The effect of the ISO 9001 quality management system on the performance of SMEs

Remote assessment of quality, processing and economic criteria in qualification of suppliers to the meat packaging foil producer-A Greek case study

Supervision over the suppliers of packaging as well as suppliers of raw materials for packaging production is important to ensure the quality and safety of meat products. The aim of this study was to verify the remote evaluation procedure of quality, processing and economic criteria in qualification of raw materials suppliers to the meat packaging foil producer during the Covid-19 pandemic. The evaluation was done remotely in terms of meeting some of the requirements of the quality management system (QMS) in conditions where regular audit could not be carried out. The survey was conducted in one of the biggest packaging foil producers in Greece via its supplier evaluation. The evaluation consisted of: 1/ economic criteria and 2/ quality and processing criteria. The highest and the lowest rated economic criteria were procedural compliance and price of raw materials. Among the quality and processing criteria, the highest score was given to warranties and claims policies and material quality, and the lowest one to lead time. The highest ratings obtained suppliers of raw materials directly involved in production, suppliers from Greece, the USA and Denmark, as well as suppliers to the R&D department. The results of the study showed that the quality of the raw materials directly used in the production of packaging foil was adequate. Therefore, their use ensure production of packaging foil and finally packaged meat products of adequate quality and safety. The presented procedure occurred to be useful for remote evaluation of quality, processing and economic criteria in qualification of suppliers during the Covid-19 pandemic. It may inspire other producers of food packaging materials to continuing supervision over their suppliers while regular methods of control are limited.

What would QMS implementation really bring to a company?‐ Theoretical review on benefits and disadvantages researched in practice

Purpose

This study aims to provide information on particular combination of benefits or disadvantages with exact timing of their appearance in the company after its first certification, along with the information on the value range each benefit and disadvantage would take, as well as on the duration period of expected values.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey was conducted from October 2015 to January 2019 in 306 certified companies with respondent rate of 58.82%. A questionnaire, structured using literature review to identify all possible benefits and disadvantages of QMS, was used to determine the time of appearance, value range and duration of each identified benefit or disadvantage. Results were used to define indicators for fully applied QMS in each age of its maturity, then the indicators were verified using the records of two ISO certified companies.

Findings

There is a difference in the set of benefits and disadvantages in companies with fully implemented QMS and those that are using QMS only to maintain the certificate. In each age of QMS application a specific set of benefits and disadvantages can be expected as well as the volume range of each of them. These timely sets of benefits and disadvantages can be used as indicators to distinguish well-implemented QMS from those partially implemented.

Research limitations/implications

The sample consists of companies from Balkan area, therefore economy, politics and culture could have influenced results, predominantly regarding the value ranges of some benefits and disadvantages.

Practical implications

Companies which already have implemented or are about to implement QMS may use results of the research to plan its effects in years ahead, concerning costs and profit dynamics, as well as to prepare themselves for upcoming probable issues. Auditors can use results in addition to certification criteria to determine the level of QMS implementation and to forecast whether audited company would keep the certificate in the future.

Social implications

Supply chain management could use research findings in selection of chain members to support and speed up third party audits since the benefits and disadvantages of fully implemented QMS are known for each QMS age. This would further imply better structure of supply chains, which would consequently lead to lower production costs, higher quality and competitive prices at the market, which has beneficial implications on the whole society.

Originality/value

For each age of QMS maturity, starting from the first year of certification, expected combination of benefits and disadvantages along with its expected value range and duration are defined. A set of indicators with their expected values.

The Identification of Common Models Applied for the Integration of Management Systems: A Review

The paper presents a synthesis of strategies, benefits, and barriers in the integration management systems (IMS) implementation at the organizational level. The research is based on an assessment of 103 papers, 7 books, 12 standards, and 7 sites. The analysis of works aims to highlight the common integration models of several IMS, aspects related to IMS implementation, benefits of IMS implementations, and the nature of integration strategies. The research results present valuable information which can be used by top managers of organizations, certification bodies, and consulting organizations to encourage the implementation of integrated management systems.

