I have read countless articles, and heard innumerable speeches on the subject of process and business improvement. Few of them have been significant or memorable, but one I have read but wish I had heard talked of quality and improvement in personal terms.
 
The key element of the speech was that if ‘my’ company (i.e. the [...]

In this time of reduced business expenditure there is a marked reduction in the willingness of companies to embark on new ventures, such as the implementation of ISO management systems. What is in evidence is a renewed drive to embrace policies and strategies that have customer appeal. For us [link] new business has come from [...]

The concept that an ISO standard registration is an indication of a well organised and managed company is well established in the minds of business managers, despite the evidence to the contrary and the logic that would deny this generalization. In reality, for many the certification - because you seldom find ISO implementation that is [...]

Whenever quality professionals gather to discuss quality management issues, sooner or later the issue of ‘root cause’ becomes the topic. There seems to be a well held view that if you work hard enough, or maybe long enough, eventually the ‘root cause’ of your problem will be found. Inbuilt in this belief is the presumption [...]

With the publication of ISO9001:2008 auditors will be re-invigorated in their examination of management systems offered for audit and registration, although the actual changes introduced by the amended standard are minimal. Focus is almost certain to be on the improvement clauses of the standard, and the setting of objectives and performance measurement.
These objectives should be [...]

 
 
While ISO9001:2000 was in its latter development and review stages  the absence of any new requirement formed part of the publicity for the document. Accredited registrars however seem to have developed a different view of at least one of the changes – the appointment of the Management Representative. 
This role is intended to cement the responsibility [...]