An empirical study of the ISO 9000 standards’ contribution towards total quality management

TLDR

ISO 9000 standards are considered a potential entry point to total quality management, yet debate remains over their long‑term contribution and value to certified companies. The study aimed to develop and validate a TQM measurement instrument and use it to test whether ISO 9000 standards provide a good first step toward TQM. The instrument was developed and tested for reliability and validity in Greek industry certified companies to assess TQM performance improvement. Empirical results across eight TQM categories revealed performance improvements, strengths, and weaknesses in ISO 9000‑certified companies on their path to TQM.

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an empirical study on the contribution of ISO 9000 standards towards total quality management (TQM). The paper is a continuation of the authors’ research on the ISO 9000 standards effectiveness and capability as an entry key to TQM. The literature review of the above issue revealed the need for a formal empirical study to resolve the existing debate about the standards’ long‐term contribution and true value to ISO 9000‐certified companies. For the purposes of this study, a TQM measurement instrument was developed and tested for its reliability and validity to measure TQM performance improvement in certified companies in Greek industry. This performance improvement was then used to test the basic research hypothesis: “Can ISO 9000 standards provide a good first step towards TQM?”. The results of the study are presented in eight basic TQM categories, showing the certified companies’ performance improvement in the basic elements of each category, and revealing their strengths and weaknesses on their way to TQM.