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It is really interesting to see the perceptions of the members of
this list regarding this standard, very few of which indicate they
have any direct involvement with ISO.
Generally speaking, the companies or organizations that belittle ISO
9000 and all things so related have either implemented ISO poorly, or
for the wrong reasons, or _both_. One respondent was quite correct
in stating that ISO 9000 has nothing to do with quality!! It _does_
have everything to do with managing business processes that affect
product/service quality so that consistency and repeatability are
achieved, hopefully at a high level of product/service quality.
I would suggest it is about time that North American businesses and
their resident executives begin looking at ways of ensuring the
longevity of their respective companies rather than the size of their
next quarter's bonus payment. Notwithstanding the current economic
problems in the Orient, the companies there are generally much better
run, managed, and will outlive those in America (both US and Canada).
I have been fortunate to have seen a copy of the draft ISO 9000:2000
document, currently circulating around the world's standards bodies
for review and approval, and it is interesting to see the additions.
Most noticeable are new requirements for companies to a) provide
documented evidence of improvements in their processes on an ongoing
basis and b) to document how customer feedback is utilized to help
improve their quality system.
Any thoughts that ISO 9000 is just a 'fad' that will disappear in the
near future should be quickly dispelled, and anyone thinking that way
will go the way of the dinosaur. ISO is a fact of business life. It
will become more important to successful businesses; it does work;
companies do change and get better because of it; and it will _not_ go
away!!
Ralph E. Robinson
R2 Innovations
Specialists in ISO 9000 Documentation and source of the
book, 'Documenting ISO 9000: Guidelines for Compliant
Documentation'. Visit our website dealing with ISO 9000
issues at http://www.myna.com/~r2innovn/main.htm. Send
email to r2innovations -at- myna -dot- com -dot-
