Implementing ISO 9000: A study of its benefits among Australian organizations

Abstract

This paper aims to establish the benefits which may accrue from the adoption of ISO 9000 standards and to identify further the potential problems associated with the development and maintenance of these standards. The overall objective is to develop an understanding of the most eff ective means of introducing and maintaining a quality management system in ways that will maximize benefits to the organization. The paper first presents a review of the literature which establishes the major reasons for, and the benefits of, the introduction of ISO 9000. This is followed by the results of an Australian survey on the adoption of ISO 9000 standards. This survey is part of larger study investigating the impediments to the adoption of quality management practices in Australian firms. A content analysis to identify strategic business benefits and operational business benefits is then carried out on 50 case studies of Australian businesses which had introduced quality assurance and/or had achieved third-party certification to ISO 9000. The paper concludes with a discussion and recommendations for the implementation of an ISO 9000 system.