Project management performance of construction projects in Jordan: a comparative study of ISO 9001-certified and non-certified companies

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the differences between the certified and non-certified ISO 9001 construction companies in terms of construction projects' performance in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaires were distributed to certified and non-certified construction organizations. These entities consist of contractor's consultants and owner representative organizations. In total, 86 valid responses were returned. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) using descriptive statistic tests, namely, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Findings

The results clearly showed the positive effects of ISO 9001 certification on construction projects' performance in project management performance and project success. ISO-certified organizations have higher mean score in project management leadership, staff, policies, project life cycle and key performance indicators (KPIs) but not in partnership. Moreover, an ISO-certified organization shows higher project success.

Originality/value

Due to the dearth of research conducted in this area, this research highlights the management procedures, which impact the leading entities' performance in the construction field within Jordan.

TQM, employee outcomes and performance: the contingency effect of environmental uncertainty

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between total quality management (TQM), employee outcomes and performance. Moreover, how environmental uncertainty (EU) influences the relationship between employee outcomes and performance is regarded in the context of automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran. Four theories namely resource-based view theory, ability, motivation, opportunity framework, contingency theory and quality management theory have been adopted in this research.

Design/methodology/approach

A research project is conducted in 191 automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants using the questionnaire method. Confirmatory factor analysis is applied to assess the reliability and validity of the measurement instrument. The correlations between latent constructs are examined through partial least squares method.

Findings

The results show positive relationship between TQM, employee outcome and performance. The EU also moderates the relationship between employee outcome and performance.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that some contextual factors such as culture be noticed in future research studies. Data were collected from Iranian automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants, which may limit the generalization of results to other organizations in other countries.

Practical implications

In this paper, some beneficial insights are addressed to assist managers in recognizing the organizational problems, which weaken implementing TQM, employee outcomes and the effect of EU on organizations.

Social implications

By improving the quality of management practices and employee outcomes, the society gains benefits such as customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the TQM advance and human resource management literature and provides better foundations for employee outcomes improvement through TQM practices in the Middle East. By investigating the effect of EU, this study fills the current gap in this field.

A study of performance measures and quality management system in small and medium enterprises in India

Purpose

The paper aims to identify causality amongst small and medium enterprises' (SMEs') performance indicators, propose an integrated index of business performance and quality practices and investigate the effect of quality management system (QMS) on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a two-stage approach. In the first stage, the authors gathered responses with a questionnaire on variables affecting business performance and identified dimensions using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Path analysis was carried out to identify causality between the dimensions. In the next stage, the validation of stage 1 findings was carried out to substantiate the proposition that QMS affects performance. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews were conducted during the second stage. The analysis was done following the case study protocol – within- and cross-case analysis and validated with supportive and conflicting literature.

Findings

The results show that the employee – dimension is crucial to process effectiveness, customer satisfaction and finances. Customer satisfaction results from employee satisfaction and processes. QMS impacts processes and employee performance, thus establishes the causality between business performance factors and QMS. QMS impacts finances in the short run but yields long-term benefits and is dependent on two factors – degree of knowledge of quality practices and its application in business.

Originality/value

This study reveals the performance dimensions of SMEs, their causality and the impact of QMS on performance. It suggests a shift from traditional approaches, correcting defects using statistical quality control approaches, to a sustainable growth path – a long-term approach. This study puts forward two associated indices – the business performance and the knowledge of quality practices and its application index.

The Influence of ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 on Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Textile Industry

The examination of implementing ISO standards can provide new insight as to their quality and environmental management benefits. These insights can be more impactful in manufacturing sectors and especially textiles as this sector is known for its environmental degradation and questionable supply chain practices. This exploratory study investigates the extent to which organizations that implement either ISO 9001 or 14001 standards impact sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). We also investigate the extent to which these two standards improve SSCM for the textile industry within a block of European countries consisting of Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. In this empirical study, we use several measures to help identify the extent of impacts of examined standardized management systems on improvements in different processes of SSCM. Our contributions to the field include finding that quality management systems support environmental processes, relationships with stakeholders, processes within the supply chain, and SSCM. Other findings include implementing environmental management system standards impact the rationalization of other processes. Finally, we find more significant supply chain impacts with the implementation of both standards than by either standard alone. The study concludes with suggestions for extension of this study and opportunities for further research.

