined with ISO 9000 and objective techniques to prioritise improvement projects, but there is a lack of supporting evidence suggesting a similar use by other organisations. In the case of ISO 9000, this quality management system aims to provide a high focus on assuring process conformance (Zeng et al, 2007;McTeer and Dale, 1996). However, although ISO 9000 principles include using a factual approach towards decision-making, there is no evidence to suggest that it can be effectively used or promote the objective prioritisation of improvement activities.…”