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The standard were developed by the International Organization for Standardization in Geneva. They are based heavily on British quality standard BS 5750. They have been adopted by over 90 countries, including Malaysia.
The standards were first issued in 1987. They are being reviewed to ensure that they are serving their purpose. A minor revision was issued in mid-1994. A Major revision is expected to be issued in 1999 which will push the standards more in the direction of Total Quality Management, with a much greater focus on continuous improvement.
WHY ISO 9000?
In some instances, companies are pursuing registration because a competitor is registered. If they do not register, they will be seen as being at a competitive disadvantage.
In any event, companies that implement the ISO 9000 standards will have a better opportunity to improve their productivity, cost effectiveness, market share, and competitive position than those which do not. Savings, which are often estimated at 5 to 30% of the bottom line, come from greater efficiency and less waste and redundancy. Savings can also come from having to be involved in fewer costly supplier audit.
ISO 9000: THE BENEFITS
In short, the benefits of implementing ISO 9000 include:
improved quality systems
improved internal operations
improved quality in finished products
increased first-pass yield
reduced redundancy in auditing
competitive advantage in marketing
lower warranty costs
improved relationships with costumers and supplier
basis for continuous improvement of products and processes
improved communications
improve profitability
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