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ISO 9000
Quality Management System
“It is
not a mere fad”
Wondirad Seifu, May 20, 2006, The Reporter
Quality as a measure of satisfaction has been given careful
attention in today’s world of pervasive market economy. As such, quality
matters and determines the success of firms more than ever before.
Being an objective concept, quality can be measured and
sorted out as good, bad, or free from defects. One can also plan for
acceptable quality level. If shy of zero defects. In doing so, quality must
be managed as it does not just
happen by a mere chance: “quality is like ballet not hockey.”
The history of managing quality dates back to ancient
times, though the then approach to manage quality was relatively in its
lower stage of development. In this regard, one can cite the Egyptian
Pyramids, the Axum Obelisks and the hewn churches of Lalibela
in Ethiopia, the pearls of African civilization.
At that time, inspection was the craftsmen’s approach to
quality management, by which, for example, they used to measure the
dimensions of stones used for construction purpose in order to achieve
quality in their works.
In the 1930’s in Europe and America, the approach to
quality shifted to a stage known as quality control in which such quality
tools as statistical process control (SPC) and some problem solving
techniques were introduced.
Following the World War II, quality management was
embarking on new stages of development. Consecutively, they are known as
quality assurance (QA) and total quality management (TQM). In due course,
TQM joins the main stream management thought. Quality assurance begets
quality system instalment. One of the salient features of the quality
system is that it focused on involvement of non-production functions as
opposed to “Inspect in” and “Control in” approach to quality management.
It is a well- known fact that inspection and quality
control are inefficient in managing quality since 90% of their activities
are focused on production ghetto. However, over 50% of quality problems
emanate from non-production functions such as planning, purchasing, sales,
etc. Likewise, empirical observations show in general that over 80% of
quality problems are attributed to the non-existence or deficiencies of
systems.
In no time, quality system has received worldwide
recognition and has been adopted by the International Organisation for
Standardisation (ISO) and dubbed as ISO 9000 Quality Management System
(QMS) while ratified by the then nineteen ISO member states in 1987. Its
member states are now about 155.
Since then, over 500,000 companies, both from service
and manufacturing sectors worldwide are certified by the ISO 9000 QMS. ISO
declares that currently it has been engaged in preparing a “Social
Responsibility” standard known as ISO 26,000 and it is expected to be
finalised in 2008. This is one of ISO’s novel undertaking and I would like
to suggest to the ISO secretariat to consider ISO 26 000 as an obligatory
standard for those who have presided over political leadership and for
those who aspire for same.
ISO secretariat, WTO, customers,
Let me surf to explore the case in point in the
contemporary Ethiopian industries.
Despite the efforts made over the past three decades to
establish a sound quality management practice, in particular in the
country’s manufacturing firms, the outcome has not gathered sufficient
weight. A significant number of quality programs have been conceived during
the stated period but miscarried for reasons that are not clear. An attempt
that had been made over the past decade to introduce ISO 9000 QMS has been
moving at a snail’s pace; and it is hard to find ISO 9000 certified firms
in the country.
Generally speaking, the manufacturing firms’ approach to
quality management is at its lower stage using fancy testing laboratories
that are staged with highly qualified professionals but who are submerged
in the old mentality of managing quality- inspection! This problem deserves
due attention from a wider perspective on a national level.
Likewise, there is a misconception about ISO 9000 on
part of the firms’ managers which regard it as a buzzword. There are also
those who are bewildered by the involvement of non-production functions
into ISO 9000 requirements. Discontinuity of firms’ management also adds up
to the problem.
In spite of all these, the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) report 2005, states that although a voluntary standard, ISO 9000 becomes
a market requirement. This should ascertain the fact that the standard has
evolved as a fundamental tool to provide confidence for customers and stake
holders as opposed to the perception of those who regard it as band-aid
solution.
It is quite common to notice some shying away from ISO
9000 as they regard its implementation process as a science of Rocketry.
However, the implementation process is as simple as A-B-C. But the
difficult task is to maintain the system so as to serve its purpose. Moreover, ISO 9000 is a powerful
management tool as it has embedded process approach in its system’s
requirements. It also promotes the use of process approach for its
implementation.
Process approach is one of the modern management
approaches that swept away the obsolete bureaucratic model of management
which fails to address the even increasing requirement o f customers since
it has built barriers among functional departments. As such, it focuses on
maximizing their requirements instead of adding value to customers, among
others.
To conclude, I am aware of the fact that one of the
serious problems of promoting quality management in the country is that the
absence of a national blueprint that guides a course of action in quality
management: A national quality Policy!
By this I do not mean to say instruments of quality policy. I mean
to say a policy document, may be, like that of the Environmental Policy of
Ethiopia.
Lastly, it is quite rational to define the game for
advancing proper ISO 9000 certification and accreditations schemes within
the framework of the quality policy and objectives.
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