The heterogeneous implementation of ISO 9001 in service-oriented organizations

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the heterogeneity in the implementation of the ISO 9001 quality management system in service-oriented organizations, and to identify patterns (i.e. relationships, dependencies and exceptions) among critical implementation factors, possible implementation determinants and desired post-implementation outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a qualitative approach, in the form of a multiple case study of five ISO 9001 certified, service-oriented organizations, located in Greece. Using multiple data collection methods including interviews with upper management and employees, desk research and on-site observation allowed for data triangulation.

Findings

The analysis reveals that ISO 9001 implementation can range across different levels of fidelity, from merely superficial to genuinely substantive. Several determinants (i.e. implementation experience, motivation for certification, perception of quality, commitment to change) affect the level of fidelity and, in turn, the post-implementation outcomes. Interestingly, even a superficial ISO 9001 implementation can initiate, at least to a moderate degree, beneficial changes throughout the organizations. The organizations that strictly abide by ISO 9001 requirements still have to address some challenges, most notably to instill a culture of prevention in their management system and to efficiently balance standardization and flexibility.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the ISO 9001 internalization literature, providing an in-depth analysis of possible patterns among ISO 9001 implementation factors, determinants and outcomes. Related findings are also discussed under the prism of the revised ISO 9001:2015.

Factors for improving performance in ISO 9001 certified small- and medium-sized service enterprises

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that are important for improving the performance of ISO 9001 certified small- and medium-sized service enterprises (SMSEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Preliminary research questions were set on the basis of a literature review and then submitted to a Delphi panel of experts. The results from the Delphi panel were transformed into hypotheses in the form of a survey. A sample comprising 115 Italian SMSEs answered the survey, which also included specific fields for qualitative notes. The hypothesis tests used 95% confidence intervals, and notes and suggestions from the respondents were also collected.

Findings

The findings relate to the role and responsibilities of the quality manager, as well the entrepreneur and partners, the quality of the enterprise culture, training, awareness concerning process key performance indicators, visual management and modern digitised documentation and communication. Furthermore, criticisms emerged regarding the ISO 9001 standard in terms of cost of quality measurement, day-to-day improvement and problem-solving.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to SMSEs. The limitations of this research open avenues for further research. In particular, many suggestions from the respondents seem generalisable to other industries and also to large manufacturing firms.

Practical implications

The findings of this research could be used as a guideline for implementing ISO 9001 in the SMSE sector. Moreover, some of the criticisms could be taken into account for the next revision of the ISO 9001 standard.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers to discuss important factors for improving the performance of ISO 9001 in the SMSE sector.

Integrated quality environmental management implementation in food processing SMEs

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) of integrated quality environmental management (IQEM) and analyze their impact on operational performance (OP) and environmental performance (EP) in food processing Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on collecting data using a survey questionnaire through snowball sampling technique. A total of 302 food processing SMEs operating in Punjab, Pakistan, responded to the survey. SPSS version-23 and SmartPLS-3 were used for data analysis.

Findings

The literature review identified leadership (LS), employee management (EM), strategic planning (SP), information management (IM), process management (PM), supplier management (SM) and customer focus (CF) as CSFs of IQEM. The results of this study found a significant relationship of all identified CSFs with operational performance in food processing SMEs whereas EM, IM, PM and SM were insignificant with the EP in the food processing SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study has collected data from one province, the Punjab province, it still relevant in identifying the CSFs for IQEM implementation within food processing SMEs to improve performance.

Originality/value

Despite the wide spread of integrated systems practices in the developed countries, little attention has been placed to implement and assess the IQEM initiatives by organizations in the developing countries. Thus, this study identified CSFs of IQEM based on empirical studies and analyzed their impact on OP and EP of food processing SMEs.

