Abstract:
ISO 9000 is the world’s most renowned quality management system and it has been
used extensively as a basis for independent (third party) quality system certifications.
Many Sri Lankan organizations have obtained ISO 9000 certification as a means of
providing some assurance for quality. However quality of an organization has different
aspects like quality of people, quality of work and quality of products. Does ISO 9000
Quality Management System have a significant positive influence on all the aspects of
quality? The answer of course, varies from country to country depending on the
country’s economy, industrial capabilities, working habits of people etc.
The survey was focused on the quality approach, activities and achievements of a
sample of ISO 9000 certified companies in Sri Lanka. The main objective of the survey
was to identify the impact of ISO 9000 certification on quality of workforce, quality of
processes, quality of products/services and quality of environment. Findings of this
research provide evidence that ISO 9000 certification has significantly improved the
quality of organizational processes but it has failed to make a significant impact on
quality of people, quality of products/services and also the quality of the environment.
Therefore the certification has been of limited importance.
The certification does not help in the long run unless the quality culture and Total Quality
Management philosophy is well established and maintained under the care and nurture
of all employees. So we suggest that all organizations should apply the new ISO
9001:2000 as part of a Total Quality Approach to the implementation of socially and
economically accountable management systems. The government and the national
certification body; Sri Lanka Standards Institution, should identify how the standard can
be implemented to match the country’s specific requirements and ensure reliable and
consistent third party audits on which the local and international community can rely.
