A comparative study on motivation for and experience with ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certification among Far Eastern countries

TLDR

ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 have rapidly evolved into widely adopted management standards, with over 400,000 firms in 150+ countries certified to ISO 9000 and more than 30,000 firms in 100+ countries adopting ISO 14000. This study compares motivations, implementation practices, and perceived benefits of ISO 9000/14000 certification across Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. A mail survey of firms in these four countries was analyzed using factor analysis, cluster analysis, and Kruskal‑Wallis tests to identify similarities and differences. Statistical analysis yielded several conclusions and recommendations regarding the motivations, implementation strategies, and benefits of ISO 9000/14000 certification in the region.

Abstract

The fast evolution of management systems standards ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 worldwide, from unknown entities to well‐established management practices, represents a facet of the global marketplace in which many firms operate. Over 400,000 firms in over 150 countries have adopted ISO 9000 since it was introduced in 1986. Its successor, ISO 14000, was introduced in 1996 and has already been adopted by over 30,000 firms in over 100 countries. Reports on the results of an ISO 9000/14000 mail survey, administered in four Far eastern countries including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan to explore and compare the similarities and differences of motivations, implementations and certification benefits among these countries. Survey data have been analyzed using the multivariate statistical methods and techniques such as factor analysis, cluster analysis, Kruskal‐Wallis test, etc. Several conclusions and suggestions are made based on the statistical analysis results.