A longitudinal exploratory study of ISO 9001 certification abandonment in small- and medium-sized enterprises

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the expectations for ISO 9001 certification in a group of small- and medium-sized enterprises, then to assess the reasons for their subsequent abandonment of the certification and the long-term impacts of that decision.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study come from longitudinal case studies involving a series of questionnaires, in-depth on-site interviews and informal conversations with top managers of 22 firms in the heating technology service industry in Poland. The research process was conducted in three stages. The first stage occurred in the Summer of 2008 in which a broad analysis was conducted of the impact of ISO 9001 certification on the functioning of the organizations. The second stage was conducted in 2012, to gather the information about the organizations that subsequently abandoned their ISO 9001 certification. The third stage was carried out in 2016 to examine the longer-term impact of ISO 9001 certification abandonment in these organizations.

Findings

The main motivation for study participants obtaining ISO 9001 certification centred around market visibility and gaining new customers rather than on lowering operating costs or improving quality. Managers also expected certification to improve organization documentation. The decision to abandon certification had to do with lack of time for improvement efforts and questionable cost-benefit that could lead to higher prices. Certification was considered unnecessary to achieve the goals of the organization. In retrospect, only a small percentage (20 per cent) of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the sample group felt that abandoning ISO 9001 certification was largely the correct decision. A majority (53 per cent) thought it was largely a regrettable decision.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on a limited number of case studies for smaller organizations in one purchasing group in industry rather than on a large cross-section of different organizations sizes and types. Therefore, the ability to draw statistical inferences is limited and the results may not generalize to other settings. However, this appears to be one of the few studies of its kind on voluntary abandonment of the certification.

Practical implications

It is important for business managers to understand not only the reasons supporting initial certification, but the rationale that organizations cite for abandonment of the certification and the long-term impacts of that decision.

Originality/value

A study of voluntary ISO 9001 certification abandonment appears to be relatively absent in the literature. This research opens a new area of research into the assessment of potential consequences of abandoning the certification.

Applications of TQM Processes to Increase the Management Performance of Enterprises in the Romanian Renewable Energy Sector

This paper focuses on total quality management (TQM) processes and their applications to increase the management performance of enterprises in the renewable energy sector (RES). TQM is a modern tool used by enterprises to increase their management performance. We start with a description of Edwards Deming’s conceptualized model, highlighting different phases of its development as described in the literature. The TQM process is then used for an application to the RES in Romania. The quantitative model analyzes the influence of TQM process implementation in achieving competitive advantage and the management performance of the undertakings in the RES. Data was collected through a survey based on a questionnaire addressed to employees and managers in the RES. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used and the research hypotheses were tested with the partial least squares path method (PLS). Data analysis was performed with the statistical software SmartPLS 3.2.8. The main contribution of this article is to evaluate the relationship between the management performance of enterprises in the RES sector in Romania and TQM process indicators. The results underline the fact that the most important attributes of a TQM process to increase the management performance are: integrated operational processes, policies and trading strategies, integrated operational management, company social responsibility, motivated workforce, knowledge, and competencies. The conclusions of the research are in line with the latest findings in the area, underlining that management performance is the direct result of the association between a group of factors and processes, such as the integrated operational processes, trade strategies and policies, integrated operational management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), motivated workforce, knowledge, and competencies.

An investigation on lean–green performance of Indian manufacturing SMEs

Purpose

Improved performance in operational (lean) and environmental (green) dimensions has been extremely critical to the global competitiveness of organizations. As the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is influenced by various external and internal factors, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the lean–green performance of Indian manufacturing SMEs by investigating the influential relationships of various factors along with the set of lean and green practices adopted by the firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a holistic approach by integrating multiple case study and data envelopment analysis (DEA) in eight manufacturing SMEs to verify a set of five propositions relating issues such as organizational factors, quality and environmental management certifications, implementation of lean and green practices with operational and environmental performance in Indian SMEs. Within-case analysis and cross-case analysis are used for a qualitative investigation of cases while DEA with four input variables, two desirable output variables and one undesirable output variable, is used for quantitative investigation with returns to scale (RTS) and damages to scale (DTS) analysis.

Findings

The RTS/DTS results suggest that Indian SMEs exhibit decreasing RTS and increasing DTS, implying that they need to decrease their operational sizes in order to improve the operational and environmental performance. The possible alternative and more practical strategy could be to introduce new technology innovation and holistic adoption of manufacturing excellence initiatives such as lean and green.

Originality/value

The research findings provide insights into the lean and green performance enhancement approach in the context of SMEs. The study extends key managerial implications and policy-related guidelines.

Motives for implementing ISO 9000 – does enterprise size matter?

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the motives for obtaining an ISO 9000-certified quality management system in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and whether such motives differ between large companies and SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a qualitative approach, using multiple case studies. The primary research consisted of interviews with top and middle managers in four organizations and was complemented with direct observation and documental analysis.

Findings

The research findings confirmed the existing literature. The most common motivations for certification came from external pressure such as customer demand and ability to participate in public tender. It therefore validates that the classification of motives adopted for large companies is also appropriate for SMEs. The research also brought to light one implication of ISO certification that has escaped mention in the literature, namely, the distinction between primary and secondary motives. That is, companies driven by externally-driven motives to pursue ISO 9000 certification appreciated other benefits once they realized the full potential of the standard, leading to additional motivations.

Practical implications

The study was restricted to a single region of Greece and a single sector, food and beverage industry. This study may provide key insight for managers to understand and appropriately evaluate motives for ISO 9000 certification and to save them from misinterpretation and hasty conclusions.

Originality/value

Because the data gathered were longitudinal, this study offered a deep understanding of the true motives for ISO 9000 certification.

Impacts of ISO 9000 on Greek SMEs business performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between ISO 9000 certification and business performance for small-to-medium enterprises in the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employed a qualitative approach based on case studies to investigate in depth how companies perceive ISO 9001. More specifically, four enterprises were examined, and a total of 26 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with top and middle managers from the companies. Questions were validated by experts and through pilot interviews. In total, 45 documents of a broad range related to the quality management system were examined. Personal observation and non-structured consultation with personnel were also used to evaluate the possible impacts and livelihood outcomes.

Findings

Research findings showed that the certified companies in the F&B industry gain a number of both internal and external benefits, including: quality awareness, increased productivity, increased personnel participation and efficiency, improved image and penetration into new markets. Regarding the financial benefits of certification, the findings are not as convincing, as one company reported no financial benefits, and the rest reported that financial benefits are indirect and intangible. Conclusively, it can be said that SMEs that wish to pursue certification should certainly expect benefits.

Practical implications

Although many studies have concentrated on analyzing the impact of the implementation of ISO 9001 certification, there is still a clear need for research in specific sectors. Practicing managers and researchers will be able to examine findings in order to evaluate benefits and weaknesses from certification, thereby identifying and acting before and after certification.

Originality/value

Although the F&B industry has shown a great preference for the ISO 9000 standard and has adopted it extensively, scant empirical evidence has been recorded on the subject. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the benefits for implementing the ISO 9001 certification and to the analysis of its application to the ever-important F&B industry in Greece, a country whose economy is particularly supported by SMEs and has been severely hit by the economic crisis. Researchers will therefore further their knowledge, understand benefits but also acknowledge weaknesses.

Ranking criteria for selection of certification bodies for ISO 9001 through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a framework to assist the selection of certification bodies in the implementation of quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 9001 taking into account a set of criteria organized in a multi-level hierarchical form. To deal with this complexity, the multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM) analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used in this research.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted in small and medium-sized companies certified to ISO 9001. The MCDM method AHP was used as a method for developing the model to support the selection of certification bodies.

Findings

This paper provides a framework for companies seeking to hire certification bodies, mainly for ISO 9001 certification, which help identify the companies that best fit the certification objectives. Additionally, a ranking of the main criteria to select certification bodies for ISO 9001 was obtained.

Research limitations/implications

The decision-making method was applied to Brazilian companies from different sectors. As the results can vary between regions and sectors, this is a limitation of the research. In addition, the number of ten respondents could be higher to increase the robustness of the results.

Practical implications

The model assists companies looking for certification, mainly ISO 9001, in the selection of certification bodies contributing in the search for deeper implementations of QMS.

Originality/value

This work has the originality of the application of a decision-making method in the final process of ISO 9001 certification, scarce in the literature. In addition, it defines weights for the criteria involved in the process of selecting certification bodies.

ISO 9001 and supply chain quality in the USA

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of ISO 9001 certification and diffusion in the USA in relation to organizational supply chain position, quality maturity, and supplier quality maturity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for comparison in this study comes from an e-mail survey questionnaire of supply chain professionals across the USA. A pilot survey was initially e-mailed to 100 supply chain professionals and preliminary data from 27 respondents were used to revise the questionnaire. Respondents to the revised questionnaire returned 565 e-mailed questionnaires out of 2,924 active e-mail addresses.

Findings

The results suggest that companies adopting ISO 9001 are likely doing so as part of an overall quality management program more so than from direct market pressure. It appears that ISO 9001 certification rates differ by organizational position in the supply chain. ISO 9001 certified organizations are more likely to have quality programs of greater maturity and suppliers with greater quality maturity than organizations that are not ISO 9001 certified. Certified organizations are also more likely to use suppliers that are ISO 9001 capable or certified than non-ISO 9001 organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Not all industry groups or supply chain positions were well-represented due to some small sub-group sizes.

Practical implications

The study of ISO 9001 certification in US organizations has been lacking in the literature. Given the weak adoption rate of ISO 9001 in the USA, this study helps characterize ISO 9001 certification from a supply chain perspective and explores possible reasons for low certification rates.

Originality/value

This research extends the knowledge of quality management in the supply chain by studying ISO 9001 certification in relation to supply chain position and differences in quality maturity between certified and non-certified organizations in the USA.

Empirical evidence about ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 in Italian companies

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the experience of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 certified companies, examining their motivations to introduce the standard and their perceived benefits and barriers. In parallel, the research investigated the knowledge and perception of ISO 9004 guideline, analyzing if it could give an added value to certified companies.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was proposed by e-mail to 2,581 Italian ISO 9001 certified companies from January 18 to March 31, 2016; 522 companies participated to the survey.

Findings

Companies of different size have been driven by different motivations to certification, reaching different types of benefits, while both large and small ones perceived the greater bureaucratization as an obstacle. The ISO 9004 standard is little known and applied among Italian companies, but the ones which adopted it benefited from it.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation may be derived from the fact that the sample was composed only of Italian companies, although this effect was to understand perceptions and trends of these international standards in the Italian reality.

Practical implications

Analyzing perceived advantages and disadvantages of ISO 9001 and 9004 could be crucial for managers to understand if their joint use is the right strategy to gain competitiveness in the reference markets.

Originality/value

Compared to previous studies in which ISO 9001 was evaluated as a stand-alone standard, the research made a comparative evaluation with ISO 9004, as ISO considers them to be “consistent pair of standards,” covering the literature gap about the effectiveness of the joint use of them.

An exploratory analysis of quality costing in Greek F&B enterprises

Purpose

Given the fact that the Greek food and beverage (F&B) sector, along with the tourism sector, is the basis of Greek economy, the purpose of this paper is to depict the extent to which Greek F&B enterprises have embraced quality costing, as a means toward economic development and quality assurance. Since no previous research has taken place in this area, the paper aims to analyze whether the quality costing approach has been adopted, in order to achieve quality improvement and a reduction of production costs.

Design/methodology/approach

As the variables in this research are mostly nominal, and no similar work has been previously conducted in Greece, an exploratory approach is adopted, specifically multiple correspondence analysis. This approach enables the researcher not only to analyze the phenomenon in a more holistic way, but also to highlight potential issues and questions that have not been previously identified.

Findings

The research concludes that Greek F&B enterprises have not yet accepted the assumption that quality costing leads to a reduction of production costs and to quality improvement. Furthermore, a second analysis highlights that “turnover” and “ISO-HACCP systems” are the most dominant demographic variables, which have a direct relationship to prevention and internal failure costs.

Originality/value

Since the Greek F&B industry constitutes the larger “employer” of domestic manufacturing, this research sheds light on the role that quality costing plays in the development and success of the Greek F&B sector, by exploring the approach that has been adopted by F&B enterprises, as well as the economic outcome of this process.

The impact of TQM practices on organizational learning case study: automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the correlations between TQM and organizational learning in the context of automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

A research project is carried out in 191 automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants, using the questionnaire method. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is applied to assess the measurement instrument reliability and validity. The correlations between latent constructs are examined through Partial Least Squares (PLS) method.

Findings

Findings indicate that, both, the core and infrastructure aspects of QM practices have significant positive effect on organizational learning. At the lower levels, HRM and information and analysis contribute to enhancement of the organizational learning.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that a more complete construct be designed for measuring the organizational learning. Some contextual factors such as culture need to be noticed in future researches.

Practical implications

in this article some beneficial insights are addressed to assist managers in recognizing the organizational problems which weaken the organizational learning.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the TQM advance, organizational learning research literature and provides better foundations for organizational learning improvement through TQM practices in the Middle East. By investigating the correlations between infrastructure and core QM practices and organizational learning, this study fills the current gap in this field.

Proposal of a method for selecting suppliers considering risk management

Purpose

– Due to the warming at the automotive market in the last years and consequently the growth of vehicle production has been moved and placed emphasis on the segment. In recent years, some have known, for example, as the earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 was able to disrupt the suppliers of the country. Due to these events, supply chain risk management has become essential to the supply chain operations success. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the supplier’s systematic selection at the automotive industry compared with the identified models in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study applied at the automotive to propose a method for selecting suppliers considering the risk management.

Findings

– These results indicate that the organization has established criteria for suppliers selection, this systematic aims to identify the potential risks in the supply chain before the supplier award the project but it’s also the current practice can be improved using as reference the comparative method as applied in this study.

Originality/value

– The risk management, a few discussed topic but on the rise among researches, show that the companies, especially those inserted in the automotive segment has been used different techniques for selecting suppliers to focus in a better supply chain control. Establish criteria for selecting suppliers means identifying in advanced the potential risks that the suppliers may offer to the organization during the supply to avoid any interruptions to supply.

ISO 9001 overall performance dimensions: an exploratory study

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to validate and assess the performance dimensions reflecting ISO 9001 benefits in service companies and to determine their relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

– A research study was carried out in 198 ISO 9001:2008 certified Greek service companies. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire and have been analyzed with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Findings

– Four performance dimensions reflecting ISO 9001 benefits are extracted and validated, namely, product/service quality, operational, market and financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The research sample is limited to small and medium-sized enterprises operating in a specific European country. Further research may confirm the findings of this study to other countries as well.

Practical implications

– By determining and evaluating the performance dimensions and their inter-relationships, the ISO 9001 certified service companies are assisted to select an appropriate strategy to further improve their performance and competitiveness. The suggested model can be also used as a self-assessment and benchmarking tool for managers and practitioners alike.

Originality/value

– The present study provides a comprehensive model of performance dimensions reflecting ISO 9001 benefits in service companies.

Critical success factors examined in ISO 9001:2008-certified Greek companies using multidimensional statistics

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of the importance and implementation of the critical success factors (CSFs) required for the appropriate function of a quality management system (QMS) in ISO 9001:2008-certified companies and the differences between the CSFs and the demographic variables of the companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– A research project was carried out in Greek companies from all business sectors using the questionnaire technique. The selected companies all implement a QMS in accordance with the ISO 9001:2008 standard. Correspondence analysis, a methodology from the multidimensional statistics field, was also used to identify significant differences between the importance and implementation levels of the CSFs of the QMS.

Findings

– The importance that quality assurance managers attribute to these CSFs was high enough in most categories, but there was a significant difference in the implementation level, which displayed much lower scores. The most important factors seem to be management commitment, education, and communication, while the least important were the availability of data and use of statistics. Differences between categories of demographic variables were present only for the firm size variable.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was based on the perception (i.e. subjective data) of only one quality manager/representative of each company.

Practical implications

– The paper provides information to certified companies in Greece on the differences in the importance and implementation levels of quality management practices (especially for hard factors) and motivation to investigate possible causes. Moreover, the most important factors for the successful implementation of ISO 9001 are presented.

Originality/value

– This paper describes the implementation and given importance of the CSFs in companies with experience of the ISO 9001:2008 standard and for the analysis of the data a methodology from the multidimensional field is applied, with the complementary use of some special tables of coincidences.

The impact of ISO 9000 certification on firms’ financial performance

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the acquisition of an ISO 9000 certification and the overall financial performance of the certified firms. More specifically, the study proposes a multidimensional conceptual framework, including “customers’ demand”, “ISO adoption”, “operation efficiency”, “market efficiency” and “overall financial performance”. Such a multidimensional approach has randomly been explored in the existing literature, making the examination of the proposed conceptual framework an interesting research topic.

Design/methodology/approach

– The proposed conceptual framework was tested on a sample of Greek ISO 9000-certified companies of various economic sectors. Quality managers were used as key respondents. The final sample consisted of 168 companies. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined. Empirical data were analyzed using the structural equation modelling technique. The findings are based on the 2000 version of the ISO series, which is generally accepted and has widespread use, as it has eliminated most of the disadvantages of the 1994 version. The present study is empirical (it is based on primary data), explanatory (examines cause and effect relationships), deductive (tests research hypotheses) and quantitative (includes the analysis of quantitative data collected with the use of a structured questionnaire).

Findings

– The findings of the study provide strong evidence that ISO 9000 implementation is highly associated with improvements in overall financial performance. Moreover, it was found that ISO implementation is directly associated with significant improvements in quality awareness, operations execution, market share, customer satisfaction and sales revenue. Finally, customers’ demand was not found to be the most important motivation for implementing an ISO certification. Rather, it seems that companies seek for quality improvement due to internal motives.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation stemming from the implemented methodology is the use of self-report scales to measure the constructs of the proposed model. Moreover, the present paper lacks a longitudinal approach, since it is cross-sectional and provides a static picture of ISO implementation.

Practical implications

– The paper makes an analytical effort in order to point out areas that companies should emphasize in order to successfully implement ISO 9000 and, therefore, harvest its potential benefits. Certain practical implications are offered in the final part of the paper.

Originality/value

– The paper proposes an enhanced conceptual framework that examines vital issues concerning the successful implementation of ISO 9000, thus, providing valuable outcomes for decision makers and academics. Moreover, the results of the study may be generalized in other developed countries whose economy faces similar significant challenges as Greece.

Performance measures of ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies with regard to performance measures, both financial and non-financial.

Design/methodology/approach

– A research study was carried out in 140 Greek manufacturing companies by means of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent by e-mail and it was requested that it should be answered by a company representative. Exploratory factor analysis is applied in order to extract the latent factors of performance measures. The differences between the ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies are determined through non-parametric tests such as the χ2-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test.

Findings

– The ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies significantly outperform the non-certified with regard to product quality, customer satisfaction, operational, market and financial performance. This is evident in a business environment where an economic downturn and financial crisis dominates.

Research limitations/implications

– The sub-samples of the responding ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies are small sized and they are limited to small- and medium-sized enterprises. The subjective character of the data collected through the company representatives involves the risk of receiving biased responses regarding the performance measures. The above limitations suggest future research recommendations.

Practical implications

– The increased performance measures of the ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies may motivate the non-certified ones to implement the ISO 9001 standard and apply for the certification in order to increase their performance and withstand the current economic downturn and financial crisis. The present study may also stimulate manufacturing companies to adopt traditional and modern benchmarking techniques, in an additional effort to improve their businesses and competitiveness.

Originality/value

– The present study compares performance measures of ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies operating under unprecedented circumstances due to the current economic downturn and financial crisis.